UK Review
Viva Anthems – The Ultimate Feel-Good Music & Comedy show
Viva Blackpool
Showing from Wednesday 1st July and every Wednesday and Friday until October 2026
Producers Martin Heywood and Leye D Johns
Reviewer: Stevie Barker
WOW, what a terrific evening this is! Headed by resident compere/comedian Leye D Johns, a cast of eight singers and dancers including Leye celebrated music in an eclectic mix of songs from all genres, including pop/dance covers/musicals/films in colourful and dramatic routines, with individual singers coming out to sing on podiums around the auditorium.
A fantastic opening routine involved the whole cast. Upbeat numbers with Leye and everyone singing and dancing to get the party started with a bang.
Leye said, in his welcome after the opening, that this show would bring back memories and mean a lot to many people because they cover songs going back over time. The performance continued with Leye and individual cast members, who all had really strong and powerful voices. Leye is such a great singer as well as being compere and a very funny comedian. He interspersed lines in places in some songs – for example, in Bat Out Of Hell, where he was dressed appropriately for it – he stopped and said, “Do I look fat in this?”!
Praise indeed goes to the technicians, who were excellent, providing spectacular backdrops on stage and complementary lighting for this fast-moving show.
The second half started with a myriad of covers of different artiste records to suit everyone, made even better by the fact that there were rapid costume changes by the cast for the songs – Queen, Taylor Swift, Robbie Williams, etc, plus songs such as My Way, Amarillo, Summer of 69 and suchlike. All the audience were on their feet dancing and singing – including some of the staff, who danced as they walked by! You couldn’t help it, it was so fast moving and happy.
Finally, Leye explained that this was the very first performance of this show, and it would get better as the season progressed, but I honestly can’t see how it could get any better as it is already FAB-U-LOUS!
Congratulations to Leye D Johns and Martin Heywood, plus everyone in the whole production who worked so hard to make it as big a success as it already is.
