Kym Marsh talks to What’s On about her starring role in Greatest Days, the official Take That musical, which stops off at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre mid month...

Kym Marsh is having the Greatest Days starring in Take That’s hit musical, which comes to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre this month.

Premiered in Manchester in 2017 under its original title of The Band, the show has returned this year - now named Greatest Days - for a tour of the UK. And to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Take That’s first UK number one, Pray, this summer also sees the release of a movie version of the musical.

Greatest Days is written by Tim Firth - who also penned Calendar Girls and Kinky Boots - and tells the story of a group of teenage girls. Sharing one special night when they go to see their favourite band, they promise to be friends forever - but life then pulls them apart. Twenty-five years later, when one of the group, Rachel, wins tickets to see the band, she invites her friends for a reunion.

Kym takes the part of the older Rachel, while  her real-life daughter, Emilie Cunliffe, plays 16-year-old Rachel. It’s the first time they have starred together in a musical.
“It’s been such a wonderful experience for me to watch her grow in the way she has,” says Kym. “This is her first-ever stage production, and to watch how she’s progressed and flourished from day one of rehearsals to where she is now, I feel very privileged. She has always wanted to be a performer, from when she was a little girl, very similar to me and my back story. It’s always been there in her blood, and she’s starting to break through now. She recorded her first album in Nashville last year, and it’s all coming together.

“We get on really well - we’re like best friends, really - so it’s nice for us both to have a little bit of home on tour. I’m always there if she needs a chat or advice about any of the performance. She did do that in the beginning, but she’s flying by herself now. Generally we’re not on stage a lot together because she’s playing a young me, so when she’s on, I get to listen and watch from the wings. Every day she’s doing something different, trying something new, and that’s part of being a performer and an actor; to trust yourself.”

The show features a string of songs made famous by Take That, including Shine, Back For Good, A Million Love Songs, Rule The World, Pray and Never Forget. 
For Kym, who was a teenager when Take That were at the height of their fame, there are special memories attached to the music.
“In 1993 I was about 16 or 17, so I was the same age as the young girls in the show. Take That had a huge impact on your life if you were that age in 1993. They were the next big thing. I was obviously a big fan back in the day. Actually, when my eldest son was born, I was 18, and Back For Good was at number one, so it holds lots of nice memories for me. 
“They are wonderful songs, and they really stand the test of time. That’s the genius of Take That; you can put them on at any time and guarantee you’ll know the words, and you can’t help but sing along. I think that’s a testament to them.”

But Kym stresses Greatest Days is not Take That’s story.
“One of the things that surprises people when they come to see the show is that they don’t always realise the story behind it. They think they’re coming to see a musical about Take That, but it’s not about Take That. It’s just that the music of Take That is what supports the girls through their lives. 
“The story is very much about friendship -  the things these girls are going through in their lives at 16, the things they’re going through 25 years later, and how the music helps them through their lives. 
“When we begin the story, the audience are often quite surprised at the mix of emotions they go through whilst watching it - but in a good way. We have people coming up to us at the end saying they cried, they laughed, they danced, and how uplifting it is. I think people will come away feeling like they’ve just been on some kind of rollercoaster because there are so many emotions involved, but the one thing in common is that they all have a great time. It’s just joyous.”

Kym rose to fame at the turn of the millennium in reality television series Popstars, winning a place in the group Hear’Say. After a year of hits with them, she left to embark on a solo career. She has since taken to the stage in shows including Saturday Night Fever and Fatal Attraction. On television she’s played numerous parts, most famously the role of Michelle Connor in Coronation Street for 13 years and, currently, Nicky Walters in Waterloo Road.

Now a 47-year-old mother and grandmother, she always hoped to be a singer and actor - so what advice would she give to her 16-year-old self?
“When I was 16, I had dreams and aspirations, and I always wondered what would happen. I’ve been lucky to realise my dream, but I think if I could say anything to myself at that age it would be: Be prepared for the ride because it’s not an easy one.”

But like the girls in Greatest Days, Kym has always been supported by her friends.
“This show says a lot about friendship. These teenage girls break apart and don’t meet up for 25 years - what has happened to the dreams they had? Have they turned out to be what they wanted to be? Are they the same people? For me, the key in this is the friendships, and it shows how much we need our friends and how we help each other through our lives. I’ve got friends who I might not see from one year to the next, but we can always pick up from where we left off - that friendship will always remain.
“This is why people connect with the show; it’s such a human story. It’s a brilliant show, and I keep saying to people that you have to come and see it. It’s such fun on stage that it’s not like work. And to find something like that is quite rare - it’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever done.”

by Diane Parkes

Greatest Days - The Official Take That Musical plays the Wolverhampton Grand from Monday 17 to Saturday 22 July