A Night of Nostalgia: I Should Be So Lucky – Live in Southend

My unapologetic love for the music of Stock, Aitken & Waterman is no secret. While some scoff at their glossy pop productions, I wear my admiration proudly. So when I heard that a stage show featuring their greatest hits was touring, I snapped up tickets immediately — this time for a venue I’d never been to before: the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea.

Getting There (Eventually)

Dragging Katie along for the ride, we set off with high hopes — and navigational issues. Southend’s seafront was cold, windswept, and slightly disorienting, thanks in no small part to my terrible sense of direction. After wandering the promenade in search of our hotel, we finally checked in, only to discover our dinner options were… limited. Overpriced snacks substituted for a proper meal, but we weren’t there for the cuisine.

Plot? Thin. Fun? Absolutely.

Let’s be clear — the storyline of I Should Be So Lucky isn’t the star of the show. A wafer-thin romantic comedy about love lost and found was riddled with plot holes. But honestly, nobody cares. The real draw here was the catalogue of infectious, sugar-sweet hits that defined an era.

From Kylie and Jason to Sonia and Rick Astley, every song was met with cheers, dancing, and unapologetic singalongs. The choreography was slick and camp in the best possible way, injecting new life into tracks that many of us grew up with. For fans of SAW’s chart-dominating pop, it was a blissfully nostalgic celebration.

A Minor Quibble

I do have one gripe — no performance of Brother Beyond’s The Harder I Try. A personal favourite, and a glaring omission from an otherwise impeccable playlist. Still, it wasn’t enough to spoil what was a thoroughly entertaining night out.

Final Thoughts

Camp, colourful, and packed with earworms, I Should Be So Lucky might not be highbrow theatre, but it’s a must-see for anyone who ever danced around their bedroom with a hairbrush microphone in the late 80s and early 90s. It’s all the joy of Top of the Pops, wrapped up in a glittery stage production.

I Should Be So Lucky – Setlist

A celebration of Stock Aitken Waterman’s 80s & 90s pop classics

1. Venus – Bananarama
2. If You Were with Me Now – Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington
3. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) – Dead or Alive
4. Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
5. Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend) – Mel and Kim
6. Respectable – Mel and Kim
7. That’s the Way It Is – Mel and Kim
8. Better Off Without You – Hazell Dean
9. Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) – Hazell Dean
10. He Ain’t No Competition – Brother Beyond
11. This Time I Know It’s for Real – Donna Summer
12. Toy Boy – Sinitta
13. Love in the First Degree – Bananarama
14. You’ll Never Stop Me Loving You – Sonia
15. Too Many Broken Hearts – Jason Donovan
16. The Heaven I Need – The Three Degrees
17. Especially for You – Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan
18. I Should Be So Lucky – Kylie Minogue
19. Step Back in Time – Kylie Minogue
20. Better the Devil You Know – Kylie Minogue
21. Tell Tale Signs – Kylie Minogue
22. Never Too Late – Kylie Minogue
23. Hand on Your Heart – Kylie Minogue