Disneys Newsies Review: Full Standing Ovation Thoroughly Deserved!

Please note that we were gifted tickets to a gala performance of this show

We have a huge love of West End shows in this family; especially musicals. Earlier this month, Grace, Ross and I were offered the opportunity to see the multi award-winning musical Disney’s Newsies London performance and, as this article’s headline cries out, it was a tremendous experience which sent everyone in attendance home with a huge smile on their face.

Getting to the show

When I usually think of London theatre, it immediately conjures up an anxiety-inducing confusion of wandering through busy streets, trying to find one of the numerous West End theatres. Getting to the venue this show was a far cry from that – the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is incredibly easy to get to from Wembley Park underground station. The directions really are as simple as “walk straight ahead for about 3 minutes, turn right, walk straight ahead for 2 minutes, it’s on your right”. And that’s if you’re walking slowly! If you arrive early, there are several bars and restaurants in the vicinity, as well as a supermarket and several fast-food outlets too, offering plenty of variety and choice.

Wembley Park itself is easy to get to from both the M25 and M1, and on the Jubilee and Metropolitan tube lines. This offers direct tube routes from both Waterloo and King’s Cross, as well as simple one-change routes from Paddington and Victoria.

We drove to Uxbridge, parked without complication, jumped on a Metropolitan line train which took us directly to Wembley Park in less than 30 minutes. It was by far the easiest commute we’ve ever had to get to a London musical and meant we arrived in plenty of time without any stress or rushing.

The Venue

Again, in contrast to the average West End performance, the aesthetic for Newsies has been extended to the entire venue. Whereas West End foyers are roughly the same whether you’re seeing The Lion King or Back to the Future, the moment you step into the (huge!) reception area of the Troubadour, you are transported back to 1900s New York, with even the bar and bathrooms feeling in theme.

The auditorium set up for the show offers roughly 1500 seats with the stage extended to allow the performance to happen mainly in the round. This allows a far greater space for the performers to work with – vital during most of the dance numbers – and helps the performances, as the actors working “360” rather than just out to the invisible fourth wall makes the whole thing feel more natural.

While we were sitting to one side of the stage with a fantastic view of the action, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. The venue is set up with the main seating area squarely facing the stage and in one continuous rake rather than split over several levels as you’d find in the West End. Here, even the seats at the back offer a great view and feel included in the production as opposed to the many vertigo-inducing “Grand Circle” seats in central London where one would spend most of the performance literally peering down their nose at the action going on some 30 feet beneath!

The performance makes the most of the space, regularly entering and exiting though the audience and standing on walkways behind and beside the viewers. The versatile space also allows for some spectacular moments involving performers swinging out from stage over the heads of the audience, even including some zip-wire work.

The Show

The winner of two Tony Awards (for best original score and best choreography) and one Laurence Olivier Award among other accolades, Disney’s Newsies was developed by members of musical drama’s royalty. The music for the show is by one of the most prolific Academy Award winners in history, Alan Menken, who has won two Oscars apiece for each of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Pocahontas. Lyrics have been provided by Jack Feldman who, among other credits, penned the words for Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, and the book is by Harvey Fierstein, the raspy-voiced American theatre Hall of Famer who many will remember from Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day.

The London production has been directed and choreographed by Matt Cole, whose pedigree is clear given he has choreographed for Strictly Come Dancing. His superb efforts have justifiably been acknowledged with a Laurence Olivier award as Best Theatre Choreographer.

While the lead role of Jack would usually be played by Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, the performance we saw featured his alternate, George Crawford who delivered multi-layered performances that ranged from confident to vulnerable, thoroughly engaging the audience throughout. When we had the opportunity to chat with the charismatic George after the show, his sincerity and passion for performing shone through and he came across as someone who would give his very best night after night whether in the biggest or smallest role of a show. His love interest was Katherine, ably played by Bronté Barbé.

If George’s Jack is the head of the story, the heart of it is surely Crutchie, an aptly-nicknamed character played with gusto by Matthew Duckett. It’s Jack and Crutchie we first meet, dreaming of a better life than the downtrodden existence they endure as overlooked workers within the newspaper industry. Over the course of the show, we see them and their closest compadres ignite an uprising culminating in a city-wide strike at an almost feudal system that undervalues their efforts and seems determined to keep them on the lowest rungs of society. The result is a show that capably balances superb musical numbers with jaw-dropping dance routines and a compelling narrative (based on a true story, no less) with real depth, telling a story of family, love, and camaraderie in the face of hardship and adversity.

All of the supporting cast delivered strong performances, and we were particularly impressed with young Ethan Sokontwe (getting to stay up way past bedtime, no doubt!) who was endearing and funny as the youngest newspaper vendor, Les, as well as Lindsay Atherton from the ensemble, whose every movement was sharp, precise and bristling with energy.

Prices and Timings for Disneys Newsies

• Performances run approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including interval.
• Evening performances are at 7.30pm on Wednesdays, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays, and 5.30pm on Sundays.
• Afternoon performances are at 2.30pm on Thursday and Saturdays, and 1pm on Sundays.
• Prices range from £27.50 to £82.50 with several tiers in between.

The London run of this spectacular show closes at the end of July so check out ticket availability their official box office and don’t miss one of the most unmissable productions to hit the UK in years!