Here & Now The Steps Musical Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh 24th February 2026 Review
Here & Now, the musical based on the songs of Steps, is at the Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh from Tuesday 24 February to Sunday 1 March, and if you are a fan of the band’s music then this will probably be a show for you.
If you want a bit more from your juke-box musical than just listening to some of your favourite songs performed on stage then you might be a little disappointed.
On paper, songs made popular by a very successful band, including two classic Bee Gees songs, the very stage experienced Lara Denning (Caz) and Jacqui Dubois (Vel) in leading roles, plus some very experienced and creative talents behind this production at every level of it, "Here & Now" should have been a classic show in its own right.
Instead of this, we follow four co-workers at BBB supermarket and, keeping in line with the retro feel of this show, this is a store that actually employs human beings and not automated check outs. Most of the story arc here takes place in the store with these four check-out operators, and that is perhaps very apt here as this production is really an off the shelf package kit of "how to make a musical". There is a collection of pretty improbable major plot-lines, equally flimsy sub-plots and, for the most part, they and the characters involved in them seem to be here to tick every politically correct box that is possible.
It was, for me, difficult to invest anything here in the story as despite some solid performances from Lara Denning (Caz), who carries much of this show, and also gets some of the best songs, and Jacqui Dubois (Vel), there is just not enough depth behind what is often little more than a collection of media stereotype characters here.
Why this whole show was not set in a more natural environment for the songs, a disco or night-club for example, is a mystery to me. Instead we have a rather forced environment with songs being shoehorned in to fit a script that all too often does not support their use very well, and when you have great songs like "Tragedy" and "Chain Reaction" in the show, that should not be happening.
Sadly, despite many fans of the music having an obviously great time around me tonight, this show, for me, for the most part was like the title of one of Steps’ best known cover songs. Guess which one?
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
If you want a bit more from your juke-box musical than just listening to some of your favourite songs performed on stage then you might be a little disappointed.
On paper, songs made popular by a very successful band, including two classic Bee Gees songs, the very stage experienced Lara Denning (Caz) and Jacqui Dubois (Vel) in leading roles, plus some very experienced and creative talents behind this production at every level of it, "Here & Now" should have been a classic show in its own right.
Instead of this, we follow four co-workers at BBB supermarket and, keeping in line with the retro feel of this show, this is a store that actually employs human beings and not automated check outs. Most of the story arc here takes place in the store with these four check-out operators, and that is perhaps very apt here as this production is really an off the shelf package kit of "how to make a musical". There is a collection of pretty improbable major plot-lines, equally flimsy sub-plots and, for the most part, they and the characters involved in them seem to be here to tick every politically correct box that is possible.
It was, for me, difficult to invest anything here in the story as despite some solid performances from Lara Denning (Caz), who carries much of this show, and also gets some of the best songs, and Jacqui Dubois (Vel), there is just not enough depth behind what is often little more than a collection of media stereotype characters here.
Why this whole show was not set in a more natural environment for the songs, a disco or night-club for example, is a mystery to me. Instead we have a rather forced environment with songs being shoehorned in to fit a script that all too often does not support their use very well, and when you have great songs like "Tragedy" and "Chain Reaction" in the show, that should not be happening.
Sadly, despite many fans of the music having an obviously great time around me tonight, this show, for me, for the most part was like the title of one of Steps’ best known cover songs. Guess which one?
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com