TIM Firth’s new musical The Band, featuring the music of Take That, is a show full to the brim with laughter, fun and character.

Similar to the style of Mamma Mia, you watch as old school friends meet up for a reunion after one of their friends Rachel (Rachel Lumberg) wins tickets to see ‘The Band’ in Prague.

There is a lovely heart-warming feel to this show, one that focuses on friendship and how each of these women have evolved since the days they were 16-years-old. Now married, with kids and having new responsibilities, they have left their long-lost dreams behind them and now endeavour to feel young and free on this new trip.

While the story is not based on the band Take That, the show pays tribute to all the classics including Greatest Day, Relight My Fire, Rule The World and Shine.

BBC Let It Shine winners, Five to Five, with AJ Bentley, Curtis T Johns, Yazdan Qafouri, Sario Solomon and normally Nick Carsberg (replaced last night with Harry Brown), do justice to all the musical numbers with the mainly female audience clapping, swaying and singing along.

The best surprise of all was existing Take That members Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald bursting on stage at the end performing to a medley of their best hits. This was a surprise to all with shrieks and screams coming from the audience and you could tell this was a dream come true for many.

Despite a small technical glitch at the start, this is an entertaining musical celebrating the world of pop music and its fans. 

This show continues at Cardiff Bay’s Wales Millennium Centre until January 20. Don’t miss it.