Burlesque The Musical, Manchester Opera House Review — Theater & Tonic

Jess Folley she is incredibly talented and naturally this musical allows her to shine. She has a certain spirit of Christina in the way she portrays Ali, but there’s also a huge piece of her own personality that comes out as well. There are so many moments in this show where she steals the show, especially “Tough Lover” at the end of act one. Next to the legendary Broadway Jackie Burns like Tess collectively, they are a tour de force. Burns brings some warmth to the role thanks to the introduction of the new mother-daughter story.

Todrick Hall stars as a “broadcaster” type role, so he usually spends a lot of time on stage. While there’s no doubt that the audience lapped up his character and he’s talented, it felt like it was more Todrick Hall the Musical than it was Burlesque The Musical. Most notably the songs he wrote for the show are easily identified as part of his ‘brand’, so unfortunately I didn’t like it at all.

George Maguire gave a brilliant performance as Vince, effectively embodying the role of the villain in this story. His dynamics with Nina Ann Nelsonhis character, Nikki, is particularly compelling. Ali’s love interest, Jackson (played by Michael Mather), adds a sweet and cute element to the love story, even if the show retains a touch of the craziness you’d expect from this style of show.

Some of the hardest working performers on that stage are the ensemble though and I couldn’t take my eyes off them throughout the entire show and they certainly made an impact. Their presence has so much energy and skill, enhancing what the film had so much more!

Burlesque The Musical has the potential to be a huge hit by the time it hits the West End stage and is sure to divide audiences. It’s a gorgeous fusion of a musical and a concert that, with the right amount of fine-tuning, can become a 5-star production!

At Glasgow Theater Royal 11-28 September before Manchester Opera House 3 October – 2 November.
★ ★ ★ ★