Love Life was the title of last night’s charity concert, produced by men’s health organisation One For The Boys. Subtitled “West End Unites Against Cancer”, it contained a mix of musical theatre performances and informative videos.
It’s an important topic, how men often find it difficult to talk about illness with each other, or to ask for help from a specialist. Half of us will statistically be diagnosed with cancer, and a quick diagnosis may make all the difference.
Messages heard throughout the night were #SaySomething (don’t wait until it is too late if something doesn’t feel right with your body), #LoveTheGlove (don’t be afraid by a prostate exam), and “celebrate the life you are given”.
We all know someone who has died from cancer. It affects all of us, but men are less likely to discuss it. As One For The Boys chairman Samuel L Jackson and founder Sofia Davis tell us, this charity “about making it okay to ask questions, to open up, and to say when you’re scared or not sure what to do next.”
On to the show. We enjoyed appearances from David Thaxton, Jordan Luke Gage, Tom Francis, Ben Joyce, Ramin Karimloo, James Olivas, Diego Andres Rodriguez, Giles Terera, Alex Newell, Nicole Scherzinger, Lucie Jones, Bella Brown and Carrie Hope Fletcher.
Melanie La Barrie and Joel Montague both compere and perform (for her, “No Time At All”, from Pippin; for him, “You’ll Be Back”, from Hamilton). Alan Williams conducts a top-form 20-piece orchestra.
Shows triumphs are recalled (Scherzinger’s “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard) and perhaps anticipated (Francis as Judas in “Heaven on Their Minds” from Jesus Christ Superstar).
A couple of songs suggest show revivals (Little Shop of Horrors, City of Angels), while others capture the mood of the evening (“Something’s Coming” from West Side Story (Rodriguez), “Till I Hear You Sing” from Love Never Dies (Karimloo, presumably in tribute to Ben Lewis from the Australian production), “Waving Through a Window” from Dear Evan Hansen (Gage)).
Love is the dominant theme. Love Life. “Love Changes Everything” from Aspects of Love (Thaxton), “If I Can’t Love Her’ from Beauty and the Beast (Karimloo), “That Moment in Time” from 13 Going on 30 (Jones). Beautiful vocals, strong memories to keep.
With the humour, class and power on display – and every moment was a winner – it was one acoustic performance that really captured what Love Life and One For The Boys is all about.
That was Giles Terera and “He Was a Friend of Mine”, a folk song that appeared in the film Brokeback Mountain and dedicated last night to Gavin Creel, one of many in the industry lost prematurely to cancer.
An emotional moment in a night of stage presence, professional skill, and surprises. It was great to see young stars Newell (“Home” from The Wiz), Gage, and Francis on top form, and fun to experience a variety of duets. Also a smashing “Being Alive” from Company (Olivas) and “Out There” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Joyce).
You can make your donation to the One For The Boys charity at https://oftbunite.enthuse.com/cp/52b15/donate#!/ and follow their social media accounts at @One4theBoys.
Flawless.
Love Life played for one night only at Theatre Riyal Drury Lane on 2 Feb 2026.