Get Down Tonight

"Get Down Tonight" at Charing Cross Theatre is more than a jukebox of KC and the Sunshine Band hits. It is a playful, heartwarming story about KC’s formative friendships, told as if he is directing the show with us watching. The fourth wall never exists. Characters step in to argue with him, joke about what belongs in the story, and help shape the musical in real time. That device gives the evening a sense of humour and keeps it from ever feeling heavy.

On the night I attended, Harry Wayne Casey himself appeared in person to introduce the show. He told us that he had always wanted to create something like this, and with the help of director Lisa Stevens he had finally made a production he is proud of. Hearing directly from Casey added a special weight: this was a man who began writing dance music before disco had even gone mainstream, and whose "Sunshine Sound" helped define an entire era.

The connection between the four central friends is the beating heart of the story. Their bonds feel genuine, full of support, wit and conflict. It was moving and insightful to see how much of KC’s "Sunshine Sound" grew out of those late-night conversations and shared dreams. The musical also includes moments of tragedy, reminding us that no life story is without struggle. These darker beats are part of the show’s conscious design, adding texture and giving the evening a dramatic arc with climax and resolution, just as any good story should have.

Of course, the songs are the irresistible draw. "That’s the Way I Like It", "Boogie Shoes", "Please Don’t Go" and more still land as feel-good, timeless tunes, staged in a way that makes them part of the story rather than decoration. The audience clapped along to several numbers, and by the finale everyone was on their feet. A standing ovation was followed by a couple of extra dance numbers where we were encouraged to join in.

The supporting dancers deserve special mention. Their energy and commitment lit up the stage, and the choreography gave them plenty to work with. It was pure disco, sharp, stylish and full of joy, bringing the music to life in a way that made the whole production sparkle.

What stayed with me most were the musical numbers themselves. Familiar, joyful, and still able to sweep up a room decades after they were written, they are the lasting glow of the evening. "Get Down Tonight" may look back to a specific time and place, but it leaves you with something universal: the reminder that music and friendship together can spark magic.


Photo credit: Danny Kaan