REVIEW - Sunny Afternoon is phenomenal and it will definitely get you going!

On Wednesday, we were invited to the Palace Theatre, Manchester to see Sunny Afternoon. Read what our reviewer Christa Norton thought about the amazing Kink's musical...

In recent years, there’s been a steady rise in pop and rock musicians turning their back catalogues into full-blown stage musicals - and audiences can’t seem to get enough. What began with shows like Mamma Mia! - which transformed ABBA’s glittering pop hits into a global phenomenon - has evolved into a genre of its own. From We Will Rock You built around Queen’s anthems, to Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and Jagged Little Pill inspired by Alanis Morissette’s album, these productions blur the line between concert and storytelling.

Done well, for me they offer much more than nostalgia; they reframe familiar songs within a dramatic context, revealing new emotional layers. For audiences, the appeal is easy to see: the comfort of music they already love, paired with the immediacy of live theatre. For the artists, it’s a way of curating legacy - turning a setlist into a story and preserving their music for new generations. Of course, it’s a formula that can easily feel manufactured – much like some of the bands themselves - but when it works, it captures something deeply human about the connection between personal history, pop culture and the songs that define us.

In that context, Sunny Afternoon is a natural but particularly personal entry in this growing tradition of pop-to-stage storytelling. I’ll admit, I knew some of The Kinks’ music - songs like Waterloo Sunset and You Really Got Me have been part of our cultural wallpaper for decades - but I knew far less about the band themselves. Beyond the occasional documentary clip or radio interview, their story wasn’t one I’d followed closely. That gap in knowledge made the opportunity to see the new tour of  Sunny Afternoon all the more interesting. Catching the production at the Palace Theatre, I was curious to see how their songs would fit together as a story and whether the show would shed light on the people behind those glorious riffs.

What unfolds is a vibrant, exciting and – at times - brutal portrait of The Kinks that’s both musically insightful and deeply human. Written and developed by Joe Penhall in collaboration with frontman Ray Davies, the show traces the band’s rise from their beginnings in North London through the chaos of fame, excess and creative struggle. Sunny Afternoon aims not just to celebrate the hits but to explore the world that shaped them - post-war austerity, shifting social norms and the energy of a generation finding its identity through rock music.

The story begins with the band’s modest beginnings in Muswell Hill, where brothers Ray and Dave Davies (performed by Danny Horn (Doctor Who, Beautiful Devis, Riot Women, The Duel) and Oliver Hoare (Mudtown, The Sixth Commandment, Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol) respectively) form The Kinks with their friends Pete Quaife – performed by Harry Curley (Oh What a Lovely War, Summer in the City) - and Mick Avory – performed by Zakarie Stokes (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Our Town).

Their early struggles are familiar to many artists: little money, patchy gigs and clashes with record producers who want to mould them into something more commercial, though the production avoids this feeling like a cliché. When they finally find their sound with You Really Got Me, the raw, distorted guitar riff becomes both their breakthrough and a symbol of their rebellion. Fame follows quickly, and with it comes the chaos of life in the spotlight - and the relentless demands of the men in literal grey suits.

Themes of class and musical authenticity also run throughout the production: the tension between the working-class roots that shaped The Kinks’ identity and the commercial forces pulling them toward a more polished, global image.  It all makes for a complex, fascinating insight into the story behind this incredibly influential band. And this production absolutely does their story justice, offering a show that is rich in both fabulous music and outstanding performances.

Beneath the success runs a more complex story of identity, loyalty and artistic integrity. Ray whilst Dave - charismatic, impulsive and unpredictable - embraces the excesses of rock ’n’ roll. Their relationship is the emotional core of the show, reflecting both the love and rivalry that fuel their creativity.

Horn is outstanding as Ray Davies, the reluctant star, more interested in songwriting than celebrity. Horn delivers a nuanced performance that moves Davies beyond simply a ‘troubled artist’ to someone overwhelmed with incredibly responsibility – for his new wife and child, for his bandmates relying on him to write hit songs - yet with little understanding or ability to cope.

Horn has fantastic on stage chemistry with Lisa Wright (Urban Myths, Little Red, Tales from the Thames), who plays Davies’ wife, Rasa; Wright has a voice has a pure resonance to it that is incredibly charming to hear, and their duet of ‘This Strange Effect’ is definitely one of the highlights of the first act, providing a calm, reflective moment that is really touching.

Horn also sparks brilliantly with Oliver Hoare, their on stage sibling rivalry all too believable and familiar. Hoare dives head first into his performance of Dave Davies, delivering a flamboyant, sexy rockstar who quite literally swings from the chandeliers. Again though, his performance is full of nuance and Hoare does a brilliant job of communicating just how young and unprepared Davies was for the fame, money and lifestyle.

Stokes and Curley offer considered performances, both capturing that sense of isolation, of not feeling in control, of the stresses and strains of success. Both are excellent in their roles – indeed Stokes’ drum solo at the beginning of the second half is outstanding and got one of the loudest cheers from the audience.

Another stand out moment for me is a wonderful, a capella, 5 part arrangement of ‘Days’ performed exquisitely by Hoard, Horn, and Stokes along with Joseph Richardson (An American in Austen, Coronation Street, A Little Nightmusic) and Tam Williams (Martin Chuzzlewit, Blithe Spirit, Dragonheart vs Petrichor).

But there is no doubt that it is the music which is star of this show. Songs from across their catalogue are woven seamlessly into the narrative, not just as performances but as reflections of the band’s inner lives and the society around them. Apart from the big numbers, most songs only get a verse or two, ensuring the production maintains pace. All music is performed live, either by the cast or with some supporting musicians who remain on stage throughout. This brings a real authenticity and energy to the production.

The staging of Sunny Afternoon is relatively sparse, allowing the setting to shift fluidly between family homes, recording studios and the chaos of international tours with minimal scene changes. It evokes a 1960s recording studio and performance space, with the backdrop filled with speakers and a drumkit taking centre stage, ensuring that – whatever is happening on stage - the context, the focus is always the music.

And what amazing music it is. The breadth and range of The Kinks’ catalogue is phenomenal to hear live – especially by this cast who clearly relish and love the music they are performing and are giving everything they have in their performances. With some absolute showstopping numbers and an ‘on your feet and dance’ finale, this show definitely got me going – it’s a brilliant night out!

WE SCORE SUNNY AFTERNOON...



Sunny Afternoon is on at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until Saturday 18th October 2025.


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