Review: BURLESQUE THE MUSICAL, Savoy Theatre

Burlesque The Musical has finally arrived in London.

Loosely based on the 2010 film starring Cher and Christina Aguilera, Burlesque moves from LA to New York, as small-town girl Ali comes to the big city to search for her birth mother. On the way she starts working in a burlesque club as a waitress, only to become (spoiler alert) the main act. So far, so predictable.

Initially running in Manchester, when this musical first appeared in Glasgow, BroadwayWorld loved it. However, its West End transfer is not without controversy. Since the regional shows, the creative team has changed remarkably. Initially choreographed and directed by Nick Winston of Bonnie & Clyde fame, Todrick Hall took over these duties when Winston stepped away from the production, for reasons that remain unclear.

Hall has not directed a production before, either here or on Broadway. He revealed exclusively in an interview with BroadwayWorld last week, that the Savoy Theatre became available earlier than expected and he stepped into the role of director "accidentally".

Hall not only plays Sean, but is lead composer of the production as well as director and choreographer. As such, it very much looks like The Todrick Hall Show on paper and this is reflected on stage. He has great fun (and is often very funny) as club host Sean and also Ali's choir mistress Miss Loretta, but both characters are inserted into so many scenes, often unnecessarily. 

The show is buoyed by some belting performances. Impressive newcomer Jess Folley plays Ali and shows off a truly powerhouse voice. It can't be easy to perform with Christina Aguilera sitting right in front of you (as she was on press night), but Folley is more than a match for Aguilera's vocal gymnastics. Fans of the film will love her slick and sassy versions of "Express" and "Show Me How You Burlesque". 

Tony and Grammy Award nominee Orfeh takes over from Jackie Burns as club owner Tess. Her performance of "Welcome to Burlesque" is a smoky and sensual and she shows off some exceptionally powerful vocals throughout.

Asha Parker Wallace shows she is one to watch, making a very assured professional debut as Ali's rival Nikki. Paul Jacob French is sweetly anodyne as love interest Jackson and George Maguire does his best as a one dimensional cartoon villain Vince.

Soutra Gilmore orginally was the set designer, now by Nate Bertone, who creates huge swagged red curtains, fake-looking wooden balconies, a large proscenium and an over reliance on a platform that rises and falls in the middle of the stage. The set is aided hugely by Rory Beaton's lighting, which adds both energy and atmosphere.

Costume Designer is now Marco Marco and glamour is forsaken for flesh, with an overall look more of a bondage club than a burlesque club. Most of the costume budget must have gone on Hall, as he changes outfit everytime he reappears, which is very often.

Hall's choreography is very sharp and the company exude precision and energy, particularly in a rather fabulous finale sequence. Much of the dancing is overtly sexual and more akin to a strip club than true burlesque. There's a big difference. There's a half-hearted fan dance and a large martini glass appears as a prop, but it's left to the brilliant Jake Dupree as Trey/Chardonnay to perform an incredibly brief, but slaying burlesque routine. 

Steven Antin (who also wrote the film)'s book concentrates on the weak romantic/parental story of Ali, rather than referencing much of the feminist power of burlesque that women are commanding sexuality using their bodies. At a runtime of nearly three hours, including interval, there is much slack that could be cut. It feels like the kitchen sink has been thrown at the stage and left to see what sticks. 

There is some really good material in the show, but it doesn't feel sure what it is supposed to be. Goofy comedy is mixed with satire, provocative dancing, endless songs and somewhere is a romance and a reunion of a mother and child. There's even a trans storyline shoehorned in. To quote Lena Dunham, it's "too much", especially the 30 (yes 30) songs. 

Not every musical has to try to rival Sondheim, but the length and wobbly script mean that Burlesque The Musical ends up feeling a bit meaningless. Many good musicals have paper-thin stories, but there must be compensation elsewhere. There's nothing new or exciting to see here, but it's an entertaining evening at the theatre. It's not fabulous, but it's perfectly fine.

Read our exclusive interview with Todrick Hall here.

Read our guest blog from burlesque performer Lena Lenman on the impact of Burlesque The Musical on the UK burlesque industry here.

Burlesque The Musical is at the Savoy Theatre until 6 September

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