Sunny Afternoon, Edinburgh Playhouse *** – it’s all about the songs

There is so much to love about Sunny Afternoon, but I left with a feeling it occasionally missed something.

The story of The Kinks, the lasting influence of their music, and the powerful dynamics between brothers Ray and Dave Davies, are part of rock ‘n’ roll history. This story bristles in a way the life and times of, say, Take That, never can.

They may not have been as globally big as the Stones of The Beatles, but they gave us songs that remain instantly recognisable. Strike up the opening chord to You really Got Me, All Day And All of The Night, Waterloo Sunset or Sunny Afternoon and you know exactly what they are.

This stage show comes from Ray Davies’ original story and a book by Joe Penhall, and takes us from the very start through to the megamix ending.

What sets it apart is the actors playing their own musical instruments, giving it a feel of a genuine concert at times, and set against a backdrop of speakers on a stage which switches with ease from studio to concert hall to family home.

It kicks in with the retelling of how they created that thundering grunge-y guitar sound for You Really Got Me with Oliver Hoare as Dave and Danny Horn as Ray cutting loose on guitar, Harry Curley’s bass lines drilling cavities in your chest, and Zakarie Stokes pounding away at the drums.

It’s genuinely thrilling; indeed the moments the songs take centre stage are when this musical really comes alive, but there’s a lot of narrative to shoehorn in and it’s a little bit vaudeville at times – but still fun – as it contrasts the working class life of the Davies’ daily with the upper class toffs who became their managers.

Hoare brings true rock ‘n’ roll rebel kudos to his role, while Horn captures the insecurities of being the main songwriter, but the astonishing volatility of their decades long sibling rivalry, needed to be more dramatic and have a real edge.

We see the on-stage bust-up with the drummer, and the ban from touring America which stymied their transatlantic career, but it ran much, much deeper.

The story is well known to fans, and, ultimately, they came for the songs, and were not disappointed. There was a beautiful acapella version of Days, a wonderful Stop Your Sobbing – a huge hot for The Pretenders – and a whimsical, joyful Dedicated Follower of Fashion.

The only surprise was chucking Lola, one of the greatest songs ever written, into the megamix rather than bringing its story to the heart of the stage.

There are fine performances across the cast with many picking up instruments and performing live - Joseph Richardson and Tam Williams have great fun as their upper-crust managers - but the second half at times lacked a bit of energy which, I suspect, could be put down to the less than full house. This feels like a musical which thrives on the electricity of the crowd.

For Kinks fans there’s the thrill of hearing so many songs performed live once more, and for those less familiar with their astonishing body of work, it is a fascinating insight into one of the truly great British bands of all-time.

And, if nothing else, you’ll find yourself taking a deep dive into tier back catalogue when you get home.

The closest I came to seeing The Kinks play live was watching Ray Davies perform with a gospel choir at Hyde Park. He was a wiry character with an edge, who welcomed us to “his manor” and introduced one song with “sing along if you know it, learn the words if you don’t” before launching into a sublime Waterloo Sunset as the sun set behind the giant stage. A moment to simply savour as 40,000 people sang along, word perfect.

It’s 30 years since he band last played live. All we have is their music - sublime, witty, razor sharp and and, in many cases, timeless.

This show captures some of that buzz and, for me, is a solid three stars. The soundtrack, however, is an easy five stars. For that I am in paradise.

> Sunny Afternoon is at the Edinburgh Playhouse until Saturday, May 9. Tickets here.