Rehab The Musical has two exceptional things going for it. The first is a cast who are about as good as it gets. Playing a pop star on stage is something of a poison chalice: the cringe potential is often high. However, Rehab‘s stunning leading man Jonny Labey imbues his Kid Pop with a completely convincing swagger, arrogance and narcissism. With good looks and hypnotic moves, Labey channels a charismatic mix of Robbie Williams and Justin Timberlake. He traverses the journey as a wanker (as the opening song hilariously describes) to the rehabilitated Neil Wiggins (Kid Pop’s real name) with genuine nuance and infuses his scenes with an authentic emotion. He is outstanding.
Keith Allen plays the scheming, unethical publicist with an undisguised vitriol of a man with grudge. Every celebrity gravel-sniffing note (a bold and hilarious joke) is played to full effect, rendering Malcolm Stone a devilishly louche villain. Gloria Onitiri as dancer / stripper turned Malcolm Stone’s spy in the rehab centre delivers the raw conflict that her character faces with subtlety and an empathy that impels audiences to look beyond the surface.
Jodie Steele brings a suitable calculating chill as Malcolm’s cold-as-ice assistant and yet despite her impressive venom as Beth, she manages to impart an inner life where there is a conflict going on within the character. Annabel Giles and John Barr bring a dignity and humour to their roles as residents of The Glade. As Jane Killy and Barry Bronze, they bring a likeability and a compassion to the human face of addiction. Special mention must go to Phil Sealey with the rather trickier role of Phil Newman. Without revealing his character’s narrative arc, he brings a touching, twinkly-eyed vulnerability to the part – making sure we are always laughing with the character and never at.