Here and Now : The Official Steps Musical

Rebecca Lock stole the show in the lead role of Caz and whilst the repertoire perhaps didn’t allow for a full showcase of her powerhouse vocals, her performance of ‘Heartbeat’ was spectacular and emotional. Sharing the limelight in the main ensemble Jacqui Dubois adds a comedic edge, Rosie Singha brings fun, fresh vocals and Blake Patrick Anderson shows a sweetness and likability. The vocal harmonies are on point and the leads do a great job of adding just the right amount of musical theatre to the songs that were originally written for a more commercial vibe. Drag Race star River Medway’s performance of Chain Reaction (despite being bizarrely set in the frozen aisle amongst glittery washing machines) went down especially well with the audience.

At the end of the day, this show is about the music and the songs brought high energy and joy. However, as is so often the case with jukebox musicals of this type, some songs seemed shoehorned into the storyline and were at times a little forced. In an attempt to add a further dimension to the show, Here and Now explores the theme of loss in a variety of forms. The contrast throughout the show with more energetic numbers sometimes felt jarring.