MickeyJoTheatre Podcast: Just For One Day (Shaftesbury Theatre, West End) - ★★★★ REVIEW

Date: August 22, 2025
Host: MickeyJoTheatre
Episode Focus: In-depth review and critique of the West End transfer of Just For One Day, the Live Aid musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Episode Overview

Mickey Jo returns to review Just For One Day following its move from the Old Vic to the Shaftesbury Theatre, drawing comparisons between the earlier and current versions. He unpacks how the show has evolved, explores its handling of Live Aid's legacy, and reflects on its creative choices and performances. The episode is aimed at both long-time theatre buffs and newcomers interested in the Live Aid story or jukebox musicals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Background and Premise of the Show

• Just For One Day explores the story of the historic 1985 Live Aid concert, chronicling the genesis of Band Aid, the political and humanitarian context, and the event’s lasting impact.
• The show arrived in the West End coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Live Aid (03:13), imbuing the performance with added significance and nostalgia.

Framing Device & Narrative Improvements

• The current production reshapes its narrative by focusing on a mother-daughter relationship, with the mother (a Live Aid attendee in the '80s) passing on her memories to her Gen Z daughter preparing for university.
• Quote: “The daughter is indifferent to this. She doesn’t care about Live Aid... perhaps she sees it through a cynical Gen Z lens. And this is an important lens.” (06:56)
• The show is conscious of Live Aid’s complicated legacy, including critiques of “white savior” narratives and the tension between celebration and critical reflection.
• Notably, 10% of ticket proceeds go to the Band Aid Trust. (08:30)

Addressing Previous Criticism

• Mickey Jo highlights that his earlier review criticized the show for failing to convey the gravity of the Ethiopian famine or to galvanize audiences toward continued activism.
• The West End version responds with rewrites, including a “powerful new scene” featuring an aid worker (Rianne Louise Mikulski) who sharply critiques the Live Aid effort as potentially self-serving, before evolving the conversation to portray a nuanced understanding. (13:00)

Structure and Use of Music

• It’s a jukebox musical, but instead of impersonating all the famous artists, the show conjures their spirit and iconic songs.
• Only key figures of Live Aid’s organization (Sir Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Harvey Goldsmith) are directly portrayed; stars like Freddie Mercury or Madonna are evoked through performance.
• Live Aid itself doesn’t arrive until Act Two, focusing the first act on events leading up to the concert.

Standout Creative Elements & Setpieces

• Video and projection design (Andre Goulding) and dynamic lighting (Howard Hudson) give the production a concert-like scale without detracting from live performances (16:35).
• The arrangements and musical direction receive particular praise, with new mashups like “Get Into the Groove”/“Rebel Rebel”/“Don’t You Forget About Me” recreating the energetic variety of the concert (17:45).
• Freddie Love’s performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a highlight, with Mickey Jo noting the unique vocal take and the meta-moment of Brian May in attendance (18:35).

Notable Moments and Theatrical Choices

• Craig Ells as Bob Geldof delivers an affecting rendition of “I Don’t Like Mondays,” recontextualizing the song’s meaning in the show’s climax (19:10).
• A memorable satirical scene features Margaret Thatcher (Julie Atherton) and Bob Geldof in a bizarre “rap battle” that dissolves into “I’m Still Standing”—simultaneously comedic and critical (20:00).
• Mickey Jo suggests opportunities for further audience involvement, particularly referencing the “Let It Be” singalong moment, hoping future productions will facilitate spontaneous participation (21:10).

Representing the Broader Impact

• A subplot about young love (the mother’s teenage self and a record shop colleague) offers a sweet counterpoint and grounds the larger narrative in relatable emotion.
• The show still struggles to balance stories of “ordinary people” with its focus on historical figures and the Band Aid/Live Aid organizers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the new framing:
  “It is very rare that I get to sit here and say to you, guess what? They fixed [the show’s issues]. Oh my God.” (02:00)

• On generational responsibility:
  “A show recalling that ought to leave audiences feeling galvanized to go out and affect change... What it shouldn’t do is allow people who were there… to sit there and think, oh gosh, wasn’t Live Aid a fantastic day? And then go out into the streets and continue to vote Conservative, or worse, Reform.” (10:55)

• On casting and performances:
  “Craig Ells is giving this chameleonic performance as Sir Bob Geldof... George Ioannides is brilliant as Midge. Freddie Love... for Bohemian Rhapsody, it works so well.” (22:00–23:30)

• On strongest scene:
  “Rianne Louise Mikulski... the power that she brings to the stage is not only compelling and engaging and entertaining, it’s also important. It’s vital, in fact, to the real message and the real heart and the soul of this show.” (25:20)

• On audience potential:
  “There’s an entire generation who would love seeing this on stage... And I also think a lot of younger theater fans would love getting to discover details that they didn’t know about this time in history.” (26:22)

Detailed Timestamps

• 01:45 – Introduction and context, first impressions of Shaftesbury vs. Old Vic versions
• 03:13 – Noting the significance of seeing the show on Live Aid's 40th anniversary
• 06:56 – Framing device: mother-daughter narrative / acknowledgment of Live Aid's complexities
• 08:30 – Discussion of Band Aid Trust funding
• 13:00 – Rianne Louise Mikulski’s revised aid worker monologue
• 16:35 – Creative staging: video, projection, and lighting design
• 17:45 – Musical highlights: innovative arrangements and mashups
• 18:35 – Freddie Love’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and audience nostalgia
• 19:10 – Craig Ells’ “I Don’t Like Mondays” and its resonance
• 20:00 – Satirical Thatcher scene and show’s approach to political figures
• 21:10 – Discussion of audience involvement, particularly with “Let It Be”
• 22:00–23:30 – Performers’ standout moments
• 25:20 – Tribute to Rianne Louise Mikulski’s performance
• 26:22 – Final thoughts on the show’s audience and appeal

Summary & Final Thoughts

Mickey Jo delivers an enthusiastic, sharply observed review, crediting Just For One Day for its major improvements in storytelling and thematic relevance since its Old Vic run. He highlights the production's ability to both celebrate Live Aid’s legacy and reflect on its complicity, successfully balancing the tension between nostalgia and social responsibility.

The episode is peppered with personal observations, performance highlights, and constructive critiques—especially regarding further opportunities for audience engagement and refinement of certain scenes. Ultimately, Mickey Jo urges those both familiar and unfamiliar with Live Aid to experience the musical, emphasizing its top-tier vocals, dynamic band, and compelling dramatization of recent history.

Recommended for:

• Fans of musical theatre and jukebox musicals
• Anyone interested in ‘80s music history or cultural milestones
• Both older generations with first-hand memories of Live Aid and newcomers seeking to understand its significance

“Go and see Just For One Day, the Live Aid musical… Not for nothing, the music is fantastic. It’s this incredible list of songs from all these iconic artists sung extraordinarily well. One of the best casts of vocalists currently in the West End, one of the best bands. It is musically sensational.” (26:50)