“Sunny Afternoon” – a musical based on the music of The Kinks

Sunny Afternoon – a musical based on the music of The Kinks, music and lyrics by Ray Davies
Harold Pinter Theatre until 23rd May 2015

 
The best way to beat the January or possibly the upcoming February blues is to go see Sunny Afternoon. Following a sold-out run at the Hampstead Theatre this musical, which depicts the trials and tribulations of iconic British band The Kinks, is enjoying a West End transfer at the Harold Pinter Theatre. The show is pure exhilaration and joy, illustrated by the the number of people jumping up during the finale.

We have heard this story before – a rock band starts rough, suffers violent sibling rivalry, gets ripped off by various managers and ends up in trouble in the USA but this version of Ray and Dave Davies is set apart from other rock fables as it clearly underlines the key influences of the Kinks on modern rock music. The performances, both singing and instrumental, are hard hitting; even with the understudy stepping in to play Dave during my visit.

Ultimately it’s the music that really makes the show memorable. Hearts were definitely thumping on the first chords of “You really got me” as the words rang deep, even for the younger members of the audience. Thankfully all the hits were played and the pace of excitement accelerated until my seat was redundant: spontaneous participation was the best way to seal the evening’s great entertainment. Sunny Afternoon is not only a must see it is a must see again.