Barnum The Circus Musical

Barnum, the classic Broadway musical by Cy Coleman (music), Michael Stewart (lyrics) and Mark Bramble (book), celebrates the life of the world’s greatest showman P. T. Barnum. The original production opened on Broadway in 1980, running for 854 performances with 26 previews.  It starred Jim Dale (best known for his roles in 11 Carry On films) as P. T. Barnum, with Glenn Close as his wife Charity Barnum.

When the show opened in the West End at the London Palladium in 1981, it was Michael Crawford who famously portrayed P. T. Barnum, with Deborah Grant as Charity.  The show ran for 655 performances and then toured the UK between 1984-86.  This tour was recorded and televised on the BBC in 1986 and was later released on VHS and DVD.

There have been a number of revivals of the show over the decades, with Paul Nicholas, Brian Conley and Peter Duncan taking the role of P. T. Barnum.  In the current tour, Lee Mead now plays Barnum. Lee who was best known for his breakout win on Any Dream Will Do, followed by acclaimed performances in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Wicked and Legally Blond and many others.  In 2013 Lee joined the cast of BBC TV’s Casualty, as Nurse Ben ‘Lofty’ Chiltern, for which he was nominated as best newcomer at the National Television Awards.

Lee gives a commanding performance, filled with great warmth, humour and a sensational singing voice. When Lee walked the tightrope you could hear a pin drop and we all breathed a sigh of relief when he got to the other side of the stage. Starring alongside Lee is Monique Young (Mary Poppins) as Charity Barnum, who also has a beautiful singing voice and gives a strong performance, as Barnum’s feisty wife.

The incredibly talented ensemble consists of Penny Ashmore (Dr Strangelove) as Jenny Lind, Dominique Planter (The Lion King) as Joice Heth, and Fergus Rattigan (The Wizard of Oz) as General Tom Thumb.  They are joined by Elena Buck, Gianpaolo Candelaria, Eamonn Cox, James Gill, Jessica Jolleys, Kevin Oliver Jones, Emma Jane Morton, Sophie Precious Muringu, Lennin Nelson-McClure, Emily Odunsi, André Rodrigues, Ben Scott,Laura Sillett, Tom Sowinski, Tom Sterlingand Niki Tsonopoulou.

The show is an assault on the senses, with acrobats and contortionists performing around the main characters as the story unfolds.  The set design cleverly allows a large number of performers to move around the stage at the same time, drawing us into the circus with something new catching our eyes every few seconds.  It is a feast of colour and activity and seemingly impossible feats, as well as some wonderful animatronics. The show will really leave you feeling joyful and thoroughly entertained.  

Reviewed by: Yvonne Delahaye (X @yvonnedelahaye) 24.3.26