It’s 2013, we open with Wilko Johnson, the iconic rock musician and founding member of the Essex band Dr. Feelgood, receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis. With just a year to live, he sets off on a farewell tour where he invites us to take a trip down memory lane with him, beginning in his early teens and the moment he first fell in love with the guitar.

We watch as he meets his Canvey Island sweetheart, Irene and marries her. We watch as he becomes entangled in drink, drugs and infidelity, causing frequent clashes with bandmates and putting pressure on his marriage. As the story develops, several songs interrupt the dialogue, injecting a lively, punchy energy that offers Dr. Feelgood fans a dose of nostalgic tunes. These musical moments are the strongest in the production, giving us an opportunity to link Wilko’s life story to the lyrics, meaning and influences behind the songs. I struggled to fully connect with the characters – the frequent use of multi-roling, while slickly done, left little room to properly explore and understand key figures in Wilko’s life, like his wife Irene. We don’t get much of a sense of the complexity and emotional weight of their connection and scenes between them felt a little shallow and underdeveloped.

Overall, a nostalgic and celebratory journey of Wilko’s life driven by the music. This is one for the fans!