Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford

Published: 05:47, 09 October 2019 | Updated: 13:15, 09 October 2019

He had just one No.1 hit and a recording career that lasted less than two years before it was cruelly cut short, but Buddy Holly’s legend lives on.

And nowhere more so than in the world’s most successful rock n’ roll musical Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, which is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a UK tour, coming to Dartford's Orchard Theatre until Saturday, October 12.

Celia Cruwys-Finnigan and Thomas Mitchells in Buddy

It tells the enduring tale of the musical icon’s meteoric rise to fame and his final legendary performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, before his tragic and untimely death at just 22.

In 18 short months the Texas-born rock ‘n’ roller revolutionised the face of contemporary music, influencing everyone from The

Beatles to Bruce Springsteen.

Audiences will be treated to 20 of his greatest hits, from That’ll Be The Day to Peggy Sue, Oh Boy and Rave On.

Since opening in 1989, Buddy has made 4450 performances over 556 weeks on tour in the UK and Ireland.

This year will see the show join a small number of iconic musicals including Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Evita and Cats in reaching three decades on stage.