REVIEW: Beautiful in every way – The Carole King Musical

I enjoy my musicals but Beautiful The Carole King Musical had escaped my radar until Tuesday night at the Congress Theatre when the West End and Broadway show arrived in Eastbourne.

The hugely acclaimed musical is based on the early life and career of legendary singer songwriter Carole King and tells the story of her remarkable rise to fame and stardom, from being part of a hit song writing team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann.

King herself eventually became one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history but in her younger years King and her cohorts wrote the soundtrack to a generation and countless classics are performed in the two hour show including (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Take Good Care of My Baby, You’ve Got a Friend, So Far Away, It Might as Well Rain Until September, Up on the Roof and The Locomotion.

The show also includes the Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann hit songs You’ve Lost that Lovin Feeling, On Broadway and We Gotta Get out of This Place,

All of the songs are foot-tappingly excellent and Daisy Wood-Davis is absolutely phenomenal in the title role.

There are very strong performances too by Adam Gillian as Gerry and Laura Baldwin as Cynthia Well and the ensemble bring a wonderful energy to the show.

The set is varied but sits so well on the Congress stage alongside a live band which is always a joy with any show.

All the credit must go to Miss Wood-Davis who, to her credit, has made the role her own. It’s beautiful. In every single way. And catch it if you can.

The show is on at the Congress until Saturday February 15 and tickets are priced from £32. To book call the box office on 412000 or online eastbournetheatres.co.uk