Midnight Cowboy

Midnight Cowboy: A New Musical, reimagining James Leo Herlihy’s gritty 1965 novel followed by the Oscar-winning 1969 film as a dark, psychological stage musical. The result is a visually compelling and moving production.

At the centre of it all is Paul Jacob French as Joe Buck, the Texas born drifter in a cowboy hat chasing stardom and sex in the big city. With a dream of becoming a high paid hustler and very little understanding of how the city or human connection works, he is destined for trouble. French gives a star making performance equal parts innocence, vulnerability and naivety. His Joe isn’t just lost; he’s searching for meaning in a world that only seems to reflect his own confusion. From his swaggering arrival to his heart-wrenching transformation, French is magnetic. 

Opposite him, Max Bowden brings heart-breaking nuance to Rico “Ratso” Rizzo, the conman with a limp and a sharp tongue. Bowden lends Ratso a physical fragility and emotional intelligence that deepens the show’s second act. This Ratso is no caricature; he’s complex, defiant, broken and endearing. The chemistry between French and Bowden is electric.

Tori Allen-Martin plays a range of female roles, including the enigmatic Cass and is a clear standout in this production. She brings emotional nuance and vocal power to the otherwise underwritten parts she inhabits. Her performance of “Whatever It Is You’re Doing” is the musical’s most grounded moment, honest, and unafraid of stillness. She shows her versatility as an actor bringing warmth and edge to each character she plays. A special mention to the ensemble and the multi-rolling cast, often taking on many roles as the story unravels.

Director and choreographer Nick Winston boldly sidesteps realism, staging the action in a stylised monochrome dreamscape that hovers between memory and fantasy. His direction is clear and concise adding depth and character to the action. Andrew Exeter’s set and lighting design evoke the raw edge of 1960s New York, neon outlines, looming shadows, and surreal shapes conjure a city that exists more in Joe Buck’s imagination than on a map. This is a smart decision. It supports the story’s central motif of illusion versus reality giving us an essence whilst remaining classy.

What makes Midnight Cowboy such a triumph is its willingness to lean into contradiction: fantasy and reality, toughness and tenderness, beauty and decay. It captures the spirit of Herlihy’s novel and the iconic film, but more importantly, it reimagines them for the stage in a way that feels fresh, fearless, and profoundly moving.

Southwark Playhouse Elephant has birthed something truly special here.

This show was reviewed on the 10th April 2025 at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London where it runs until the 17th May 2025. Tickets available here: Midnight Cowboy - Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Review written by Sam Sadler

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Photo credit: Pamela Raith

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