George Bray Archives - thespyinthestalls.com

★★★★★

“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.

The Choir of Man

Arts Theatre

Reviewed – 10th November 2021

★★★★★

“The Choir of Man is that rare thing, a simultaneously deeply familiar, yet different, West End musical experience”

“Welcome to the Jungle” is the friendly sign on stage that greets audiences as they enter for an eighty minute sing along at the Arts Theatre in Covent Garden—and what a welcome it turns out to be. The Choir of Man, first created in 2017 for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, has since toured around the world to great acclaim. It’s easy to see why. Despite being built around a simple premise—a group of men gathered together for an evening in their favourite pub, the Jungle—the show turns out to be more than just a bunch of blokes sitting around, swapping songs, and drinking beer. The Choir of Man is an updated take on the importance of the local pub in people’s lives. And there isn’t a whiff of stale beer from beginning to end.

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The Choir of Man, created by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay, is built to entertain. It also pulls at the heartstrings in unexpected ways. The cast invites you into their lives, giving their real names. They’re not there to brag or to pretend to be something they’re not—but to talk frankly about their vulnerabilities. In doing so, they cast light on why men, in the midst of their greatest joys and sorrows, head unerringly to the local pub. Doodson and Kay’s approach strikes just the right chord—especially when sung to the right tunes. The Choir of Man sounds like it shouldn’t work as well as it does, but the earnest, often rhyming, monologues (written by Ben Norris) create solid characters for us to identify with. The monologues are also the introductions to the roles that are linked with the songs. This technique does verge on the corny from time to time, such as when a man, married too young, and bored with the relationship, puts a personal ad in the local paper. But The Choir of Man has a fresh take on Rupert Holmes’ Pina Colada Song, (written long before dating apps, remember). The spirit the cast brings to this song, and the other old favourites, creates an infectious energy. When asked, there are plenty of volunteers from the audience willing to go on stage and take part in the fun.

The production displays a wealth of easily accessible performance and design touches that match the concept. The performers of The Choir of Man have pleasant voices, project solid niceness of character without being dull, and they’re well dressed in unassuming clothes (good choices by costume designer Verity Sadler). They move well (kudos to Freddie Huddleston for the choreography that manages to look natural even while upping the energy in the room.) The talented live band is placed above the pub so that the audience can see their work, while watching the dynamic singing and dancing below. Oli Townsend has created an effective set design that gives director Nic Doodson just the right kind of space to work with. The playing time of The Choir of Man is also well judged—long enough to keep the audience delighted, yet eager for more.

The most remarkable thing about The Choir of Man is not what a good evening’s entertainment it is, and it is—but in seeing how many men in the audience seemed more than content to be there cheering and singing along instead of spending the evening at, you guessed it, their local pub. This show clearly hits a nerve with the guys—and it’s a happy one. But The Choir of Man is not just for them. The atmosphere throughout is adroitly managed by the team on stage and off it, and everyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, will feel welcome at The Jungle. The Choir of Man is that rare thing, a simultaneously deeply familiar, yet different, West End musical experience. And the more intimate Arts Theatre in Covent Garden, in the vicinity of all the big musical theatres, is exactly the right place for this singular show.

13 GOING ON 30

Manchester Opera House

★★★★★

“heart warming, funny and endearing”

13 GOING ON 30

Manchester Opera House

Reviewed on 30th September 2025

by Lucy Williams

Photography by Pamela Raith

Previously reviewed at this venue:

13 GOING ON 30

13 GOING ON 30

13 GOING ON 30

Arts Theatre

Reviewed – 10th November 2021

★★★★★

“The Choir of Man is that rare thing, a simultaneously deeply familiar, yet different, West End musical experience”

Reviewed by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Helen Maybanks

The Choir of Man

Arts Theatre until January 2022

Previously reviewed this year by Dominica:

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