Last night we were transported right back to the swinging sixties via Stockton Globe thanks to the superb Sunny Afternoon.

With an original story by frontman Ray Davies, Sunny Afternoon tells the tale of one of Britain’s most iconic bands, The Kinks! The show celebrates their raw sound and passionate personalities, and takes us on a journey through the highs, and the lows, of making it as a band. It’s an absolute rollercoaster of emotions and a thrill to watch – all soundtracked to some of The Kinks biggest hits like ‘You Really Got Me’ and ‘Lola’. 

I have to say I adored this show. I’ve always loved The Kinks’ music but didn’t really know anything about the band, so this was almost like a bit of a history lesson. The story is told brilliantly thanks to the music, and a sensational cast. Every single person on stage gave it their absolute all and brought so much with their performances. Shout out to Danny Horn and Oliver Hoare who played Ray and Dave Davies – their chemistry was incredible and they were genuinely mesmerising to watch on stage. 

The music was exceptional and the songs themselves were weaved perfectly into the story. Very cleverly done and timed perfectly – some real standout moments with the hits, especially ‘You Really Got Me’ and ‘Waterloo Sunset’. At times I felt like I was actually at a gig, not a musical! 

The set design was fabulous, as well as the costumes. They’re very aesthetically pleasing  with that 60s style and the backdrops really complement the show and give it the feel of a concert.

A story of family, friendship, fandom and fame – Sunny Afternoon is a thrilling musical and it’s easy to see why it has won so many Olivier awards. We had an incredible night, huge thank you to the team at Stockton Globe for looking after us and having us down!

*We were invited along to the show in exchange for this honest review.