Burlesque at the Manchester Opera House

It's BIG and it's certainly fabulous! Going into this show blind was an experience and I was blown away from start to end by the talent of everyone in this cast.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

Going into this show blind was definitely worth it as knowing nothing about the plot or songs meant that I was able to experience it fresh in a live theatre setting and that was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for me. The choreography of this show is insane, and the ability to mask scene changes in choreography was flawless, however, it was mainly the talent of the dancers which left me speechless. This choreography is thanks to Nick Winston (Director & Choreographer), Tommy Frazen (Assistant Choreographer), Robin Antin and Libby Watts (Associate Choreographers) as well as Yasmin Harrison (Dance Captain) and Joe Atkinson (Assistant Dance Captain). The show also throws themed newspapers off the stage, which I was fortunate to pick up and I love seeing little things like this as they act as unique theatre merchandise and add to the theming of the show. This show definitely needs a West End transfer alongside a cast recording as I thoroughly enjoyed it and think that more people should be able to see it. Also, there have been many songs added for this addition, which have been composed by Jess Folley and Todrick Hall. These songs were definitely a welcome addition as the reduced dialogue made this feel more like a musical for me, and I tend to prefer song-heavy musicals.

From the moment Jess Folley entered the stage as Ali, my first thought was that she is a rising star. Her range and richness of her vocals had me completely stunned as I am most certain that she has an extremely bright future ahead of her. Alongside these fabulous vocals, Jess Folley also brilliantly characterises Ali, showing the transition from choir singer & waitress to burlesque star as her future unfurls before the audience's eyes, especially the closing song of Act 1, Tough Lover, leading into the opening song of Act 2, Express. This subtle transition adds to the power of the change in Act 2 and as mentioned earlier is accompanied by phenomenal dancing from Jess Folley and the ensemble which is made up of Jade Albertsen, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Lewis Easter, Yasmin Harrison, Billie Kay, Stefan Lagoulis, Hollie-Ann Lowe, Callum Macdonald, Alessia McDermott, Tom Mussel, Ian Oswald, Jess Qualter, Tom Scanlon, Ope Sowande, B Terry and Lily Wang. The show also has onstage swings, which are Callum Aylott, Lucy Campbell, and Tom Scanlon and offstage swings, which are Joe Atkinson, Elle Jay, and Amber Pierson. Jackie Burns as Tess has a formidable power and truly captures the desperation and experiences of this character alongside an incredible voice which is showcased during Life's Not Fair It's Fabulous. She is commanding in the role, which is required for the character of Tess and her characterisation allowed me to be able to see the deeper levels of this character and understand her motivations, which is a privilege of live theatre. Todrick Hall demands attention and commands the entertainment of the show, as Sean, however, this power is sometimes to a negative effect as his sheer stage presence, which is brilliant during his solo moments, does occasionally detract from the scene and other performers when Todrick Hall is part of an ensemble scene. This does not diminish his talent, however, it is something that I noted whilst watching the show as I was drawn to his character of Sean in most ensemble scenes due to his power and the attention that he is able to command. That being said, his performances and singing were exceptional and I thoroughly enjoyed his contributions to the show. George Maguire was fabulous as Vince and his solos in Ammo and Ammo (Reprise) were so enjoyable to watch and listen to as the jazz feeling of these songs was individual in this show and the addition of these songs to continue the plot engagingly and memorably was brilliantly done and these songs are the main ammo (had to make the joke) for me wanting a cast recording with the added songs. Nina Ann Nelson was next level as Nikki and her solos such as Sugar Daddy Diet were a joy to watch as she commanded the stage and led the dancers with an effortless skill. Her transition to desperation based on the events of the show was also brilliantly conveyed to the audience, which added another level to Copy Kitty, adding to the meaning and almost humorous nature of this song. Michael Mather was perfect as Jackson as he was able to build his own characterisation whilst also contributing to the growth and transition of Ali in a seamless and well-considered manner especially during the first introduction of Show Me How You Burlesque (Pre-Reprise). Alongside this characterisation, he is insanely talented also concerning his vocal ability as showcased during Tough Lover.

This show is one to be seen and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. My only hope as this show continues its run is that some of the scene transitions become more seamless as the stage managers moving the stairs felt very obvious and sadly distracting, but this was one of my only qualms with this production.

Content Warnings:

The theatre did not have any displayed content warnings that I could see, however, I did make note of some moments/effects, which are as follows:

The show has a loud bass, which I struggled with due to being sat close to the speakers and did become uncomfortable for me at moments during the performance
The show does use bright lights
The show's content means that there are more mature moments and I would recommend adhering to the recommended age of 12+

For me, the bass and brightness of the lights into the audience did make this production for me to watch at moments, however, I am aware that this was worsened as I was sat on the front row. However, many audience members were drunk, which led to them screaming at the top of their lungs or talking/shouting during the performance, which did affect my experience fairly significantly. I spoke to a Front of House Staff member at the end of the show to see if all performances had an audience similar to the night that I attended and I was informed that it varies night by night and they couldn't say for certain as the show is still fairly new, however, that if I wanted to guarantee a better experience I should attend a matinee performance. As a lover of theatre this was disheartening as I have seen what has happened due to drunk audiences in the past and the fact that their response is for people who struggle with disruption to attend a matinee (which isn't easy for everyone) when the audience should not be behaving like that was upsetting to hear.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer