REVIEW: ROPE DROP @ THE OTHER PALACE

🎭 Rope Drop: The Unofficial Disney Parks Comedy

📍 The Other Palace Studio, 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA

🗓 Sunday 6th September 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

MICKEY, MUSICALS, AND MAGICAL MAYHEM

Grab your ears and get ready to run, because we are heading straight down Main Street, U.S.A!

Now, if you know me at all, you know I am a bit of a Disney geek. I’ve braved the crowds at Walt Disney World in Florida, I’ve sailed the high seas on the gorgeous Disney Dream cruise ship, visited Castaway Cay - Disney's private island in the Bahamas - and my house features more than one or two Disney items of memorabilia! So, it’s safe to say that I was more than a little excited when I heard about ROPE DROP landing a cheeky weekend residency in the beautifully intimate studio space at The Other Palace.

For those who missed its early days, this brilliant little show actually started life as a strictly limited cabaret debut over at Crazy Coqs. The buzz was so massive that the creators went back to the drawing board, expanded it into a full-blown two-act comedy, and brought it to Victoria for three magical, completely sold-out performances this weekend.

The show is written and performed by our very own West End Prince Charming, Jordan Li-Smith, and the ultimate real-life Disney Princess, Ayesha Patel. Honestly, they are the absolute perfect duo for this. Both of them just radiate the pure, magical essence of Disney from the second they step on stage.

Ayesha, in particular, completely blew me away. She channeled some of the absolute greats, delivering crystal-clear vocals that felt like a beautiful blend of Julie Andrews and Lea Salonga. Her performance of "It's a Small World" was nothing short of incredible. She sang it with such earnest beauty that, in my opinion, it is now the definitive version of the song. Take note, Disney!

Equally magnificent was Jordan, who spent much of the show steering the musical ship directly from the keys. Watching him play whilst simultaneously delivering brilliant comedic timing was an absolute masterclass. Having a full live band right there on stage with them elevated the entire production to another level. The musicians brought an incredible depth and theatrical richness to every single arrangement, making the intimate studio space feel as grand as a West End main house.

What I loved most was the sheer, organised chaos behind the whole thing. It is a completely unapologetic, joyful love letter to the Disney Parks, even if Jordan and Ayesha spent half the time bickering over which park the performance was actually set in! The natural friendship and playfulness between the two of them just shines through every moment. I had a massive, aching smile plastered across my face from start to finish. The happiness emitting from that stage was utterly infectious, and I happily let myself go along for the ride - even becoming a very small part of the performance myself when I was chosen to be Indiana Jones!

The writing is wonderfully clever, packed with deep-cut, niche park references that had the Disney Adults in the crowd cackling. I loved how they willingly made jokes about their own extreme Disney geekiness. The song choices were incredibly inspired too, steering clear of the usual predictable hits. Instead, we got brilliant, unexpected surprises - with a high-energy rendition of "Life is a Highway" from Cars being a prime, rockin' example.

To keep things fresh, every single performance over the weekend featured two different special guests. For the performance I attended, we were treated to the absolutely formidable pairing of Joaquin Pedro Valdes and Melissa Cavanagh.

Joaquin is everything you could possibly want and more from a dashingly handsome Disney Prince. He delivered smooth, soaring, and powerfully emotional vocals on "Colors of the Wind" that gave me absolute chills, while his natural wit and charm shone through. Then Melissa stepped up and brought absolute oodles of energy to "Try Everything", showing off some truly sensational, roof-raising vocals. They were both spectacular.

The afternoon finished with a brilliant, lightning-fast take on Fantasmic! - a staple nighttime spectacular for anyone who has ever visited a Disney park. It was the perfect, chaotic crescendo to a flawless show.

Although I am lucky enough to have been to a Disney Park, this is absolutely not essential to be able to enjoy this show. ROPE DROP is two hours of unadulterated, magical fun for every single Disney Adult out there. This is intimate, joyful theatrical brilliance at its very best. If this show announces a return or a transfer, do not walk - rope drop your way to the box office immediately!

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 reviewer.  

My ticket for this performance of Rope Drop was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting, 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. 

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY:

Jordan Li-Smith; Ayesha Patel

SPECIAL GUESTS:

Joaquin Pedro Valdes; Melissa Cavanagh

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours, INCLUDING interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Mild language; Adult themes

AGE RECOMMENDATION:

12+

To keep up to date with all the latest theatre news and more, follow Pink Prince Theatre on social media.

Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.