Here & Now - The Steps Musical: 1st Night Recap

By Daz Gale

First night posts are something I’ve always loved to do on All That Dazzles. They’re not a review as it’s not fair to review a show until press night – more an introduction of what to expect from the show, predominantly photo and video heavy.

I haven’t been able to do many of them lately as reviewing keeps me busy but when ‘Here & Now – The Steps Musical’ was announced, there was no way I was going to be missing that! If there’s one thing I love as much as musical theatre, it is Steps! As a lifelong megafan, I booked a train to Birmingham in the hopes this show wouldn’t be a complete tragedy!

Be warned - this post contains videos from the curtain call and the song list of the show. I won't spoil anything from the story though!

While this isn’t a review, this should give you a good indication of what to expect from ‘Here & Now’ and why you need to get a ticket to catch its (current) short run!

Having its world premiere at The Alexandra in Birmingham, you are faced with the eye-catching poster as you walk to the theatre.

The merchandise includes  souvenir brochure (not often you have them ready for a first performance), a standard programme, a magnet, mug, tote bag and 2 different pin badges. There’s no t-shirt… yet, but there is a rather camp apron!

Here & Now is set in a fictional seaside supermarket named Better Best Bargains. Here is the sight of the stage as you walk in. Of course, the exterior is raised to reveal the inside of the supermarket – look out for some brilliant sight gags throughout the show. If anything with words ever appears on a stage, make sure you read it for some brilliant Steps references and hilarious puns. I won’t spoil it but when I caught the name of the bin, I was in hysterics!

Here is the camptastic set design. Recognise the logo?

The show is currently running at around 2 hours 10 minutes with each act around 60-65 minutes and a 20 minute interval. The 7.30pm performance comes down at around 10pm, though being the first night, this was more like 10.10pm last night.

This will be a spoiler so look away if you don’t want to know but these are the songs included in the show:

Obviously I can't show anything from the musical but here's 'Say You'll Be Mine' from the rehearsal room a couple of weeks ago.

Highlights to look out for include 'Something In Your Eyes' and 'Chain Reaction'. The choreography on this is among the best there is!

The show also ends with not a 5, 6 or 7 but 8 (!) minute megamix in one of the greatest closes to a show you will ever see.

Don’t just take my word for it – watch it here:

And here’s the curtain call from the first performance on 9th November 2024

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Here & Now. I love a jukebox musical but some I have seen in recent years haven’t quite hit the mark. As someone who loves Steps, I worried it may not live up to the huge expectations I had.

I needn’t have been scared (of the dark though that's another matter). Again, I can’t review it, but what I can say is I have rarely been to a first performance that was as slick as this. If it is this well put together already, I can’t wait to see how steptacular it will be when it has its big Gala night on November 19th.

The first night also had two of the band members, Claire and Faye in attendance. Will the others attend during the run? Who knows who you might see if you attend one of the future performances.

If you are a Steps fan, you are going to love this show. It is everything you could have wanted from a Steps musical and so much more. The humour, the heart, the incredible cast and the flawless way the songs are included make this a well-rounded, feel-good story. I can’t remember the last time I smiled so much in the theatre.

If you don’t know too much about Steps or shock horror don’t even like them, this musical may surprise you. Crucially, it isn’t just a good Steps musical – it’s a pretty incredible musical in its own right and should go down a storm with everyone who watches it!

For a bit more on what to expect when you step inside the theatre, here's some interviews I did with writer Shaun Kitchener and cast members Hiba Elchikhe and Blake Patrick Anderson.

When you leave a show feeling happier than when you first entered, you know they have done something right. There was a real buzz in the theatre last night with the atmosphere feeling electric. I'd go as far and say it's impossible to feel a deeper shade of blue or one for sorrow here - making a Steps musical as good as this may have been the last thing on my mind but from the moment it started, I knew I was ready to stomp all night! This musical should be anything but better best forgotten!

Here & Now is playing at The Alexandra in Birmingham until November 30th.

Tickets available here

After that… who knows what the future holds?