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LES MISÉRABLES

LUCIE JONES RETURNS AS ‘FANTINE’ IN
THE WEST END PRODUCTION FOR 8 WEEKS ONLY
FROM 23 DECEMBER 2024 TO 15 FEBRUARY 2025

KATIE HALL WILL PLAY ‘FANTINE’ IN
LESMISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR WORLD TOUR,
BEFORE RETURNING TO LONDON’S SONDHEIM THEATRE
FROM 17 FEBRUARY 2025

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that Lucie Jones will return to the role of ‘Fantine’ in the West End production of Boublil and Schönberg’s LES MISÉRABLES for 8 weeks only from 23 December 2024 to 15 February 2025 and that Katie Hall will join the Arena Spectacular World Tour from 26^th December 2024 to 16^th February 2025.

Multi award-winning musical theatre actress, singer and radio presenter Lucie Jones returns to Les Misérables having previously performed the roles of ‘Fantine’ at the Sondheim Theatre and ‘Cosette’ at the Queens Theatre. Other notable credits in Wicked, Waitress, Pippin, Ghost, The Baker’s Wife, A Christmas Carol, Legally Blonde, American Psycho, RENT, We Will Rock You, and The Wedding Singer. Lucie recorded her own album, “Lucie Jones – Live at The Adelphi”, in 2021, was a finalist on The X Factor in 2009 and on the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017.

Katie Hall who is currently playing ‘Fantine’ in London will perform the role in the World Tour of LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR for a limited time from 26 December 2024, in Manchester, Newcastle, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Malmo & Amsterdam, before returning to the Sondheim Theatre from 17 February 2025. Katie Hall has performed the roles of ‘Cosette’ and then ‘Fantine’ in Les Misérables  at the Sondheim Theatre, Queens Theatre, at the 25^th Anniversary Concert, and on UK and International tours. She also appeared in the Oscar-winning film adaptation of Les Misérables. Further stage credits include The Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, English National Opera’s Sweeney Todd, productions with Grange Park Opera including Fiddler on the Roof and Oklahoma!, Schikaneder for VBW, Vienna and she has performed at the BBC Proms in The Golden Age of Broadway. 

The cast of LES MISÉRABLES at the Sondheim Theatre also includes Ian McIntosh as ‘Jean Valjean’, Stewart Clarke as ‘Javert’, Jacob Dachtler as ‘Marius’, Amena El-Kindy as ‘Éponine’, Annabelle Aquino as ‘Cosette’, Luke Kempner as ‘Thénardier’, Claire Machin as ‘Madame Thénardier’, and Robson Broad as ‘Enjolras’.

The company is completed by Matt Bateman, Michael Baxter, Emily Olive Boyd, Daniel J Brian, Ella May Carter, Adam Colbeck-Dunn, Matthew Dale, Irfan Damani, Sophie-May Feek, Matt Hayden, Christopher Jacobsen, Jessica Johns-Parsons, Sam Kipling, Anouk van Laake, Mia Lamb, Sarah Lark, Matthew McConnell, Aaron-Jade Morgan, Ben Oatley, Adam Pearce, Jordan Simon Pollard, Danielle Rose, Jonathan Stevens, Georgia Tapp, Noah Thallon, and Imaan Victoria.

LES MISÉRABLES entered its 40^th record-breaking year in London this October. To kick off the celebrations, the show launched its first World Tour with the highly anticipatedLES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR, which opened in Belfast before playing limited dates in Glasgow, Sheffield, Aberdeen, Manchester, Newcastle, Luxembourg, Geneva, Trieste, Milan, Copenhagen, Oslo, Zurich,  Gothenburg, Stockholm, Malmö and Amsterdam before moving to Australia, Taiwan, Japan, and  South Korea, with more worldwide destinations to be announced. Simultaneously, and for the first time ever, 11 leading amateur companies in the UK will present their own staging of the full show across the country in 2025.

The staged production continues to triumph around the globe with local language productions currently on or in preparation, and it continues to break box office records on tour in North America. Earlier this year, the remastered and remixed Oscar-winning movie was released again in several countries around the world.

Boublil and Schönberg’s magnificent iconic score of LES MISÉRABLES includes the classic songs, I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, Do You Hear the People Sing?, One Day More, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Master Of The House and many more. Several of its songs have become real life anthems of revolution wherever in the world people are fighting for their freedom. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and in 22 languages, LES MISÉRABLES is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals.

