One of the biggest pop icons of all time, Cher herself is, sadly, not here in Manchester. But instead we get three of her for the price of one in a gutsy, glitter and grit story of her life at the Opera House in this new musical.
On stage we welcome the young Cher, the older Cher and the middle-aged version. Millie O'Connell, as young Cher, Babe, does a skilful job of portraying the unquenchable thirst to be a star coupled with the lack of confidence that comes from being Cherilyn Sarkisian, the girl who is bullied at school.
In imitating the real Cher's speaking voice, she over-eggs it a little, making it at times more grating than youthfully endearing. Her singing voice as Babe though is very believable as that of the shaky performer starting out and is a perfect contrast to the deeper, more self-assured tones of Lady, played by Danielle Steers, and Debbie Kurup's Star.
