LET It Be, which returns to Mayflower Theatre next week, was created by self-confessed Beatles nut Jeff Parry.

He tells YOUR ENTERTAINMENT all about bringing The Fab Four back to the stage.

LET IT BE FIRST OPENED AT LONDON'S WEST END PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE IN SEPTEMBER 2012. HOW DID YOU FEEL ON THE VERY FIRST OPENING NIGHT WHEN YOU SAW AND HEARD THE AUDIENCE’S REACTION?

It was quite surreal. A Canadian producing a show about England’s greatest band – I’m still trying to get to grips with that even to this day. We have taken the show across the world but were told that the West End audiences may not get on their feet, but the critics were very wrong. Just as in Tokyo, New York and Moscow, the London crowd reacted in a similar fashion demonstrating the universal appeal of The Beatles.

THIS WILL BE THE SHOW’S BIGGEST TOUR TO DATE. DID YOU EVER BELIEVE THAT ALMOST TWO MILLION BEATLES FANS WOULD SEE THE SHOW?

It really is incredible when you stop and take a moment to think about it. The show sells on word of mouth – there are obviously a lot of mouths telling their friends to see it!

WOULD YOU DESCRIBE LET IT BE AS A FAMILY SHOW?

What really excites me is seeing three generations at the show. It is so encouraging and heartwarming to see younger generations discovering the music. And hopefully we are doing our bit to create new Beatles fans and keep the magic of the band strong for years to come.

THE BEATLES HAVE SUCH A COLOURFUL AND EXCITING HISTORY, HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE SPECIFIC ERAS AND SONGS TO FEATURE IN THE SHOW?

They changed as did the times. It seems like a lot happened in the Sixties from post war England and The Cavern Club, Hard Days Night, Shea Stadium, Sergeant Pepper and the Magical Mystery Tour. Through to grown men who did not need costumes to relate to the changing times. What makes The Beatles so special, aside from their songs, is that they stayed ahead of the curve and were totally representative of the changing times and themselves. No other group came anywhere near being able to do that so successfully in my mind.

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FINDING THE RIGHT CAST, WAS IT AN INTERNATIONAL SEARCH FOR TALENT?

This is an extremely difficult part of producing the show. The performers have to be able to play their instrument without looking down and be able to sing, it’s not an easy task by any means. Our litmus test is simple – to find the right musicians who don’t necessarily have to look exactly the part. We should be able to close our eyes and hear The Beatles and I think that has been our magic and contributed to the success of the show.

A perfect example is that when we cast in London looking for Brits to take the slots, our best Paul was from Italy who flew himself in to audition. Never in a million years did we think that a right-handed Italian would take on the role of Paul McCartney, but when he played and sang he absolutely nailed it. He has since learned English and to play left-handed to demonstrate how committed he is to the role. I think that putting this cast together is like putting a football team together – you strive to have the best players on the field as the fans want to see the best.

THE ETHOS OF THE SHOW IS A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES? IS THAT A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO MAKE THE SHOW MORE OF A CONCERT?

People really do seem to like the fact that they don’t have to sit through a story to hear the songs in context to the archival footage we use to depict the times. It’s quite a refreshing take on a show.

USUALLY FROWNED UPON IN THEATRES, AUDIENCES ARE ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO TO SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT'S UNIQUE FOR A THEATRE SHOW.

We are all products of the internet era. As far as I am concerned, if a fan wants to take a picture or video of the show and share it with their friends then that is excellent exposure for the show. Word of mouth goes such a long way and the best form of marketing, so allowing pictures and video only adds to the overall experience. Let the audience help sell the show.

FAVOURITE BEATLES SONG AND WHY?

This can change with my mood. Sometimes I want to hear, I Want To Hold Your Hand. While other times it would be Within Without You. But special songs to me are ones like, I’ll Be Back, which allows for three-piece harmony on the verses. The blend of their voices creates a very special unique sound.

WITH SUCH AN EXTENSIVE BACK CATALOGUE, HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE SHOW’S SET LIST?

People want to hear the really popular songs and I strongly believe we have accomplished that, although we get asked all the time if we can add even more.

YOU GOT YOUR FIRST BEATLES' RECORD AS AN 11-YEAR-OLD IN CANADA. WHAT IMPACT DID IT HAVE ON YOU?

My Dad’s secretary gave me the first album featuring Twist and Shout and She Loves You. It definitely changed my life as I became a youngster who really started listening to music as a result. I then bought every Beatles album as it was released and also became a fan of The Kinks and The Rolling Stones before venturing into other music genres.

This led to me choosing a career in music, and I’ve been a promoter and producer since 1980, ironically the year John was assassinated. I have no idea where my career path may have gone if I had not heard that first album. Sometimes it really scares me to think that I could have become a banker!

ARE YOUR FAMILY BEATLES FANS?

Yes they have to be! My family has seen the LET IT BE at least 50 times. They now need a little persuasion after living and breathing the show with me for over a decade. However once the lights go down and the show comes to life, they are soon on their feet just like the rest of the audience. I truly relish that sight, seeing my own family enjoying the music of my heroes as much as I do.

THE BEATLES CHANGED MUSIC AND CULTURE, INSPIRING A LOT OF TODAY'S ARTISTES. WHAT IMPACT DO THEY STILL HAVE ON YOUR LIFE?

Their music is something which has been with me all of my life and, by some coincidence, has been the road map to my career. I never intended to create a show about The Beatles, in fact, I wanted to avoid that as I thought their music was too important for a ‘tribute’ show. I had seen many and usually left at the interval.

The fact that Let It Be has risen above the masses to such a great degree is something which I still cannot explain but supports destiny. And it makes me feel extremely proud of what we have created.

Let It Be runs from Monday to Saturday.

Tickets: 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk