Review: Barnum

10-02-26 Palace Theatre, Manchester by Tiffany Chevis

The story of entrepreneur and imagineer PT Barnum is seen as an inspirational tale of what happens when you follow your dreams, push beyond naysayers, and shoot for the stars. This narrative may have become extremely well known in the last nine years thanks to a certain movie sensation, but Barnum the Circus Musical is arguably the original, with its own approach and numbers.

Book by Mark Bramble with music and lyrics by Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart respectively, the production first hit Broadway stages in 1980, and enjoyed UK and US successes since, notably starring Michael Crawford in his Olivier-Award winning West End performance.

Brought back to our theatres under Jonathan O’Boyle’s direction, audiences are offered the nostalgia and wonder of circuses gone by. With summersaulting acrobats and glittering sets evoking striped tents, music halls and vast stages (designed by Lee Newby), it’s a world where everything was once considered possible.

One of the unique elements of Barnum is that all the music is performed on stage by the company, showcasing their talents on over 150 instruments. From pianos and trombones to violins and kazoos, there is always something to catch your ear. Combined with floating trapeze artists and tumbling clowns, or the glint of trumpets keeping time, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a piece of the stage not awash with activity.

Oti Mabuse of Strictly fame has provided her choreography to the production, with the penultimate number Join the Circus in particular a fever-dream of sights and sounds, under the musical direction of Kevin Oliver Jones.

Lee Mead and Monique Young are the committed yet contrasting Mr and Mrs Barnum. Known of course for his nearly two decades on stage and screen, Mead is starry eyed and youthful as the enigmatic circus creator. Whilst at times the dialogue got a little lost, Mead turns his hand to all manner of tricks and exploits, as well as belting out a few numbers. Young’s Mrs Barnum is sensible and pragmatic, yet clearly holds affection to her wayward husband.

Penny Ashmore brought soaring notes as the operatic Jenny Lind whilst displaying her skills on the harp, and Dominique Planter showed her range from the ‘oldest woman alive’ Joice Heth singing Thank God I’m Old, to a sultry and sumptuous blues singer in Black and White.

With so many theatrical spectaculars now available to audiences, Barnum doesn’t pack quite the dazzling punch as one might expect. Its feats are admirable, and enthusiasm clear, yet that extra polish to make it stand up tall may still come as it continues its tour.

But in an increasingly chaotic world, Barnum offers a balm, a reminder that you should always seek out the colour, and make your own luck.

Get tickets from the official site HERE