LES MISÉRABLES

Sondheim Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6BA

Currently booking until 6 September 2025

Prices: Tickets from £25 – No booking fee applies

Box Office: 0344 482 5151

Website: www.lesmis.com

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Hull New Theatre – until 2nd November 2024

Reviewed by Dawn Bennett

5*****

If, like me, you’ve seen and enjoyed the film of the same name you will know the story and how good it is but nothing could have prepared me on how much I loved the show last night. From the first note from the outstanding orchestra (under musical director Jessica Viner) to the last bow, the fabulous cast had me and the Hull New Theatre audience in the palm of their hands and they well deserved the standing ovation.

The show tells the story of Caractacus Potts (Adam Garcia), a rather eccentric inventor, who lives with his two children Jeremy (Charlie McGuire), Jemima (Isla Ithier) and Grandpa Potts (Liam Fox). The children meet Truly Scrumptious (Ellie Nunn) who is not impressed with Caractacus’s parenting skills. He buys a car to repair for his children and then the magic appears. The Baron (Martin Callaghan) and Baroness (Jenny Gayner) of Vulgaria want the car and will stop at nothing to get it. They send their spies Boris (Adam Stafford) and Goran (Michael Joseph) to get the car and when they can’t get it, they decide to do the next best thing and kidnap the inventor, except they get Grandpa Potts instead! Caractacus, Truly and the children take Chitty and go to Vulgaria to rescue Grandpa and find out that Chitty can fly! They realise when they get there that as the Baroness hates children there are no children anywhere. They have a Childcatcher (played by The Vivienne) who soon finds the Potts children. And then the story unfolds….

Stand out performances for me were Adam Garcia who is every inch the leading man showing his amazing acting, dancing and singing skills. Adam Stafford and Michael Joseph were brilliant as Boris and Goran, they had excellent comic timing and some of the jokes that were a bit risqué and went over the heads of the younger members of the audience but totally hilarious. The Vivienne was gloriously evil as The Childcatcher and they totally embodied the character. Also, a shout out to the Ensemble who put their heart and soul into their performances and were magnificent!

The show was fast paced, funny, the cast were magnificent and this is one production that I would highly recommend. If you can manage to get one of the very few tickets left in Hull or fancy going to see them elsewhere in the tour you certainly won’t be disappointed.

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton- until 2 November 2024

Reviewed by Lorna Hancock

4****

Most people know Grease from the 1978 movie, the iconic and much adored love story of Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John). However, this stage production directed by Nikolai Foster, goes back to the original much grittier 1971 book by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs. 

After growing up with the film version and being a very big fan of it, to be completely honest, I’m not one hundred percent sure exactly how I feel about this production. It takes away the rose-tinted view, of American adolescence in the 50s that the film portrays. Personally I don’t feel the characters are as likeable. The T-Birds revert back to the original much edgier “Burger Palace Boys’ carrying guns and weapons. The lecherous ways of Zuko (Marley Fenton) and Kenickie (Ben Nicholas)  certainly took any romance out of the story. I actually found myself slightly disappointed that Sandy gave her self up for Danny at the end. 

The story, set in Chicago is much rougher than the Paramount Movie. It looks more at the ups and downs of the relationships of all of the characters, rather than focusing on Danny and Sandy, which makes the storyline slightly different. The placement of the songs has changed which felt peculiar when knowing the film so well. There was also the addition of a few lesser known songs from the original. 

Although an interesting lesson into the history of the musical, I found myself getting slightly hung up, on the differences between what I was watching and something I know and love so much. I think the only way to look at this is not to compare it, but to think of it as a completely different production. 

The set, with its gym equipment and lockers, encapsulated the feel of an 1950s American high school. It transports you back to the grit and grind of Chicago, to hang out with the Pink Ladies and Burger Palace Boys. 

The cast as a whole are extremely talented with remarkable vocals, excellent characterisation and perfectly coordinated choreography. With Joe Gash playing a superb Vince Fontaine (and Teen Angel) he really links the whole show together.

The stand out thing for me in this performance, had to be the fabulous choreography by Arlene Phillips. It was eye-catching throughout the show, and was spectacularly showcased during the Hand Jive at the School dance. 

Overall, this may not have been what I expected, but it is a brilliant production in it’s own right. The songs that we are all so fond of are impressively performed, with an interesting education into the origins of the musical.

Pleasance Theatre, London N7 – until Thursday 31st October 2024

Reviewed by Phil Brown

3***

On paper, the idea of using the London postcodes as the structure for an autobiographical exploration of one’s life in the capital, seems not only interesting, but inspired.  And it cunningly offers scope to update the content as time goes by.  To present it in an interactive style for the audience to choose which postcodes to examine is a really clever touch.  

