★★★★ Barnum: Giving ‘Showman’ a Whole New Meaning

Lights, camera, action! 

Jonathan O’Boyle and Oti Mabuse brought the Lyceum to life this week and transported us back to the 19th century with sparkles, dazzle, and pure skill. 

Following the life of American showman, P.T. Barnum, Barnum follows his life and career as he tries to climb his way to the top. With the twists and turns of showbiz, a little ‘humbuging’ never hurt anyone, right?

To this day, Barnum and Bailey Circus, which was ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ in the late 1800s, remains the biggest global name in traditional circus entertainment. 

That fame, and infamy, carried through in the show. As soon as the curtain rose and the lights came on, we were hooked! The acrobats, the choreography, the singing and the talent all blew me away. The way they were able to move, dance, contort themselves and perform in the air was incredibly impressive. 

Not to mention over 150 instruments all played live on stage by the cast. It felt like a real circus performance with the addition of drama. Acting, performing, musicisianship and singing - it all combined to create a magical show, with us watching with our mouths were agape in awe the entire night. 

Using old-school showtunes, the performance told the story of P.T. Barnum’s life from his ascent up the circus ladder, to his political career, all with his wife by his side. Tom Sterling and Monique Young’s Mr and Mrs Barnum harmonised well together throughout - the acting, the stage chemistry, and particularly the singing. Their dynamic is introduced from the beginning with their affectionate bickering, which is a sign throughout the story that they’re doing okay. As the plot progresses, each actor’s talents shine individually and together, with the ensemble highlighting every moment, and their relationship endures, stronger than ever. The audience even begins to feel attached to them. 

Against the backdrop of 19th century America is the infamous Jumbo. It’s not a circus story without him. The puppeteering of the enormous elephant on stage was really detailed and well done, actually resembling a real elephant. It was so exciting to see him out and moving on stage, even if it was brief. 

Alongside the puppet, the costumes helped make the musical more immersive, with period dresses and suits, some of Charity’s lacking in colour to contrast the bright show business with the muted reality of the Barnums’ lives. Towards the end of the show, the colour symbolism in the outfits even foreshadowed what was coming. 

I thought the simplicity of Charity’s dresses in comparison to Jenny Lind’s extravagant gowns also made a statement about Barnum’s priorities at the time, how he saw both women, and how they were presented - the exotic Swedish nightingale outshining the American housewife. 

Details like that showed the care and consideration behind each element showcased on stage, and it was evident that a lot of work went into it - from behind the scenes writing and design, to centre-stage performing. 

I went into the musical thinking it would be something similar to The Greatest Showman, but I am pleased that it was more. Although the story wasn’t the most captivating, the stage was packed with visual delights at every second. Packed with a flashy set, somersaults, acrobatics and live music, the show gave each member of the cast space to fully showcase their skills and for it to be appreciated to their full extent, as they should be. There was always so much to set our eyes on and we weren’t bored at any stage, more excited anticipating the next movement and performance. 

I definitely walked away with a newfound appreciation of people in show business!