Bob Geldof’s Live Aid musical Just For One Day divides critics as it’s branded a ‘shockingly tone-deaf tribute to himself’ with ‘flat as a pancake characters’ and a ‘clunky script’
Live Aid – one of the most famous charity concerts of all time – is back… but not quite as fans know it.
The event, originally held both in Philadelphia and at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985, has been transformed into a stage musical at the Old Vic in London.
The musical, titled Just For One Day, relives the day when people like… Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross and more united on stage to raise funds and awareness for the Ethiopian famine crisis.
The plot of the production, which takes its name from a line from David Bowie’s song Heroes, combines a behind-the-scenes look at how Band Aid and Live Aid came together with a love story inspired by real events.
Last night Bob Geldof, 72, who organized the original event with fellow musician Midge Ure, was one of several celebrities at the press night for the new musical. He was joined by his daughter Pixie during the start-studded outing.
Live Aid, originally held in Philadelphia at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985, has been turned into a musical at the Old Vic in London (pictured)
Last night Bob Geldof, 72, who organized the original event with fellow musician Midge Ure, was one of several celebrities at the press night for the new musical. He was joined by his daughter Pixie (pictured side by side) during the start-studded outing
Now that the first reviews are in, TV critics have given their verdict; The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar said the “production also includes the culmination of the white savior complex.”
Elsewhere, City AM’s Adam Bloodworth said the musical felt “tone deaf”, adding: “In another world, Just For One Day might well interrogate where white aid has gone wrong over the past forty years.”
Here, FEMAIL looks at TV critics’ verdicts on the musical…
The show features the music of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders and more
Titled Just For One Day, the musical (photo) relives the day when artists such as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross and others united on stage to raise money to raise awareness for the Ethiopian famine
THE GUARDIAN
An unimpressed Arifa Akbar from The guard said the musical had “floating voices” but “pancake-flat characters” and suggested viewers might as well listen to “the compilation tape, Now That’s What I Call Music 1985 – or Heart FM on full blast.”
The reviewer claimed that the “production also includes the culmination of the white savior complex.”
“For critics, this day sealed a condescending image of Africa as a continent desperate for and dependent on Western aid,” Arifa said. ‘There is some discussion about this, especially through care provider Amara (Abiona Omonua), but it is an undigested nod.’
THE INDEPENDENT
“This Live Aid musical is Bob Geldof’s tribute to… himself,” said The Independents Alice Saville.
The reviewer said: ‘The Old Vic’s musical about Bob’s generation-defining Wembley concert for Ethiopia powerfully deploys hits like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, but is ultimately just a grand celebration of the swearing Irish star’s legacy.’
CITY OF BEN
City AM’s Adam Bloodworth said that despite the entertaining music, “you just can’t shake the idea that staging a celebratory show about an outdated movement feels completely tone-deaf given the current social climate.”
In a scathing review, he added: ‘In another world, Just For One Day might well interrogate where white aid has gone wrong over the past forty years.
‘But here’s another musical that puts white savior stereotypes front and center. Worst of all, you get the impression that all these people standing up and clapping at the end will go home none the wiser about the plight of impoverished countries around the world.’
THE FINANCIAL TIMES
Sarah Hemming van The Financial Times praised the production’s “energy” but said the speech was “often clumsy.”
“The script is often clunky and heavy on exposition, describing points that should just emerge from the story,” she explained.
‘Meanwhile, both individuals and issues have little time to acquire any depth or subtlety.’
THE TELEGRAPH
The Telegraph’s chief theater critic Dominic Cavendish insisted that even the biggest cynic will admire the musical production.
He added, “You can quibble about the moments of blunt exposition or the sketchiness of the characters, especially the group of unsung toilers and concertgoers.
‘But just like on the day itself, cynicism turns into admiration. Whether you were there, in situ or on the couch, for the first time or not, be prepared for a smile on your lips, a tear in your eye and a persistent itch to do good.’