The songs give you goosebumps, but Live Aid musical is cringey and hollow

LIVE AID 1985 is one of those moments that will remain forever embedded in our collective cultural psyche. That moment when Bob Geldof and his mates took it upon themselves to “feed the world”, as is so famously quoted in the Christmas tune, or, specifically, feed Ethiopia, which at that time was experiencing its worst famine in a century.

- KKK Farah

If you’re in the mood for a heady cocktail of aggressive nostalgia, Eighties bangers, and very impressive singing voices, then this might be the show for you. Just be prepared for a garnish of corny dialogue and a dash of white saviourism.

Ahead of the show, some might find themselves wondering what degree of self-awareness they can expect — will it acknowledge the potential damage it did to the world’s image of Africa, as well as all the money that was raised? To be fair, writer John O’Farrell employs some framing devices with his book that give space for some self-critique.