REVIEW: HERE & NOW @ NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE

🎭 Here & Now

📍 New Wimbledon Theatre, 93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG

🗓 Tuesday 4th November 2025

⭐️⭐️

BETTER BEST FORGOTTEN!

As a massive fan of musical theatre I was excited to be invited to review this new show built around the tunes of Steps. After all, you've got to love a good jukebox musical, right? Turns out... maybe not always.

To their credit, the cast worked their absolute socks off. Their energy was through the roof from the first number, and the choreography was sharp and full of campy fun, just as you'd want. The ensemble in particular have a stage presence that sparkles and commands your attention whenever they appear. There's no question about the talent on that stage.

The songs, of course, were the main event. Let's be honest, you can't go wrong with a classic like "Chain Reaction" or "Tragedy", but that's where the problem lies. The songs are brilliant, but the vehicle carrying them is unfortunately a bit of a car crash.

The book is just not there. It's so flimsy you could blow on it and the entire thing would collapse. The story is a series of clichés connected by Steps songs, with characters that have zero time to develop or create any real connection with the audience. I didn't care what happened to any of the characters because we are not allowed to relate to them on any more than a superficial level.

There's a lot of noise and spectacle, but very little heart. For a show that relies so heavily on the emotional journey of its characters, the book is rushed and completely hollow.

Having seen a number of the cast in other productions, I know that they can sing and act well, but this show was full of pitchy vocals and over-acting. There are lots of bad creative decisions here and the direction makes it feel more like 'Steps the Panto' than a musical theatre production. Most of the songs started with vocals in registers that were unfathomably low, and harmonies just didn't gel. When the ensemble out-perform the leads, there is something seriously wrong. The performers themselves are not to blame here, it's all bad elements of this production where the fault lies.

I found myself laughing, yawning, and sitting with my head in my hands for quite a lot of the performance. I don't mind a bit of campness and cheese, but I expect a lot more from a production of this scale.

The lighting design here felt lazy. The lighting should elevate the onstage action but here it felt like it was an afterthought, and I honestly found it boring.

There were some saving graces though. The choreography was great and Rebecca Lock shone during her performance of "One For Sorrow". Finty Williams and Ben Darcy gave the standout acting performances, and the megamix finale had the entire audience on their feet singing along and doing all the iconic dance moves we all know and love so much.

In the end, it feels like a long, drawn out Greatest Hits concert with some acting shoehorned in. I'm glad I've seen it for the spectacle, but it left me feeling cold. I'm a bit of a die-hard Steps fan, but for me this was a real misfire.

HERE & NOW continues performances at New Wimbledon Theatre until Sunday 9th November. Click here to check availability and book tickets, and make your own decision whether or not you think this show is a 'tragedy'.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Here & Now was gifted by New Wimbledon Theatre who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Rebecca Lock as Caz; Jacqui Dubois as Vel; Rosie Singha as Neeta; Blake Patrick Anderson as Robbie; River Medway as Jem; Finty Williams as Patricia; Ben Darcy as Ben; Lauren Woolf as Tracey; Chris Grahamson as Gareth; Edward Baker-Duly as Max; John Stacey as Lesley

Ensemble: Georgia Christofi; Kade Ferraiolo; Albert Green; Harry Jack; Casey Jay; Rosemary Annabella Nkrumah; Dean Rickards; Genevieve Taylor; Jessica Vaux; Charlie-Jay Johnson; Markus Södergren

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 30 minutes, including interval

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