On stage though, I felt this otherwise well performed show didn’t fully follow through on the initial promise of the concept.  The audience was engaged and responsive throughout but, overall, the show was more quietly amusing than uproariously funny.  Still well worth seeking out, especially considering we only experienced around 50% of the full story.

16 Postcodes is on a limited run at the quirky Pleasance Theatre in North London after a well reviewed stint at the Edinburgh fringe.  It’s a 60 minute (no break) one woman show by Irish expatriate, Jessica Regan, very ably supported by a sound engineer.   

Jessica Regan is undoubtedly a fluent, natural and engaging storyteller with the ability to sell damp or vermin solutions to all of her many landlords.  She has a nice turn of phrase on occasion and can drop into character with ease.  There could have more of these facets in the course of the show which was mostly descriptive, and occasionally came across as a script recital.  

The stage set is simple – the 16 Postcodes in question (from Acton to Walthamstow) are listed on cards pegged to a line of fairy lights along the back wall.  Having introduced her first exposure to postcodes (which apparently don’t exist in Ireland outside of Dublin) as being the boy band E17, Jessica then set about her initial experiences as a 22 year old in London applying for and being accepted by drama school.  After that came Acton followed by audience choice.  I think we got through Stamford Hill, Hammersmith, Primrose Hill, Brixton, Camberwell and finally Walthamstow which completes the circle back to boy band E17!  Personally, if asked, I would have liked to have heard about Surbiton which seems slightly out of place amongst the inner London locations…

 20 years in London and 16 different postcodes tells a somewhat depressing story that might well feature on “The News Where You Are” one evening at six thirty. Respect to Jessica for her resilience in pursuing a performing career in one of the most precarious professions there is, not to mention a settled home life in London.   In common with many performers who use adversity for material she has at least got a show out of the hard times, and one that I think could keep growing into something very special.

MORE STARS ANNOUNCED FOR ‘A MARVELLOUS PARTY’ – A CELEBRATION OF NOËL COWARD ON SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2024

Alfred Enoch, Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellen, Joshua James, Samantha Spiro, Marisha Wallace and Lia Williams, join the previously announced Hugh Bonneville, Gyles Brandreth, Judi Dench, Lindsay Duncan, Cush Jumbo, Robert Lindsay, Hilton McRae and Giles Terera in the charity gala performance, A Marvellous Party, at London’s Prince of Wales Theatre on Sunday 17 November 2024, with further special guests appearing on the evening.

Also participating are Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, New Adventures and Wise Children Theatre School, in addition to Noël Coward Foundation bursary recipients, and a group of actors who regularly perform Coward’s work.

Daniel Evans directs, with musical direction by Tom Brady, and the evening features excepts, including previously unseen material, from Coward’s plays, sketches and songs.

The gala also marks the culmination of Coward 125, the two-year long celebration of Noël Coward’s life and work, and is in aid of The Queen’s Reading Room, the Noël Coward Foundation and Acting For Others.

The Prince of Wales Theatre has generously been provided by Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

All performers appear subject to availability.

A Marvellous Party is produced by Julian Bird for Green Room Ents.

Date:        Sunday 17 November 2024

Venue:     Prince of Wales Theatre (A Delfont Mackintosh Theatre)

                Coventry Street

                London W1D 6AS

Time:       7:30PM

Booking: delfontmackintosh.co.uk

                Box Office 0344 842 5151

                For access bookings, please call 0344 482 5137

SONIA FRIEDMAN PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES THE TRANSFER OF THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SELL-OUT ALMEIDA THEATRE PRODUCTION THE YEARS

RUNNING AT THE HAROLD PINTER THEATRE
FROM 24 JANUARY – 19 APRIL 2025

ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY ELINE ARBO
BASED ON NOBEL PRIZE WINNER ANNIE ERNAUX’S LES ANNÉES

IN AN ENGLISH VERSION BY STEPHANIE BAIN

“It moved me in ways theatre often tries to but rarely achieves.” – The Independent

“There is so much emotional depth, surprise and theatrical virtuosity here that it holds you rapt across the ages.” – The Guardian

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam’s new Artistic Director Eline Arbo returns to direct her five-star, sold out “masterpiece” (The Guardian) adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux’s critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical novel The Years. Having run to critical acclaim at the Internationaal Theater Amsterdam and at the Almeida Theatre from August – September 2024, it will now transfer to the Harold Pinter Theatre from 24 January – 19 April 2025.

