Barnum At Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Derrie Evans
Going back to one of my favourite theatres to see Barnum with my daughter is something I have been looking forward to. Aylesbury Waterside theatre has plenty of parking nearby and the spacious layout of the theatre caters for those with a disability. All staff are very welcoming.
Barnum is a show that has always appealed to me since Michael Crawford took on the role of PT Barnum in 1981. This production of Barnum was directed by Jonathon O’Boyle.
PT Barnum himself was played by Lee Mead of who shot to prominence after winning the TV show Any Dream will Do and taking the lead role in Joseph in 2007. Lee filled the role as if it had been written for him. He had an amazing presence on stage and showed great interaction with his all his fellow cast members especially Monique Young who plays Charity Barnum his loyal wife.
The story of Barnum keeps you entertained throughout and follows his life seamlessly from the young PT Barnum full of far-fetched dreams to the more reserved Barnum who still has an eye for seeing an amazing opportunity. I found that the audience was easily invested in PT Barnum’s dreams and didn’t at any time doubt that he will come out on top.
During the show the I was not only absorbed by the story of PT Barnum but also amazed at the fantastic circus performers who showed amazing strength and dexterity. There was a lot of great choreography involved, and Oti Mabuse of Strictly Come Dancing fame did an outstanding job as the Choreographer along with Matt Nicholson as the co choreographer. I found myself holding my breath several times when the performers were high up on the apparatus without a safety harness. I was stunned with admiration for the performers who had to have amazing trust in each other. I held my breath throughout the seesaw display and could almost feel my stomach flipping as they summersaulted high in the air. While all the circus performers were amazing and showed such a high standard of work Emily Odunsi and Niki Tsonopoulou stood out for me as two individuals whose talent shone out and the amount of energy and high quality of their wide variety of skills was truly mind blowing.
I felt that the music by award winning Cy Colman and Lyrics by Michael Stewart flowed so fluidly and made total sense in every setting. The high tempo tunes kept the show moving at the fast-flowing pace that complimented the actors and circus performances that were going on at the time.
I have to give full credit to those behind the scenes who put together an amazing set. The scenery transformed the theatre to allow you to be so absorbed in the performance that you forgot that you were there were other audience members.
It was obvious that whilst this amazing cast put on a show that my daughter and I will never forget I also want to credit all those that worked behind the scenes to help enable this show to get the well-deserved standing ovation that it received.
The show is at the Aylesbury Waterside theatre until Saturday 28th March with two shows most days except 27th.
Tickets are from £18.95 and can be purchased via https://www.atgtickets.com.
The show lasts for 2 hours 10 minutes including the interval.
The show is suitable for most although it includes smoke, haze, gunshots, fire, loud noises, flashing lights, darkness, balloons and clowns, and depicts racism, slavery, and exploitation of human and animal performers in the 19th century entertainment industry.
Rating: 5/5
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/barnum/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/?