He’s packed out stadiums while ‘ruling the world’ with Take That and now Gary Barlow is delivering a very different show indeed with A Different Stage.
With this hilarious and at the same time heart-wrenching one-man show, it’s just Gary standing on a stage before a small audience.
And this is Mr Barlow as fans have never seen him before as he takes on the role as a stand-up comedian narrating the most deeply personal aspects of his life interspersed with much-loved hits from his back-catalogue and other important songs.
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After launching the show in Runcorn, close to where he grew up in Frodsham, Cheshire, the pop star has brought the no holds barred theatre experience to The Lowry theatre in Salford.
And audiences lucky enough to get their hands on a ticket before it sold out are guaranteed an unforgettable couple of hours - just don’t forget to take tissues like I did.
A Different Stage delivers a warm but unflinching account of his early years growing up, his rise to fame with Britain’s answer to New Kids on the Block, the pitfalls of fame and personal tragedy - and it’s packed with surprises which I won’t spoil.
It’s a story that deserves to be told and it’s delivered beautifully by the 51-year-old singer songwriter who shot to fame with the Manchester-formed boyband Take That in the early 90s.
“Gary you’re a legend,” called out one audience member as we stood, appreciated and danced.
With tears running down our faces from both laughter and sadness, at the end of the two hours he leaves the audience wanting more as the house lights come up.
A Different Stage moves on to Liverpool and Edinburgh after the curtains close on its precious few days at The Lowry on Sunday.
And this is a show that has to run and run.
Not since I ugly cried through Ricky Gervais’ Afterlife has a story of love and loss succeeded in being so uplifting at the same time.
Gary has said he’s trying to grow this new show organically, and it would be be perfectly placed to end up being screened on Netflix where he could keep the venue intimate while a wider audience can hear a story that deserves to be told.
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