Deborah Findlay, Romola Garai*, Gina McKee, Anjli Mohindra and Harmony Rose-Bremner reprise their “extraordinary performances” (Observer) playing one woman in this mesmerizing, personal and political story, set against the backdrop of our rapidly changing world.

“MEMORY NEVER STOPS. IT PAIRS THE DEAD WITH THE LIVING, REAL WITH IMAGINARY BEINGS, DREAMS WITH HISTORY.”

She strikes a pose and the camera shutter clicks: a child playing in the debris of the Second World War. Click. A student discovering parties and men’s bodies. Click. An activist fighting for the right to choose. Click. A wife picking out a velvet sofa. Click. A mother taking her eldest to judo. Click. A lover seducing a younger man. Click. A grandmother presenting her granddaughter to the camera. Click.

The original production and adaptation of The Years was first produced as De Jaren by Het Nationale Theater in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2022.

The creative team includes; Music Supervisor and Sound Designer: Thijs van Vuure; Set Designer: Juul Dekker; Costume Designer: Rebekka Wörmann; Lighting Designer: Varja Klosse; Casting Director: Amy Ball CDG;Associate Director: Yasmin Hafesji.

*Romola Garai will be in performances of The Years until 8 March. Further casting will be announced at a later date.

EMMA FLYNN AND KEELAN MCAULEY TO LEAD THE CAST IN CLUELESS, THE MUSICAL

AND

FIRST SONG “NEW GIRL” RELEASED

Book and original film written by AMY HECKERLING

Music by KT TUNSTALL

Lyrics by GLENN SLATER

Choreography by KELLY DEVINE

Directed by RACHEL KAVANAUGH

Based on the Paramount Pictures film, inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma

TICKETS FROM CLUELESSONSTAGE.COM

CLUELESS, The Musical today announces Emma Flynn (Beautiful/ Little Shop Of Horrors) will be making her West End debut in the role of Cher Horowitz. Keelan McAuley (Heathers, The Musical/ Grease) will join the musical in the role of Josh.

CLUELESS also releases a lyric video for the first track from their upcoming EP called “New Girl.” The song takes place as Cher begins a makeover for her new friend Tai and features vocals from Emma Flynn with KT Tunstall, who composed the score. Listen here.

Original writer-director of the Clueless movie Amy Heckerling said “I’m thrilled for Emma to bring her own take on Cher’s unforgettable charm and Keelan to make Josh his own.”

Emma Flynn said “I’m beyond excited to step into Cher’s iconic shoes and bring her to life on the West End stage. Alicia Silverstone created such a beloved character in the original Clueless film, and it’s an incredible honor to continue that legacy. I can’t wait for audiences to rediscover Cher’s wit and heart in a whole new way, and I’m thrilled to be part of such a timeless story.”

Keelan McAuley said “I’m so excited to be embodying Paul Rudd’s character from the original movie, on the stage! I especially can’t wait for audiences to hear the music in CLUELESS. KT Tunstall has created a great new score inspired by the music styles of the ‘90s. Combined with Glenn Slater’s amazing lyrics, they’ve really brought a whole new energy to the story.”

CLUELESS, The Musical is a new musical comedy based on the Paramount Pictures film. The modern spin on Jane Austen’s Emma gets another timeless makeover from the original film’s writer-director alongside a majorly acclaimed creative team.

Cher Horowitz is the most popular student at Beverly Hills High, renowned for her unique talent at finding love for others. She’s about to embark on her biggest project yet – making over her awkward new friend, Tai, and setting her up with the most handsome boy in school. But what happens to Cher when, for the first time, everything is not perfect? This fresh musical comedy is fun, fashionable, and, like, so way cool.

CLUELESS features a book by the iconic voice of a generation, Amy Heckerling (writer-director of Clueless, director of Fast Times at Ridgemont High). Amy was pivotal in shaping the coming-of-age film genre, capturing the essence of teenage life with humor and authenticity.

The original score is by the multi-platinum singer-songwriter KT Tunstall (writer and performer of such celebrated hits as “Suddenly I See” and “Black Horse and The Cherry Tree”) and the lyrics are by GRAMMY Award® winner and three-time Tony Award® nominee Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid, Sister Act). Together they bring a modern, musical vibe to the score blending the spirit of the 90s with a fresh contemporary sound.

