Using its tapestry of greatest hits to reflect King’s changing personal circumstances, BEAUTIFUL tells the inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom.
If you’re a fan of musicals like JERSEY BOYS or DREAMGIRLS that give you a VH1 behind-the-scenes peek at the music world, then BEAUTIFUL, the Carole King story, is the show for you!
Returning for an extended third run at Manchester’s Palace Theatre, BEAUTIFUL takes place across the ’60s and ’70s in and around Broadway, Brooklyn, New York and Los Angeles. It traces King’s journey into the spotlight from teen songwriter to a hugely successful solo artist, focusing on her songwriting partnership with her first husband, Gerry Goffin.
As with her 2012 memoir, A NATURAL WOMAN, the show is bookended by King putting on a huge concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall in the wake of her phenomenally successful album Tapestry (1971). Even those in the audience who aren’t already fans of King’s work will recognise many of her songs. King’s songwriting career began at the tender age of 16 during the Hit Factory period, where resident songwriting teams would all compete to provide the next big hit single for established artists like Bobby Vee.
Olivier award-winner Molly-Grace Cutler is in fine voice as a quirky and compassionate King. Tom Milner, best known for his performance as regular Paul Langley in the BBC drama WATERLOO ROAD and as a contestant on BBC’s THE VOICE, portrays King’s first husband, Gerry Goffin. Both are strong vocal and musical performances, and these two have a great handle on the music of the era.
Opposite Goffin and King’s cubicle in Donnie Kirshner’s hit factory, we are introduced to another songwriting couple, the sassy trumpet-playing Cynthia Weil, Seren Sandham-Davies and Barry Mann, Jos Slovick. The show captures their friendly rivalry as both duos battle to pull an all-nighter to write The Shirelles’ new song for Kirshner’s approval.
Donnie Kirshner is portrayed as a jovial paternal figure by Gerry Robson, a Radio 4 drama favourite. A cast medley reminds us the charts were full of yakety-yaks, stupid cupids and splish-splashing on a Saturday night as these characters struggle to pen another hit for the New Jersey girl group.
Several songs are cleverly used to reflect King’s changing personal circumstances: SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL marks the discovery that she’s pregnant with her first child, Louise, at the tender age of 16 and UP ON THE ROOF alludes to Goffin’s turbulent childhood. WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW? comments not on the pair’s first night together but on King’s fears of her husband’s infidelity; ONE FINE DAY presents his eventual affair from both women’s perspectives.
The songs are often shown in their elementary stages and followed by a much more polished performance by the groups and artists who went on to record them. We also get to hear some of Weil/Mann’s hits, too, such as YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING played for laughs, and Jos Slovak’s comedic portrayal of a hypochondriacal Mann is very entertaining.
A special mention has to go to Amena El-Kindy, who, as King’s former babysitter Little Eva, as she performs THE LOCO-MOTION on rollerskates and does so effortlessly!
Ed Lindley’s costumes are suitably fabulous for the era, fur-trimmed 60’s shift dresses for The Shirelles, The Drifters show-stopping glittering suits and as many pairs of flares and platforms as you’d find at Woodstock.
A joyous show that tends to err on the lighter side of King’s personal story rather than dig too deeply into the individual characters’ backstories.
BEAUTIFUL runs at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, until 15 October 2022
Lola Maguire leases cars by day and has evolved to live off movies, books, gin and sarcasm; probably the best cheese eater in the world. Guitarist and singer in a band, co-creator of two kids, currently writes for Frankly My Dear.
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