CILLA The Musical is the natural evolution of Jeff Pope’s script following the TV series starring Sheridan Smith as Cilla Black three years ago.

Produced by Bill Kenwright and Laurie Mansfield and executive produced by Cilla’s son, Robert Willis, the musical’s storyline neatly weaves itself around a select soundtrack of Mersey Beat hits popularised by The Big Three, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Beatles and Cilla herself.

The musical shows the transformation of filing clerk Priscilla White singing with her friends in the squalor of Liverpool’s Cavern Club to pop stardom as Cilla Black topping the pop charts and the bill at The London Palladium.

Kara Lily Hayworth fully embodies the persona and spirit of the young Cilla through sassiness, song and performance. Her transformation from Cavern Club Rocker to pop balladeer is pure magic, while her rendition of Anyone Who Had a Heart is a real hair-standing-on-end moment. 

Carl Au gives a warm and endearing portrayal of Bobby Willis, Cilla’s road manager and boyfriend while Andrew Lancel is perfectly cast as Cilla’s manager and Beatles Svengali Brian Epstein demonstrating Epstein’s strength and vulnerability as his private life collides with his professional life. 

The incredible supporting cast of actor musicians are all too numerous to give individual namechecks, but special mention must go to Paul Broughton as Cilla’s Dad, John White who adds a lot of scouse humor to the proceedings and Michael Hawkins as John Lennon, who leads his fellow Beatles with authentic renditions of Twist and Shout and You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me.

Nostalgic, fun, dramatic and musically entertaining, you’ll be hard pushed to find a musical that encapsulates the60s pop scene better than Cilla The Musical – don’t miss the chance to be entertained.