A cast of over 20 people took the audience right back to the 50s in this show from the West End, as they portrayed the life of the young man from Texas who changed the face of music.

But this was no mere tribute show filled with rock and roll star wannabes. This was a performance that left everyone exhausted with excitement because it not only gave us hit after hit but it actually told us his true, emotional story as well.

The instant the curtain went up, we were greeted with nostalgia. Advertisements from the relevant era hung as a backdrop to Buddy Holly and the Crickets as the story unfolded of how this influential band first started.

Then we were reminded of the plight of this musical genius as he faced the struggle of making people in the music business aware of the need for his kind of sound.

The cast of Buddy the Musical

And everything else that is significant to the tale was also touched on at some point, including the band’s eventual success and the complexities that Buddy’s relationship brought to the group.

Watching the show it became extremely obvious why it has received so many complimentary reviews and why the lead performer, Gus McGregor, has been nominated in the past for the ‘Best Actor in a Musical’ title at the prestigious Olivier Awards.

The cast all gave such an outstanding performance, both in a musical and an acting sense, that it brought a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘value for money’.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get any more fast paced and exciting, we were invited to the legendary ‘Winter Dance Party’ in Iowa, which Buddy performed at alongside other legends the night before he died.

The crowd were no longer just people watching a show about the life of this never forgotten star, they were actually playing a part in the whole reconstruction. We were truly helping to recreate history.

Big Bopper, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in Buddy the Musical

Then the whole performance was finally brought to an end as the Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens tribute stars gave us one last breathtaking show before we were told of their fate.

And even though the audience already knew how the story would end, it was still a sad moment when we were faced with it. But shortly after the glum news was announced, when the crowd was faced with the image of just one guitar on stage, our spirits were lifted again by an encore.

An encore, which ended with a message that we could all do with listening to: ‘Tell your family and friends to come along and see this show – because Buddy is back in town.’

‘The Buddy Holly Story’ musical runs at the Theatre Royal in Bath until Sturday 1st February. Tickets are available by contacting the Box Office on 01225 448844.

Kelly Stooke