Book: Steven Antin

Music: Christina Aguilera, Sia, Todrick Hall, and Jess Folley

Based on: The Sony Pictures / Screen Gems Movie Burlesque

Director: Racky Plews

Choreographer: Robin Antin and Aaron Renfree

Musical Director: Robert Wicks

There is undoubtedly the outline of a triumphant, high-octane musical beneath the spectacle of Burlesque The Musical, but in its current iteration, the production still feels like a work in progress. Centred on Ali’s search for her birth mother, Tess, the narrative follows Ali as she uncovers her maternal connection while fighting for her place on stage at the struggling Burlesque Club. When the storytelling locks into its emotional core, the show delivers genuine warmth, yet the production frequently stumbles over technical hitches and structural pacing.

Musically, the production sounds magnificent. The score – combining famous film hits with new material – is elevated by rich, punchy orchestrations that fill the auditorium with concert-level energy. It demands huge vocals, which this cast delivers with complete ease and authority. Gracie O’Brien gives a star performance as Ali, pairing a soaring vocal range with a grounded, determined stage presence. Opposite her, Faye Brookes brings an icy authority to club owner Tess, creating a tense dynamic that drives the first act toward Ali’s eventual breakout performance. However, the supporting threat falls flat. Davide Fienauri gives a committed performance as Vince, but the character lacks any genuine menace, making the club’s financial and physical jeopardy feel like an inconsequential subplot rather than a driving conflict.

Visually, the production is striking. Designer Sara Perks’s scenery moves fluidly between locations alongside largely effective projection design, while Joshie Harriette’s lighting design brings real visual flair, contrasting deep, low-lit club shadows with sudden, blinding concert rigs.

Intriguingly, the traditional burlesque-style numbers themselves prove to be the weakest musical material in the show, often functioning as glorified filler to cover heavy scene changes rather than serving the narrative.

A twenty-minute show stop midway through Act Two further disrupted the flow, exposing a second half that feels significantly less slick than its predecessor. While the energy remains high and the cast’s vocal strength is clear, the piece requires further refining to iron out its technical snags and tighten its book. Burlesque The Musical certainly has all the raw ingredients for a hit, but it is not quite ready just yet.

Runs until 19 September 2026 | Image: Rosie Moore

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