Newsies

An explosion of dance, energy and thrilling staging, Disney's latest venture into the West End is a triumphant success; while this semi-immersive production isn't without flaw, this ferocious ensemble deliver a one of a kind spectacle.

Of all the new musicals of 2023, nothing quite matches the hype that Newsies has managed to gain over its fantastically successful run at the Wembley Park Theatre. Earning a dedicated fan base and rave reviews, the show has been an undeniable success, bringing a reimagined production of the hit show to UK audiences for the first time. It's one of Disney's finest; the soundtrack is full of memorable and uplifting songs, the David vs Goliath plot is entirely charming and nothing quite compares to the dancing. This newest take on the show sees an immersive element thrown into the mix, and while several flaws are found in the translation, the result is clearly a phenomenal one.

It goes without saying that the dancing is the highlight here; Matt Cole's choreography is absolutely flawless, taking inspiration from the original work and adding a personal creative flair. While several iconic moments - the standing-on-newspapers segment of Seize the Day most disappointingly - are missed in this new adaptation, the show crafts its own identity with new equally defining images: The King of New York's Hadestown-esque swinging lamps become the moment of the show, as does the zipline. Paired with these dynamic dances is a brilliantly written score by Nigel Lilley and Simon Hale, who write for wonderfully diverse orchestrations. The music is loud, rocks and is exactly what I'd hope for with a show with as much daring edge as Newsies.

While the music and choreography faced minor changes, its in the staging where Newsies shines as a newly reimagined show: gone is the proscenium as Matt Cole's direction pushes the action forward on a thrust stage, and beyond into the audience. This bold creative decision works on the most part, with the newsies running around the audience creating an engaging sense of immersion and interaction. Where issues lie however, is the positioning of the audience on three sides. Being a dance-centric show, much of the choreography played towards the front of the stage, neglecting both sides; these seats may have been cheaper, but when paying up to £60, one would hope for a show that actually faces all of its audience.

Translating the show into a thrust, semi-immersive staging isn't the only dramatic change the show faces though: one change that left me somewhat conflicted was the decision to make the Brooklyn newsies entirely female - and no its not because I'm a raging misogynist! While the casting alteration allows for the women of the cast greater stage time and also creates a wonderfully empowering moment, I couldn't help but wish that all of the newsies were of mixed gender. The Brooklyn newsies moment may be a fun one, yet it is short-lived lasting barely five minutes; perhaps a better showcase of the brilliant female talent in the cast would be by including them in Carrying the Banner and Seize the Day.

Newsies as a show is very much like its titular gang of loveable newsboys: its daring, its loveable and its got a spark of youthful energy at its core. While this production may be slightly unpolished in its sound and staging, the sheer impressiveness of this spectacle is worth the price alone. Throw into the mix a charming cast, brilliant singing and a creative set design, its no wonder Newsies was a headline news show.

Newsies closed its run at the Wembley Park Theatre on 30th July

[Watched 20/07/23]

Photography credit: Johan Persson