Ahead of the world premiere of Just For One Day in Jan 2024, here are seven things you need to know about this brand-new musical.  

1. THE STORY

Is of Live Aid, and the people united by it.  

Amongst political unrest, social revolution, boom and bust. In a decade of neon and noise, Live Aid made the world stand still and brought 1.5 billion people together – and they all have a story to tell about the day rock ‘n’ roll changed the world. 

2. THE DIRECTOR

Is Luke Sheppard. He has previously directed many smash-hit musicals including The Little Big Things and the Olivier Award-winning & Juliet.

3. THE MUSIC

Woven throughout the production are the songs of: 

Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, The Cars, Status Quo, Paul Weller, Sade, The Boomtown Rats, Bryan Adams, Diana Ross, Ultravox and more – all performed by the 26-strong cast in this brand-new musical.  

Image: LIVE AID at Wembley Stadium London 13 July 1985 - Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo.

4. THE WRITER

Is John O’Farrell, who is an award-winning author and comedy writer. Novels include The Best A Man Can Get, May Contain Nuts and The Man Who Forgot His Wife. Non-fiction includes An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, the political memoir Things Can Only Get Better and its recent sequel. John is also the co-writer for musicals such as Mrs Doubtfire and the hit Broadway musical Something Rotten.

5. THE CONCERT

Took place simultaneously across the Atlantic Ocean in 1985, with concerts in London’s Wembley Stadium and the John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia in the USA.  

All performances from the 1985 concert and the subsequent Live 8, which took place in 2005, can be watched on YouTube.

6. THE BAND AID CHARITABLE TRUST

Has spent the past four decades working across Africa to support organisations dedicated to the prevention or relief of poverty and famine through charitable grants. The trust has funded food, medicine, housing, hospitals, surgery, immunisation, bridges, irrigation, water supplies, livestock, schools and much more since it was set up in 1984.  

 10% from the sale of every ticket for Just For One Day will be donated to the Trust to support their ongoing global relief efforts.

7. HOW TO GET TICKETS

Just For One Day is on stage at The Old Vic from 26 Jan 2024, and tickets are now on sale. Tickets are selling fast, so we recommend booking early to get the best choice of seats and tickets prices.