Burlesque The Musical
This musical will split the audience, it largely depends on your own experience and outlook. To reflect that, I’ve divided this review into two halves, so each side gets a peek behind the curtain.
First up, we have the youthful generation.
The story follows Ally, a young woman coming to terms with the recent death of her adoptive mother. Deciding it’s finally time to search for her birth mother, she leaves behind her life in Iowa, her waitress job, and the choir that’s been her emotional anchor. With only a name, an address, and a mysterious key, she sets off. When she eventually finds her mother Tess, she struggles to articulate why she’s really there, but is gradually drawn into Tess’s world, ultimately performing on stage in her theatre.
This show is a non-stop rollercoaster of powerhouse hits, and the cast are nothing short of phenomenal. Jess Folley, in the lead, does an incredible job in every number. I genuinely don’t know how anyone could maintain this level of performance for one night, let alone across a full run. Orfeh, in the role of Tess, delivers vocals with a richness reminiscent of Cher, both in tone and emotional nuance.
Todrick Hall plays dual roles: Sean, the MC, and Miss Loretta, the Choir Master. As expected, Todrick serves throughout, even when he’s not speaking, the costumes do the talking. Costume designer Marco Marco has created what I can only describe as a full Todrick Hall fashion mashup; glitz, glamour, and then more glitz again.
The main storyline is interspersed with cabaret-style numbers from the Burlesque Lounge. These are generally short, sometimes comedic, and don’t push the plot forward; but they provide much-needed breathing space for the leads.
In line with the self-aware trend of modern cinema, the show is peppered with knowing references to other musicals. After the first few “I didn’t catch your name / I didn’t drop it”, and the ‘six-step programme’ I began spotting them everywhere: 42nd Street’s staircase, melodies reminiscent of Hamilton, even the props echoed Newsies. There are direct quotes from Chicago, the name joke from Shrek, and a cheeky dig at Waitress. These Easter eggs will absolutely keep theatre-savvy audiences amused.
There are also delightful asides, Todrick remarking he “carries the whole show” is funny on multiple levels, as he’s Performer, Director and Choreographer. The show taps into contemporary pop culture too: there’s a TikTok trend reference, a moment of gender affirmation, and a Coldplay ‘kiss cam’ joke that had the audience in stitches.
Jake DuPree plays Trey, later revealed to be Chardonnay, a club performer who prefers wearing the girls’ costumes and gets scolded for being in their changing room. Their transition to Chardonnay delights the audience, although it doesn’t change their performance style or costume (typically a G-string and some form of top). DuPree’s performance of an abbreviated tease ends with a succession of impressive flips all done in heels.
Sophie Cracknell, as Daphne, brings some much-needed in-the-moment comedy to the show. Her character, a delightfully ditzy presence, often gets the wrong end of the stick giving well-timed confusion and facial expressions that steal scenes. Keep an eye on her during her cabaret number, where her routine dissolves into background mime. It’s subtle, silly, and genuinely funny.
George Maguire, as villain Vince, gets a standout number, enhanced by the comedic timing of the chorus. As with everything in this generation, there’s a flood of brand references. The classic “But I Am a Good Girl” song replaces Chanel, YSL and Dior with trending names like Van Cleef and Swarovski, quickly blending seamlessly into a fresh composition.
Now, onto the other perspective. The side of the audience expecting something more faithful to the film.
If you’re older and came expecting a stage musical adaptation of the Burlesque film, this is a different story altogether. You may find it difficult to let go of the original material. The moment I learned Ali's adoptive mother had died, I immediately wondered how the emotional make-up scene would be handled. It’s still in the show, but it loses much of its sentiment when Ally has been raised with a maternal figure.
Many of the film’s elements felt shoehorned in, as if to say, “Don’t worry, this is Burlesque.” What we ended up with felt like “stunt naming” rather than meaningful adaptation.
Musical theatre thrives on stories of newcomers and underdogs; think 42nd Street, Gypsy, Evita. It's a real pity this show wasn’t launched under a new title, as an original work. It would’ve stood much stronger on its own merits rather than being compared to a film it’s so far removed from.
I had expected to hear more of the original soundtrack, maybe remixed with new material. But aside from the title track, there’s very little from the film. Some begin familiarly, only to morph quickly into other songs, or undergo complete lyrical overhauls in a mash-up style.
There were iconic film moments I longed for: the “Ally Cat” nickname jokes, Coco and her rich man, the pearl dress, the sheer bodysuit, the glove dress (which was kind of there, but I didn’t spot the famous hands on the back) even the Wagon Wheel Watusi moment. Instead, the constant barrage of references to other shows, while entertaining, pulled me out of the story. This is not the film. That’s clear. To be fair, a musical about people lip-syncing would be comedic gold under the right conditions, but that element is completely stripped here. While I’m sure everything was performed live, there was at least one big number that felt vocally disconnected, as if an effect or backing track had been layered in.
The absence of an on-stage band was a missed opportunity. I always enjoy seeing the musicians, and the lyric about tipping the band had even been altered.
The show's relentless self-awareness, while funny at times, eventually verged on what Brecht termed the Verfremdungseffekt. His idea was to prevent audiences from passively consuming entertainment, encouraging them to think critically about what they’re watching. Yet this show had no message for us to contemplate, just fleeting gags and aesthetic flourishes.
Jess Folley is astonishing as Ally, I cannot fault her, but the script demanded a little too much of the “woah woah yeaaaah” vocal stylings à la Christina Aguilera. It was funny during the choir scene at the start and vital for the title track, but by the fourth or fifth time it felt like a caricature. One audience member even told me they were “longing for a ballad” because the energy of the power vocals was exhausting just to witness.
The cabaret-style numbers were fun and well-executed, but the show missed a trick by not heeding the message of “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” from Gypsy. With all the musical references, this felt like an oversight. Most outfits were some variation of black, semi-fetish burlesque/clubwear visually strong, but lacking in variety. Some of the staging was clumsy, cabaret tables blocked the view in one moment, and later a keyboard obscured what looked like it should have been a touching scene.
Todrick Hall’s portrayal of Miss Loretta, the older choir director, was amusing and energetic. However, it would’ve been side-splitting to cast an actual older woman in the role. Yes, it would sacrifice a later joke, but the juxtaposition of a true “old timer” potty mouthed, trash-talking and high-kicking would have been comedy gold.
Our villain Vince (George Maguire) is exposed after trying to steal money from Tess (Orfeh) and trying to solicit a private dance from Nikki (Asha Parker-Wallace). In a moment oddly reminiscent of 9 to 5, Tess, Nikki, and Ali film him (à la Lloyd live feed) and force him to wear women’s underwear while threatening blackmail. This scene jarred, earlier, we’d just been cheering for Trey/Chardonnay to proudly wear similar outfits. The tone clashed uncomfortably. To avoid the hypocrisy, I’d have reimagined Vince’s humiliation, perhaps dressing him as an adult baby, or something more absurd and less ethically ambiguous.
This production is bursting with talent and ambition. If you’re happy to let go of the original film and immerse yourself in a glitter-soaked, reference-heavy, high-energy spectacle, you’ll have a fantastic time. If you’re expecting a faithful adaptation of Burlesque, you may find yourself struggling to connect.
This show was reviewed on the 22nd July 2025 at the Savoy Theatre, London where it runs until the 6th September 2025. Tickets available here: Home | Burlesque The Musical
Review written by Valentine Gale-Sides
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Photo credit : Pamela Raith
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