REVIEW: BARNUM @ NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE

🎭 Barnum: The Circus Musical

📍 New Wimbledon Theatre, 93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG

🗓 Tuesday 29th September 2026

⭐️ 3 Stars

A FAST-PACED CIRCUS SPECTACLE THAT FORGETS TO BREATHE

Back in 1991, when BARNUM was out on a UK tour, it was actually one of the very first musicals I ever saw. Looking back, it’s the show that helped kick-start my lifelong love affair with theatre. Thirty-five years later, I couldn’t really remember much about it, except for the tightrope walking obviously! So I was genuinely excited to see it live on stage once again last night at the New Wimbledon Theatre.

For those who don’t know the story, BARNUM follows the chaotic, colourful life of the legendary American showman P.T. Barnum. The plot charts his rise from a small-time museum owner to a world-famous circus mogul. At its heart, it’s a classic tug-of-war between Barnum’s relentless desire to chase "humbug" and grand illusions, and his wife Charity’s grounding wish for a quiet, respectable life. Along the way, we see him exploit bizarre talent, fall briefly for a Swedish opera singer, and eventually build the Greatest Show on Earth.

Walking in, the production design feels very BKL Productions. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. But it does mean you know exactly what you’re going to get in regards to production values. Think a fairly static set and lots of flashing lights. That said, it all works perfectly well for what it is, and the puppetry of the elephant was a real "wow" moment that took me by surprise.

The main issues with the show, though, lie firmly in its script. The storyline is wafer-thin if I'm honest, and it moves at a really breakneck pace. This means there’s precious little time to feel any real depth or emotion in the scenes. This unrelenting need to constantly be moving forward comes at the expense of any genuine exploration of Barnum’s relationship with his wife. She feels almost sidelined at points, leaving the audience to come to their own conclusions as to what's actually going on under the surface.

It also seemed to chase laughs a bit too hard, but unfortunately, it wasn’t quite as funny as it thought it was. There were a few light titters from a generous audience, but it never really landed the big belly laughs it was angling for.

Matt Rawle brings a great, vibrant energy to the greatest showman himself, but again, it’s the pace that makes his performance stumble. He occasionally delivers lines and lyrics so incredibly fast that I just couldn't understand what was being said. A lot of this production just needs to slow down and let itself breathe.

That wasn't helped by the sound design. There seemed to be a bit of a persistent issue with the sound levels during the songs, and more often than not, I couldn't make out the actual lyrics being sung. This started to frustrate me, especially during the Act Two opener "Come Follow the Band" - which happens to be my favourite song of the evening.

Where the show absolutely triumphs is in its cast. My standout performances of the evening came from the incredible circus performers. A personal favourite of mine was James Gill. He was mesmerising and his cyr wheel work was absolutely immaculate. I also thought his see-saw stunt with Emily Odunsi was breathtakingly brilliant.

Dominique Planter brought an amazing stage presence and beautifully soulful vocals to the mix, with her performance during "Black and White" being my favourite. Penny Ashmore really leant into her portrayal of Jenny Lind, delivering a spellbinding, pitch-perfect operatic performance.

The company is made up of exceptional actor-musicians. I adored Eamonn Cox as the Ringmaster, who did a fantastic job guiding us through the story. I always appreciate a great ensemble performance, and Tom Self's energy and charisma completely drew me to him whenever he was on stage.

Overall, the show was an enjoyable night out. It's a fantastic musical for families, and it stands up as an especially good gateway for youngsters to discover the magic of live theatre. It worked for me all those years ago, and I'm sure it will continue to do so for a new generation of theatregoers for a long time to come.

BARNUM continues performances at New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday 3rd October. CLICK HERE to head to the theatre website and book tickets.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Barnum was gifted by New Wimbledon Theatre, who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Matt Rawle as P.T. Barnum; Monique Young as Charity Barnum; Penny Ashmore as Jenny Lind; Dominique Planter as Joice Heth / Blues Singer; Fergus Rattigan as General Tom Thumb / Morrissey; Eamonn Cox as Ringmaster; Sophie Precious Muringu as Scudder; Tom Self as James Bailey; Tom Sterling as Mr Stratton / Templeton; Emma Jane Morton as Mrs Stratton; Tom Sowinski as Lyman / Goldschmidt; Jessica Jolleys as Mrs Mortimer; Elena Bluck as Mrs Maddison; Gianpaolo Candelaria as Circus Performer; James Gill as Circus Performer; Lennin Nelson-McClure as Circus Performer; Emily Odunsi as Circus Performer; André Ridrigues as Circus Performer; Niki Tsonopoulou as Circus Performer; Ben Scott as Ensemble; Laura Sillett as Ensemble

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 15 minutes, including interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Smoke; Haze; Gunshots; Fire; Loud noises; Flashing lights; Depictions of exploitation of human and animal performers in the 19th century entertainment industry.

AGE GUIDELINE:

8+

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