The Cher Show – Opera House, Manchester

(L-R) Millie O’Connell, Danielle Steers and Debbie Kurup in The Cher Show at the Opera House, Manchester and Touring. Picture: Pamela Raith

The Cher Show continues at the Opera House, Manchester until 21 May 2022 and tours the UK until 18 March 2023.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

It’s hard to believe that it took until 2018 for there to be a full-blown Broadway musical based on Cher’s life. The rags-to-riches tale of gawky, deep-voiced Cherilyn Sarkisian’s ascent from oddball, picked on child to multi-million-selling global recording artist and Oscar-winning actress is the stuff of musical biographical gold.

From overcoming an itinerate childhood and prejudice over her mixed-race heritage to stepping out of the shadow of a high-profile celebrity marriage and creative partnership with Sonny Bono to forge her own successful solo career, with the odd professional setback along the way, her story contains enough drama – not to mention enough hit singles from an amazingly varied six-decade career – to fill at least three jukebox musicals.

But when this show first appeared on Broadway in June 2018, the general consensus was that, while being a great showcase for Cher’s songs and a well-deserved celebration of her considerable talents, it was a little clumsy in its execution.

First staged at Leicester Curve in April, this highly polished and – appropriately – nipped and tucked revival, directed by Arlene Phillips and with choreography from Strictly’s Oti Mabuse, fixes most of this by moving some of the songs and action in Rick Elice’s book around.

It still suffers from a slightly contrived framing structure – which sees a present-day Cher struggling with her backstage nerves and looking to recapture her inner ‘goddess warrior’ by retracing her formative steps – and some clunky exposition, lame jokes and girl-power platitudes. But the sheer force of Cher’s personality, power of the performances and an incredible roster of 35 well-chosen songs manages to outweigh its storytelling shortcomings.

Its greatest success, however, still lies in the decision to split the role of Cher between three powerhouse performers who portray the three distinct stages in her life.

Of these, Six alumni Millie O’Connell displays the greatest acting chops, and undergoes the biggest transformation, with a quirkily engaging performance as the young Cher, spanning her growth from kooky child to lovestruck, Swinging Sixties pop star, enamoured by Lucas Rush’s unconventionally charismatic Sonny.

These 1960s-set scenes really swing, helped by snippets of the songs produced by Phil Spector that Cher sang backing on, and it’s here that Phillips’ smooth direction and Mabuse’s choreography really shine. Among all of this, O’Connell’s performance of ‘The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)’ with the well-drilled ensemble is a real Act I highlight.

Things go up a gear vocally when Danielle Steers takes over for the middle section of Cher’s life. As we head into the 1970s there is a disappointing lack of disco – there’s no room for Cher’s 1979 floor-filler ‘Take Me Home’ while her disco-infused 1998 song ‘Strong Enough’ gets a stripped back rendition – but Steers’ soulful version of ‘When the Money’s Gone’ and her duetting with Rush’s Sonny on ‘Living in a House Divided’ really hit the mark.

Debbie Kurup brings an assured stage presence and stateliness to her role as Cher in her later years, and does the best job of delivering Cher’s own brand of devilish humour (with the best lines coming directly from the wit and wisdom of Cher herself).

But all three combine to fabulous effect when called upon to sing together, such as in stirring Act I closer ‘(This is) A Song For the Lonely’, and equally nail Cher’s distinctive speaking voice.

Sam Ferriday does a good job of portraying the other men in Cher’s life, from Southern fried lothario Greg Allman to Cher’s blue-collar 1980s toyboy Rob Camilletti, but these roles are thinly sketched. Sonny Bono gets a more rounded treatment (well-portrayed by Rush) but you can’t escape the feeling that his domineering, bullying side is exaggerated for the sake of conflict, and runs slightly counter to the warmth the couple share in their later years.

This production gains hugely from having its costumes redesigned by Six’s Gabriella Slade. Most of Cher’s iconic looks are dutifully re-created but the science fiction princess guise the trio adopt for their curtain call – topped off by the wigs created by Natascha Schieden, undoubtably the show’s other MVP – gives the denouement an extra injection of joyful female employment that seems directly inspired by Six’s own roof-raising finale.

Having Tom Rogers’ set flanked by sky-high racks of clothing makes the performing area seem a bit cramped and claustrophobic. But when the set is stripped back and Ben Cracknell’s Vegas-like light show is cranked up to 11 – such as in a finale that packs in a medley of no less than seven copper-bottomed Cher bangers – the results are infectious.

Cher’s own longevity has always been credited to her ability to reinvent herself, and this show has benefited enormously from its own carefully crafted reinvention.

Chris Bartlett