Preview:
Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical
Shaftesbury Theatre
15 May 2025 – 10 January 2026
Live Aid was an unprecedented global music event that brought 1.5 billion people together, and they all have a story to tell about ‘the day rock ‘n’ roll changed the world’.
Crikey! Who can believe it is 40 years since Live Aid? Live Aid was one of those events that if you are old enough, you know exactly what you were doing at the time. If you are too young, you will have no doubt still have heard about the major rock event staged on both sides of the Atlantic to raise money for the starving children in Africa in July 1985.
Live Aid was the brainchild of Bob Geldof who after seeing harrowing scenes on the TVs news and was moved into action. He admits that ‘All he knew was music’ so he worked to pull together some of the biggest artists of the day , some of which he knew and some he didn’t, to put together the group ‘Band Aid’ who recorded one of the best selling singles of all time ‘Do they know its Christmas’. That not being enough, Geldof with the help of Producer Harvey Goldsmith staged two concerts one in London and the other in Philadelphia watched by 1.5 billion people worldwide.
The UK side of the event was staged at Wembley Stadium, which is where a group of us gathered last week to hear from The Band Aid Charitable Trust and in particular Bob Geldof and Midge Ure as they promoted the next stage of the journey.
Hosted by radio DJ Jo Whiley with Trustees of the Band Aid Charitable Trust, Sir Bob Geldof KBE, Midge Ure OBE, Harvey Goldsmith CBE and John Kennedy OBE. The event was to launch the forthcoming West End production of Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical.
Just For One Day is the behind-the-scenes story of Live Aid, originally performed at The Old Vic last year, it features music performed at Live Aid which has been completely reimagined and reworked. Wowzers, we were treated to some of the songs by the cast of the new West End production and it is safe to say that we were all completely blown away!
More than just a collection of songs, this is a love letter to the ‘80s – a time of bold anthems, raw emotion, and an unshakable belief in music’s power to change the world. This is not only a reworking of these legendary tracks, it’s a celebration of their lasting impact.
Jamie Wilson, Producer of Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical commented:
“As we approach the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, it’s an incredible honour to bring Just For One Day to the stage—a celebration of the people, the passion, and the power of music to change the world. This musical is not only a tribute to one of the most extraordinary days in music history, but a reminder of what we can achieve when we come together for a common cause.”
Just One Day opens at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London on Thursday 15 May and best of all 10% of all ticket sales will go straight to the Band Aid Charitable Trust so that they can continue helping those in need.
Sammi O’Neill
Cast
Craige Els, who originated the role of Bob Geldof at The Old Vic,
Kelly Agbowu, Julie Atherton, Jason Battersby, Jordan Cambridge-Taylor, Eloise Davies, James Hameed, Fayth Ifil, Melissa Jacques, Hope Kenna, AJ Lewis, Freddie Love, Tim Mahendran, Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky, Jack Michael Stacey, Emily Ooi, Ashley Samuels, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Jake Small, Tamara Tare and George Ure, with Kerry Enright, Evan Fox Harrison, Esme Laudat, Eddie Mann, Jaye Marshall, Lukin Simmonds and Dyd Wynford.