Jackie - The Musical

Now, this probably means more to women of a certain age than it does to men, or younger folks, but Jackie was a fundamental part of my growing up. 

In the days when 'comics' and 'magazines' were printed on flimsy paper, and were not always full colour, the transition from child to teenager was marked by changing the newsagent subscription from the Bunty or Judy to the Jackie.

Out went Sandra Wilson's Secret Ballet School and The Four Marys; in came Cathy and Claire's problem page, Dear Doctor, and line drawing stories of romance and unrequited love.  With a smattering of pop pics and centrefold posters you could tear out and stick on your wall. (Do kids even do that nowadays?)

As time marched on through the 70's and 80's, the line drawings turned into 'picture stories', illustrated by badly staged photo's, but the moral was always the same - good girls didn't 'Do IT', and bad boys broke your heart.

My lovely sister got us tickets to go to the Concert Hall tonight to see 'Jackie the Musical', and I have got to say it was totally amazing!  I don't watch soaps, so I'm not sure what Janet Gilbey - playing Jackie - was in before ( I think maybe Emmerdale), but she was brilliant.  And the guy she had a fling with was definitely an ex-Eastender or Corrie guy - think he may have been the doctor in one of them.  Whatever - wonderful.

I don't know how much longer it is on tour for, or where else it is appearing, but all I can say is - if you are a women aged between 40 and 60, and you fancy a brilliant night out where you know all the words of all the songs, this is a show for you!