Take That
- Profession: Band
- Place/Date of Birth: Manchester, 1990–1996, 2005–present
Never Forget will feature the band’s hit songs Relight My Fire, Pray, Babe, Back For Good, as well as the title song of the show.
The production is a fictional story about a Take That tribute band, led by a young hero Ash.
Producers say the musical is not the story of Gary Barlow or the Nineties boy band turned comeback kings.
Record label EMI licensed the songs to the musical’s producers in 2005, before they launched their highly successful comeback tour after 10 years apart.
The original story was created by TV writer Danny Brocklehurst, best known for Shameless and Clocking Off.
Never Forget will tour five stages across the country before it hits a West End venue, yet to be announced.
Producer Tristan Baker said: "We are the biggest fans of Take That’s music and we are so excited about the wonderful opportunity to create a new musical based on the fantastic catalogue of their work."
The musical follows in the tradition of Mamma Mia!, set to Abba songs, and the Queen show We Will Rock You, which both feature fictional stories.
Fans will be able to see the musical at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff; the King’s Theatre, Glasgow; Manchester Opera House; the Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent; and the Edinburgh Playhouse.
Shining achievement for Take That - Mar 5 2007
Take That’s comeback shows no sign of faltering after they clinched top spot in the singles charts.
The band’s latest release, Shine, jumped nine places to knock Ruby by the Kaiser Chiefs into second spot.
Take That’s album, Beautiful World, and previous single, Patience, which scooped a Best British Single Award at the Brits, both also reached No one in the charts, while the 22 dates for their Beautiful World arena tour sold out in record time on Friday.
The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani ft Akon jumped four to third spot while Beirut-born pop singer Mika’s track Grace Kelly slipped down two to No 4.
Fray’s How Top Save A Life remained at five, Lil Star by Kelis ft Cee Lo fell three to six while the highest new entry came next, Standing In The Way Of Control by Gossip.
In the album charts, the Kaiser Chiefs’ new CD Yours Truly Angry Mob debuted at No 1, Take That’s Beautiful World jumped three to second place, while Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black was third after being knocked from the top slot.
The highest new entry was Treasure by New Zealand-born singer Hayley Westenra which debuted at No 9.
The 19-year-old has become the first classical artist to make the top 10 of the pop charts with three consecutive albums.
Take That seal comeback with Brits win - Feb 15 2007
Take That sealed their comeback with a win at the Brits - while their old bandmate Robbie Williams remained thousands of miles away in rehab. see photos
The reformed boy-band showed they had lost none of their magic by winning Best Single for comeback track Patience, voted for by the public.
Meanwhile, Robbie lost out on the Live Act award - but his presence was felt as the pop elite lined up to send him goodwill messages.
The Arctic Monkeys were the biggest British prize-winners with a double gong for British Album of the Year, for their debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and British Group.
They didn’t attend the ceremony, but accepted their gongs with video messages while dressed as characters from The Wizard of Oz and the Village People.
Lily Allen won none of the three awards she was nominated for, despite her rapid rise from near-obscurity.
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Take That was formed in 1990 as Britain’s answer to the American boy band ’New Kids on the Block’. The band members were Gary Barlow (lead vocalist and song-writer), Robbie Williams (second lead and cheeky chappie), Jason Orange (choreographer and dancer), Marc Owen (the ’cute’ one)and Howard Donald (dancer).
Although they had a somewhat shaky start, and were close to being dropped from their record label - they then released ’It Only Takes a Minute’ which went to the number one chart spot. Teenage girls loved them everywhere, and they had eight number one hits altogether - including ’Relight My Fire’ with Lulu (also reinvigorating Lulu’s career as well!)
News that Robbie was leaving the band was taken badly by the fans, and although the four that were left did carry on (and have two more hit records) they finally announced it was all over in 1996. Teenage girls worldwide needed counselling... Until the next boy band of course.
Post Take That, youngest band member Robbie Williams has gone on to acheive the dizzying heights of A List stardom, while Gary (the one who was expected to shine) has not been heard of so much, although he did have two number one singles. Marc Owen also had a stab at solo pop stardom but was not so well recieved (although apparently it’s gone down vey well in Spain...). Jason Orange has been pursuing an acting career and treading the boards, while Howard - what is Howard doing? Answers on a very small postcard please!
September 2007