13 GOING ON 30

Manchester Opera House

★★★★★

“heart warming, funny and endearing”

13 Going on 30 The Musical, based on the book and screenplay by Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, and the 2004 film, is simply great fun. An uplifting coming of age story with a whole load of real, not fake, girl power, it takes us on a journey of discovery to realise that the things which matter most are those which ground us and make us better people. Never taking itself too seriously, flashy and sassy, this world premiere was fresh and vibrant, packed with humour and a host of memorable songs.

Jenna is turning 13 and her best friend, the rather shy and ‘uncool’ Matt, thinks she is the most beautiful girl in the world. They share their lives, dreams and fun together, which is then threatened by Jenna desperately seeking acceptance into the inner circle of ‘the popular kids’. At her 13th birthday party, she is transported into the body – and life – of herself aged 30, as a successful glossy magazine executive. Thrust into a seemingly perfect life, the parties, ‘beautiful people’ and faux friendships eventually turn sour and she realises that true friendship, love and valuing the simplest, truest things in life is the answer. The plot sounds sugary and a standard ‘rom com’, but the message is delivered with a real sense of truth. Time can slip away and the decisions we make along the way change the world for ourselves and others. It’s never too late to change!

This world premiere is directed superbly by Andy Fickman, ensuring the full humour and sentiment are apparent throughout the performance. Music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner provide a mixture of catchy, and emotional pieces, with some lovely duets, under the expert musical supervision of Alan Williams. The only non-original track, the “Thriller’ sequence, is a particular delight, even to those of us who did not know the 2004 film.

Lucie Jones gives a powerful and versatile performance as the lead, Jenna Rink, able to flit between the naivety of the pre-teen world and friendship and the excitement and frenzy of being ‘thirty, flirty and thriving’. Alongside David Hunter as Matt Flamhaff, their performance is extremely watchable, heartwarming and genuine. Grace Mouat as Lucy Wyman plays the perfect self-centred ambitious ‘bad girl’, originally the lead of the popular ‘six chicks’ at middle school and now in the gleeful position to offer perfectly delivered sarcastic witty retorts as she sweeps over her colleagues in seeking her own ends.

The whole cast are the best which the thriving musical theatre scene can give us. With spot on comedic timing, the cast give it everything: faultless and energetic dance routines, soaring voices and acting which was strong enough to genuinely convince us we too could still be that young person with dreams.

Special mention to the hilarious Caleb Roberts as Richard, the ‘boss’ at the magazine Poise, and the incredible stage presence and movement skills of Iván Fernández González as Darius Mark. It would be impossible to mention all the committed and talented cast, but it must be said that the young cast are every part as talented and versatile as their adult counterparts. Amelia Minto (young Jenna) and Max Bispham (young Matt) together with Emmeline D’Arcy Walsh (Becky) give shining performances and the comedic Cyrus Campbell (young Kyle) simply loves to entertain.

Colourful and captivating costumes (Gabriela Tylesova) add to the joyous and celebratory performance. The whole ensemble choreography (Jennifer Weber) is a particular joy to watch, with precision timing and movement. The set’s simplicity (Colin Richmond) makes for great efficiency in terms of transitions being seamless, and the dynamic lighting (Howard Hudson) facilitates the changing moods. The finale is visually spectacular and uplifting, featuring the perfect definition of a final number ‘Here and Now’.

A heart warming, funny and endearing show, it deserves to be counted as a strong new work in its own right, as well as a happy nostalgic throwback for those who loved the film.

13 GOING ON 30

Manchester Opera House

Reviewed on 30th September 2025

by Lucy Williams

Photography by Pamela Raith

Previously reviewed at this venue:

HERE AND NOW | ★★★★ | September 2025

13 GOING ON 30

RHINOCEROS

Almeida Theatre

★★★★

“an appeal to the senses, an experience as peculiar and nonsensical as a fit of the giggles”

Director Omar Elerian’s electrifying interpretation of the absurdist classic Rhinoceros is as much about theatre as it is about marauding pachyderms.

In his vision of French Romanian writer Eugene Ionesco’s 1959 fable, Elerian meticulously parodies the conventions of theatre and presents them back to the audience with a knowing wink.

In this case, theatre becomes a series of artificial and disconnected moments that meld alchemically into a kaleidoscopic whole.

People don’t so much talk to each other as engage in the mechanics of dialogue, delivering nonsensical retorts and ever spiralling repetitions. No-one listens. Communication is impossible. Extended riffs on, say, the number of horns on the eponymous rhinoceros rise into a dizzying tumult of words, sometimes pin sharp, then losing focus, only to return to a semblance of meaning measured by weight alone.

The audience is puzzled, bored, irritated, mesmerised, intrigued, amused – often within the same minute.

In an overlong and sometimes grating production, the story features a provincial French village – perhaps something out of a Wes Anderson movie – with a cast of deadpan pedants and eccentrics. A rhinoceros charges through the village square causing chaos. Then another, which tramples a cat. Soon it emerges that the villagers themselves are becoming the beasts.

Political writer Ionescu was, perhaps, thinking of the spread of fascism in pre-war France, making points about conformity and appeasement to the monstrous.

Elerian, wisely, veers away from heavy-handed politics and leans into the comedy. In his own translation, he updates the gags to include references to Covid, Wallace and Gromit and Severance. He gathers about him a troupe of actors superbly adept at the challenge of farce.

John Biddle, Hayley Carmichael, Paul Hunter, Joshua McGuire, Anoushka Lucas, Sophie Steer, and Alan Williams – in suitable white coats against a box-of-tricks white stage – are put through their paces in a series of scenarios, like an improv troupe picking suggestions out of a top hat.

Elerian creates a grandiose, meta-flecked circus – complete with clowns, kazoos and funny wigs. His message appears to be that laughter creates community when meaning fails.

In the most effective sequence McGuire, as Jean, battles with the agonies of transformation, a rousing set piece that exemplifies the thrilling choreography that is a highlight of the production.

Like Jean, the villagers succumb one by one to the plague until the hero of the piece, flustered slob and everyman Berenger (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù), is left on his own, making a stand against the onslaught.

At this point, anti-theatre becomes theatre again. Rhinoceros finally relies on the tropes of storytelling to make a connection – but too late. Without the groundwork, this burst of coherent humanity feels unearned.

Never mind. Rhinoceros is an appeal to the senses, an experience as peculiar and nonsensical as a fit of the giggles.

Tag Archives: Alan Williams

13 GOING ON 30

★★★★★

Manchester Opera House

13 GOING ON 30

Manchester Opera House

★★★★★

“heart warming, funny and endearing”