Take That musical to be staged on new P&O Cruises ship

A musical based on former boy band Take That is to be staged on P&O Cruises new ship Arvia.

Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical is an adaptation of West End musical The Band, featuring the songs of Take That and story by Olivier award-winning writer Tim Firth.

The show features the music of Take That, whose songs include Never Forget, Back for Good, A Million Love Songs, Greatest Day, The Flood, Relight My Fire, Shine and Rule the World.

Greatest Days is named in celebration of the upcoming film adaptation of The Band.

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Arvia, due to enter service in December, will be the only place in the world where audiences will be able to watch the show, according to the line. 

Greatest Days focuses on five 16-year-old girls in 1993 for whom Take That is everything. The show follows them as they reunite after 25 years apart and try to fulfil their dream of meeting the boy band whose music became the soundtrack to their lives.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “We are delighted to have worked so closely with Take That to bring this fantastic story to the stage on board Arvia, exclusively for our guests.

“With an amazing cast, handpicked from our Headliners Theatre performers, guests can look forward to a night of world-class entertainment to create a truly unique and extraordinary theatre experience.”

The members of Take That commented: “Almost ten years ago, we had the idea of writing a musical with our songs. It was a big wish of ours to make a show with Take That’s music, but without us – not the story of our lives. Our wishes came true and five years ago we debuted The Band Musical to the world. Now we couldn’t be prouder to bring the story to P&O Cruises under its new name – Greatest Days. 

“In Tim Firth we found an author who invented a completely different and wonderful story to which our music makes the perfect frame. A story with a lot of heart and friendship. A musical that shows how music brings friends together. The story works so wonderfully, you don’t even have to know our music.”

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