A recap of the weekend I spent as a fatigued, 30 year old Newsie, plus thoughts on Beetlejuice’s shock closing and reviews of Oh, Mary! and Burlesque
OHMYGOD HEY!
Welcome back to my weekly collation of the various reviews, opinion pieces and theatre news updates I’ve shared across multiple social media platforms.
Any observation of my slightly reduced output (and indeed the late release of this very instalment) can be explained away by my unusual pre-birthday weekend activities – a return to Camberley Theatre’s annual 24 Hour Musical in order to seize an entire day rehearsing and subsequently performing a mystery musical.
This year marked the event’s 10th anniversary, and I’m one of a few eccentric enthusiasts to have participated each year so far. The revelation that I’d be performing in the notably dance heavy show Newsies was not welcome news to my ever-ageing knees, but it also presented a pretty perfect opportunity to take on a role I would ordinarily be utterly miscast in.
Now much as I appreciate what has come to be my only opportunity to get onstage in a piece of storytelling myself (given that my professional calendar nowadays precludes me from being able to commit to any kind of a rehearsal schedule), what I really cherish about this each year is the community it creates. A combination of friends I see once a year and others who hours before were strangers to me are forced to quickly become a cohesive company by maddening circumstance, and though mutual exhaustion is likely a huge part of it – the rapport between us and the ever-supportive audience is also something special to behold.
Personally, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than to tap dance on a table and subsequently leap from it (though I should clarify my actual birthday some 36 hours later was largely spent recovering from exactly that). And who can blame me, when much of my time has otherwise been spent reporting on objectively unfortunate theatre news: be it West End or Broadway closures or the fact that I actually managed to see Burlesque. Thoughts on all of the above can be found below…
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I had 24 hours to rehearse NEWSIES?! Backstage vlog from the 24 Hour Musical 2026!
This weekend I once again performed in the annual 24 Hour Musical at the Camberley Theatre, presented by Creative Minds.
The conceit of the performance is that the cast arrive at 7:30pm the night before the show not knowing what it will be, with 24 hours exactly to rehearse before performing it for an audience.
This year we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the show (which I have participated in every year), and we discovered we were performing Newsies!
Join me backstage for a full 24 hours of chaotic preparation and performance as we attempt to seize the day!
why is BEETLEJUICE closing in London?! Thoughts on the West End musical’s box office challenges…
The fan favourite musical Beetlejuice, which has haunted three Broadway houses finally made its way to the West End earlier this year, but will close earlier than planned.
The musical adaptation of the classic film announced today that it will conclude its run at the Prince Edward Theatre in London in January 2027.
Find out why the show is coming to an end and how this ties in to its international productions thus far…
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
This Week’s Reviews
Oh, Mary! (Starring Jinkx Monsoon) at Trafalgar Theatre, West End
Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Burlesque at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (UK Tour)
★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
What’s coming up this week?
In another lifetime I’d have been back-to-school this week as an educator, and the coming days of press events and openings remind me of early term time frenzy. Stay tuned for a press launch preview of Into the Woods as it readies for its West End transfer and my review of the London production of Kimberly Akimbo.
I’ll also be seeing Bloodsport: after Helen of Troy at Stratford East and Man to Man at the Royal Court, both of which I’m hugely excited about.
Until next week, I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey… week! – Mickey-Jo
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