It’s very rare for me to see a show and know virtually nothing about it beforehand…

All I knew was this; Carole King was a singer-songwriter, and Beautiful was a smash-hit both on Broadway and the West End. I’d seen people raving about it on social media, but it was a show I never considered seeing when it played in London until last August.

The truth is, it was my mum who was desperate to see it, but I’m always up for trying something new.

Then disaster struck at the eleventh hour - my Mum couldn’t make it, so my friend Meg saved the day. But what would two girls in their early 20s (and notably the youngest in the audience) going to make of a musical about an era more suited to older generations?

Thankfully, we were pleasantly surprised.

Beautiful follows the life story of the singer songwriter, from her early days as a geeky teenager with huge talent to a self-assured adult, even if it does take her a lifetime to realise who she really is.

Carole - played by Bronté Barbé - sold her first hit record, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, at just 17 alongside her boyfriend Gerry Goffin, and throughout the show we see the pair go from strength to strength. It’s a fun success story to follow, and I particularly enjoyed the fierce chart competition with their best frenemies Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann.

By the age of 20, Carole had written No.1s for some of the decade’s biggest and best performers, including the Drifters, the Shirelles, the Monkees and Aretha Franklin.

Beautiful lives up to its name in so many respects… the singing is crystal clear, the costumes and sets are all glitz and glamour, and the story has heart.

Bronté Barbé as a lead is strong, and manages to deliver some really funny moments in amongst challenging times of her life. There was something incredibly vulnerable about her performance which I really warmed to, even as a adult with her own record deal. Her portrayal made me consider that while Carole King may have realised her talent, she certainly didn’t see herself as trailblazer, despite being one of the only female composers amongst her peers.

What surprised me most though was sheer number of songs I recognised, while knowing virtually nothing about this woman until Monday night. The show is packed with showstoppers including The Locomotion and One Fine Day, as well as songs like Take Good Care of My Baby, Natural Woman and You’ve Got A Friend. It was such a stark contrast in sound and genres that I never would have considered that they were the brainchild of the same person.

The ensemble - especially the Drifters - were polished and slick, and really gave a feel for what the music industry could have been like at the time.

So many people around me were singing along, and while jukebox musicals often produce a mixed reception, it was clear this show delivered what it’s audience wanted… a good night out with some good tunes, that even the youngest people in the theatre recognised and loved.

The run at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury until Saturday, March 31 is now sold out, and only selling return tickets. For information, call 01227 787787.

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical returns to Kent at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford from Tuesday, June 5 to Saturday June 9 2018. For tickets, call 01322 220000 or visit orchardtheatre.co.uk