Footballers' Wives The Musical - Music Production & Orchestration

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★
``The songs are terrifically catchy, with Bond-like luscious orchestrations... what a show – high camp knockout!``

Musical Theatre Review

``Imaginative arrangements by Joe and Nikki Davison, who supply delightful dabs of colour throughout... The crystal-clear clarity of the recorded sound helps to underline every detail... the standout for me is ‘Never Say Die’... the song skilfully builds the texture, creating ingenious rhythmic interplay between beeping hospital machines, breathing apparatus and plucked strings... an album buzzing with attitude``

Musicals Magazine

★ ★ ★ ★
``The miniskirts may not be classy but the show certainly is... the production values are impressive all round...wrapped in buoyant tunes... that spit and snarl and occasionally pause to reveal a soft centre... there's an echo of Sondheim... and some of the worldly wise cynism of Chicago``

The Times

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
``Bloody brilliant``

The List

★ ★ ★ ★
``A triumph of histrionics featuring big, ballsy ballads``

The Stage

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
``What makes Footballer's Wives fly are Kath Gott's incredible songs. Most musicals have a couple of good tunes - the Footballer's Wives soundtrack has song after song that knocks it out the park. The cast deliver flawless harmonies to snare the ear and heart throughout. From the Latin-infused Let's Dance, the rock-flavoured Don't Lose It and the cheese Fairy Tales Aren't Just For Fairies, it's a seductive slice of original musical theatre.``

The Recs

★ ★ ★ ★
``A riotous triumph... A significant key to the show’s success, Kath Gotts’ music and lyrics are a highlight—satirical, catchy, and knowingly absurd. From Bond-esque orchestrations to disco-infused bangers, the score is a gleeful pastiche of pop culture tropes, perfectly matched to Chadwick’s book, which revels in the show’s outrageous premise... brash, bold, and brilliantly bonkers``

Cor Blimey

★ ★ ★ ★
``Kath Gotts’ score is a standout, with songs that range from sultry and dramatic to cheeky and bold..``

Theatre Weekly

We have been delighted to be on the squad for Footballers’ Wives The Musical by Kath Gotts & Maureen Chadwick, for the last few years.

We joined the team back in 2021, when composer Kath Gotts approached us to orchestrate and produce the studio cast recording. We worked for nearly a year honing the sound world of the show, delving into film noire, tango, rock, pop, club dance, Broadway kick-line and more! The album was released 25th November 2022 with 18 tracks from the show and featuring a premier league cast led by Alice Fearn and Simon Bailey. We celebrated the release with a panel discussion about the making of the show at MusicalCon.

Fast forward to 2025, and we had the best time orchestrating, arranging and music supervising the premiere of the show at the Edinburgh Fringe, playing to rave reviews at the Assembly Music Hall, with previews at Twickenham Exchange Theatre. We worked with an amazing creative team led by director Anthony Banks, with choreography by the legend Dame Arlene Philips and her associate Richard Roe, and superb sound design by Matt Peploe. In a surprise turn of event, Nikki even ended up on stage herself for some preview performances, filling in as Nurse Dunkley when covid struck! Luckily the brilliant Gillian Kirkpatrick was back on stage thrilling audiences from opening night.

Our brilliant band was led by Gemma Hawkins (MD/keys) and Livs Needham (Associate MD/Keys) with Liam Price (Drums) and Tom Fleming (Guitars), playing along to tracks including performances from ourselves (Nikki on woodwind & additional guitars, Joe on French Horn, Keys & Bass) and our cast recording musicians Jessie May Smart (Violin), Sophie Gledhill (Cello) and Luke Davies (Trumpet).

A new British musical based on the iconic TV series following the fall and rise of captain’s wife Tanya Turner as she schemes to save her marriage and her husband’s career. Rewind to 2002 when Premier League football was the new rock’n’roll – with the money, glamour and bad behaviour to match. Spoiler alert: Contains scenes of an adult nature, drug-taking, noughties fashion, attempted murder, offensive language, outmoded attitudes, sexual impropriety, drama, heartbreak, comedy, singing, dancing – and absolutely no football! ‘Gloriously OTT sass with brains and heart’ (Musicals Magazine).