‘Just For One Day’ review: Celebration of legendary gig is a sublime night out

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK, Bob Geldof quipped that “saying ‘fuck’ a lot” was a guiding light for actor Craig Else when it came to portraying the legendary Irishman in Just For One Day, the new musical which recounts how Live Aid changed music and the wider world forever.

He’s got a point, there is admittedly a liberal use of that word as we see the various trials and tribulations that Sir Bob encountered on the way to putting on that unforgettable Wembley Stadium show on one fateful day in July 1985.

But it is also a show that celebrates life, the incredible music of the artists that Geldof roped in (even if the show tackles Bob’s cavalier attitude in getting them onboard) and the overall power of humanity. And that final point, as this show explains, is the true legacy of Live Aid. As Sir Bob explained on opening night, his hope is that this show will inspire a whole new generation to go out and change the world like he did.

Arriving in the West End following its debut at the Old Vic in 2024, the show is framed around the eyes of Suzanne (Melissa Jacques), who was at the original show and wants to tell its impact to her sceptical Gen-Z daughter Jemma (Fayth Ifil) before she heads to university. It’s a clever framing device and one that allows writer John O’Farrell to address some more contemporary criticisms of the show – whether that’s the argument that it perpetuated a white saviour narrative or what Live Aid’s lasting impact truly is.

This is contrasted against and often collides with Geldof’s own story, which charts his desire to end famine in Ethiopia and the huge toll the event had on him. This forms a large part of the show’s emotional backbone, but also its funniest moments too. That’s shown in the stand out song which sees Geldof locked in a rap battle against Margaret Thatcher (a brilliant Julie Atherton) as they lock horns over the government’s refusal to waive VAT on sales of the Band Aid single in 1984.

Els makes an uncanny Geldof and George Ure’s stunning vocals as Midge Ure prove so note-perfect that you’d be sure he’s related to the man himself (same surname, but no relation).

But with music at its core, this is ultimately a show where the classic songs of Live Aid and their world-changing impact are celebrated to a level that the West End has rarely seen. Geldof hailed the band as one of the best he’s ever seen on opening night, but it helps too that the ensemble cast deliver performances that elevate these tracks to a level where, at times, the sheer euphoria feels like you’ve been transported to Live Aid in the first place. This sublime jukebox musical will fill your heart and make you leave the theatre with the feeling that you could change the world too.