CLUELESS makes its West End premiere under the direction of Rachel Kavanaugh (Chichester Festival Theatre and Regent’s Park Open Air), with choreography by Olivier Award® winner Kelly Devine (Come From Away).

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Trafalgar Theatre, 14 Whitehall. London, SW1A 2DY

First Performance: 15 February 2025

Booking Until: 14 June 2025

Performances: Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm & Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm

Tickets from £25 Trafalgar Theatre: trafalgartheatre.com or 020 7321 5400

Website: CluelessOnStage.com

X: @CluelessOnStage

Facebook: @CluelessOnStage

Instagram: @CluelessOnStage

Blackpool Grand Theatre – until Saturday 2 November 2024

Reviewed by Debra Skelton

5*****

The film Heathers starring Christian Slater and Winona Ryder is a film that I love especially as it is from my era, so I was super excited to hear that the musical version was coming my way. I was however apprehensive as to whether this production could do justice to this iconic cult teen film but all I can say is I was worried about nothing as this musical lived upto and in fact exceeded my expectations so please do get yourself down to the Blackpool Grand Theatre before this finishes on Saturday 2nd November.

Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy’s hit musical adaptation ‘Heathers’ the musical has been overwhelmingly successful in London’s West End with record-breaking performances at London’s The Other Palace and two national tours with this black comedy and, rock musical produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd and Paul Taylor-Mills.

The story centres around Veronica Sawyer who is just another nobody who attends Westerberg High where popularity is quite literally a matter of life and death.

Things start to change for Veronica when she is taken under the wings of the three exquisite, but extremely cruel young ladies called ‘Heather’ which helps her to start living her life to its best and increasing her aspirations of being accepted.

Veronica continues to make it through school until she meets the enigmatic teen rebel JD when things very quickly spiral out of control, teaching her that it might kill to be a nobody, but its murder being a somebody.

Creating a musical with important subjects about murder, suicide, teen angst and peer pressure whilst ensuring that plenty of dark humour is included could not have been easy. By being a bit of a foul-mouthed musical comedy including far from subtle gags and sexual innuendoes and during the darkest moments (even when they’re ghosts) providing comic relief, this production has ensured that this has been done in good taste.

The soundtrack to Heathers the musical is amazing and provides just what the audience loves about 80’s music but ensuring for the modern audience that the story remains relevant to them too.

This production starred Keelan McAuley as Jason ‘J.D’ Dean, Esme Bowdler as Heather Chandler, Sedona Sky as Heather Duke, Daisy Twells as Heather McNamara, Lucy Sinclair as Ms. Flemming, Amy Miles as Martha Dunnstock, Ivan Fernandez Gonzales as Kurt Kelly, Jason Battersby as Ram Sweeney and Jenna Innes as Veronica Sawyer (the star of the show) with the support of an incredible cast. Their voices can only be described as out of this world and along with their acting talents created such a presence on stage with a standing ovation at the end.

The show also needs special thanks to David Shields for creating such an adaptable set with the effective transformation from the school’s various rooms into Heather C’s and JD’s bedrooms and Veronica’s house and for the perfect costumes particularly when Heather D’s green uniform is swapped for red (Bucks Fizz-style), Dan Samson for the wonderful sound, Ben Cracknell for the spectacular lighting, Gary Lloyd for the creative choreography, Will Joy for the marvellous music and not too be forgotten Andy Fickman the director.

Festival Theatre, Malvern – 27th October 2024

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

5*****

Malvern Concert Club once again gives the gift of another sensational musical evening’s entertainment at Malvern Theatres. Tonight it’s The Nash Ensemble in a varied programme spanning the Classical to 20th Century eras, coupling three undoubted Masters with two lesser known composers…

The evening began with Beethoven’s Piano Quintet in E flat Op.16 (1796), inspired by Mozart’s earlier quintet, the majestic tutti opening was like a fanfare before the piano takes over. Great shifts in dynamics and tempi typify Beethoven’s music and with all the florid runs and decoration it’s a wonder pianist Alasdair Beatson’s fingers didn’t get tied in knots – especially in the 3rd movement Rondo! Richard Watkins on Horn also gave us some lovely fast passages that thrilled me in the opening movement, wonderfully displaying both the composer’s genius for part writing and Mr Watkins fabulous musical technique.

Poulenc’s Trio for piano, oboe and bassoon (1926) next, with a lamenting (between the wars) melancholy inhabiting the opening before the performers join together in a playful theme like a summer fete in defiance of the impending war. The second movement’s folk song like reverie was reminiscent (to me) of Benjamin Britten. Rather wonderfully dreamy.

