Theatregoers should get ready to Twist And Shout in the aisles as Let It Be, a new theatrical concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Beatles opens at the Prince of Wales theatre this autumn.
The production, for which rights to The Beatles’ full catalogue have been granted for the first time ever for a West End show, will feature some of the band’s most iconic songs including Hey Jude, She Loves You, Yesterday, Come Together, and, of course, Let It Be.
The show will run for a limited season from 14 September (press night 24 September) until 19 January in the venue where The Beatles famously performed for the Queen during the 1963 Royal Variety Performance.
Let It Be is described as a “media rich theatrical concert” and has been created by RAIN, the group behind the 2010 Broadway Beatles tribute show. The show will use video footage to tell the story of a group of four Liverpudlian boys who rose from humble beginnings at the now famous Cavern Club to the height of Beatlemania.
2012 marks 50 years since The Beatles released their first single Love Me Do, sparking the creation of millions of screaming fans across the world. Comprised of the late George Harrison and John Lennon, and the now solo recording artists Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the band had more multi-platinum albums, number one singles and albums than any other group. While they officially split up in 1970, they continue to be one of the best loved bands of all time.
This is not the first time The Beatles have been celebrated in the West End in recent years. Last year’s theatrical staging of the 1994 film Backbeat focused on the band’s early success in Hamburg and told the story of the triangular relationship between Lennon, his best friend and The Beatles’ original bassist Sutcliffe, and German photographer Astrid Kirchherr.
Who will have the honour of performing the legendary songs in Let It Be is yet to be announced.