After the interval, Ibert’s Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon (1935) gave us a jaunty work that took my mind on a journey watching a family go to church one summer morning, enjoying the plainsong chant at church, before the return home with the children running on ahead followed by their parents and, finally, all bursting into their home excitedly telling the grandma who could not go of their adventure. A beautiful combination of instruments that blended wonderfully to give a kind of organ feel but with each still voice being distinctive! I particularly loved the low bassoon notes that were highly comical, played with élan by Bassonist Ursula Leveaux.

Stravinsky’s Three Pieces for solo clarinet (1918) gave Richard Hosford the chance to take centre stage in this thrilling early 20th Century piece. What a rare treat to hear this virtuosic work. The second piece reminded me of birdsong; or, to be more precise, a dawn chorus of several birds. And the finale sounded like the type of music one would hear in a Chaplin film. With some rapidly fluctuating time signatures and phrases that almost defy previous compositional styles in a deliberately uber-modern frenzy, I’m sure that some may find this a challenging addition to the programme but I (and my companion) both thought it the best piece of the evening.

And finally, Mozart’s Piano Quintet in E flat K452 (1784) – with Mozart one knows what you’re getting; with beautiful structures, logic and graceful precision throughout. The Nash’s did not disappoint, especially Gareth Hulse oboe and Richard Hosford clarinet which intertwined to thrilling effect, amply displaying what a tightly drilled unit the ensemble are! What a rousing rendition.

The ensemble thrilled all evening with their masterful, musically sincere interpretations. Their skill was particularly evident in the openings of tutti phrases and passages where they played in rounds, weaving their lustrous lines around each other – showing a gloriously joyful musicality. Bravissimo to all concerned. As ever, I eagerly await the next concert in the season.

The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue – 28 October 2024

Reviewed by Ava Clarkson

3***

The Lyric Theatre is the venue for West End Musical Halloween for one night only. Opening its doors for the first time in December 1888, the Lyric Theatre is the oldest surviving theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue and a perfect intimate venue for this spooktacular celebration of musical theatre.

The show is bought to The Lyric by award-winning producers of the West End Musical series which includes West End Musical Brunch, West End Musical Drive In, West End Musical Celebration, West End Musical Halloween and West End Musical Christmas as well as Musical Con, the world’s biggest musical theatre fan convention. The show promises to showcase musical theatre ‘number ones’ performed by the biggest stars of the West End. We are assured of a ghoulishly good night! The audience are encouraged to become the cast, to sing and dance along. Many people had dressed up for the occasion and looked amazing.

Our host West End star Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon, The Bodyguard, Oliver!) appears in full Beetlejuice costume and welcomes us to enjoy a hauntingly good evening! With freakishly fun show tunes from the darker side of musicals including Sweeney Todd, Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Phantom of The Opera, Beetlejuice and The Addams Family amongst others!

The show starts with all the cast performing together belting out – “When You’re an Addams” (from The Addams Family). Shanay introduces her “leading ghouls” one at a time including Courtney Bowman (Six, Legally Blonde and soon to star in Kinky Boots) Erin Caldwell (Six, Pretty Woman, Heathers) Nathania Ong (Les Misérables, Into the Woods, Hamilton) Tobias Turley (Mamma Mia, West Side Story, Heathers) and Jon Robyns (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera).

Each performer has their time on stage and treat us to songs from musicals. Jon Robyns treats us to a spine-tingling performance of “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera. His voice is truly haunting. A standout performance came during the first half from Nathania Ong as she sang “World Burn” (Mean Girls). Her vocal range and performance were by far the best of the night. Another notable performance was Sally Potterton and her electric violin. Expertly playing a truly eerie performance of The Exorcist Theme. Jon Robyns bought the fun with The Monster Mash and Ghostbusters with a very dubious duct tape and hoover hose forming the proton pack! A finale with all the cast and dancers bought back on stage singing a very upbeat “Day O” and “Jump in the Line” ensured the whole audience were on their feet.

Sadly, the theatre was only half full, but the audience did join in with gusto, dancing and sang along to the much-loved songs. The second half seemed to lose its way slightly, with pop performances of Toxic and Superstition. The show at times felt under-rehearsed and although all performers have phenomenal vocals, they stumbled during some of the songs.

Overall, an enjoyable night out. This seems to be a popular series of shows for hard core musical theatre fans. Indeed, if you are looking for a group singalong, then this is the show for you.