Burlesque – Savoy Theatre

Todrick Hall, Orfeh, Jess Folley, George Maguire, Paul Jacob French and Asha Parker-Wallace in Burlesque at the Savoy Theatre, London. Picture: Pamela Raith

Burlesque continues at the Savoy Theatre, London until 6 September 2025.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

On release in 2010, Burlesque – the Christina Aguilera/Cher movie musical – was met with a cold wall of indifference from critics, but a fervent dedication from fun-seeking moviegoers that has seen its popularity persist to this day. Burlesque itself had been enjoying something of a renaissance as an art form, and the combination of outrageous costumes, spectacular dance routines and unforgettable musical numbers earned the film its adoring following.

Now, original writer/director Steven Antin has brought Burlesque The Musical to the stage, and this new production has a lot to get excited about. For one, there is the rave audience feedback from Manchester and Glasgow trial runs, as well as Xtina herself signed on as an executive producer. Plus, the Savoy Theatre run boasts Todrick Hall as star, director, choreographer, songwriter, vocal arranger and probably much more besides. With more American accents than British audible at the gala performance, this show is surely Broadway-bound. But is it Broadway-ready?

(Here, we must acknowledge the controversy surrounding the changes that have taken place in the creative team since those regional runs, plus the recent Equity statement about ‘a number of issues’ that have been raised by members about the current production.)

Burlesque makes perfect sense as a big-budget musical, and Antin, Hall and the rest of the enormous creative team have done fine work transposing the film to stage. Hall himself flits impishly between characters, costumes, and hats, delivering all the laughs and vogues we would expect. He sure is on stage a lot despite none of his characters being pivotal to the show’s narrative: possibly a sign of an ego gone wild, but it honestly feels fully justified here. Hall is undeniably good at what he does, and a burlesque show demands an emcee.

The plot follows Iowan diner waitress Ali (Jess Folley, also a songwriter for the show), who travels to New York to connect with her estranged mother Tess (Orfeh). While there, her incredible singing skills see her sucked into the glamorous world of Tess’ burlesque club, even as a harsh economy and Tess’ scheming ex-husband Vince (George Maguire) threaten its very survival.

Stepping into a role originated by the legend that is Christina Aguilera must be intimidating, but Folley’s voice is a remarkable instrument. The virtuosity and power she exudes over the entire show is nothing short of stunning. Not only this, but she even nails the unassuming, small-town girl side of the character perhaps better than pop superstar Xtina did in the film, embodying the perfect blend of wide-eyed naivety and diner-hardened sass. A true standout performance on a stage full of exceptional talent.

And then there’s Tess: the role originated by the goddess of all goddesses, Cher. Broadway favourite Orfeh is fantastic stepping into these formidable heels. She imbues the club owner with a kind heart beneath the no-nonsense exterior and a rich voice that has no trouble filling and shaking the Savoy Theatre auditorium. Elsewhere, Paul Jacob French is charming as Ali’s love interest Jackson, and Maguire throws himself into the role of the villainous Vince with commendable commitment.

What Burlesque gets absolutely right is its cabaret feel. This is a show set at a burlesque club of course, so it’s only right that we are treated to a variety of acts unrelated to the plot but which are nevertheless very entertaining. Many of these new numbers are written by Hall, with the dance-pop/rap sequences as slickly written and produced as you might expect, but Hall also demonstrating a deft hand in penning bouncy, traditional cabaret numbers. The whole creative team clearly has a deep love for cabaret and burlesque, and it is a joy to see the variety of acts throughout the evening.

Asha Parker-Wallace has a commanding stage presence as Nikki, and treats us to some powerful vocals in her numbers. Sophie Cracknell delivers adorable ditziness as Daphne, while Charlotte Jaconelli brings impressive energy to the role of Queenie. Alessia McDermott and Jess Qualter are a perfect comic double act as twins Spring and Summer, while Billie Kay is sweet and stunning in the role of Sophia.

A special shout-out must go to the burlesque legend that is Jake Dupree as Chardonnay. Though most of the standalone cabaret sequences in this show focus on vocals or ensemble dance, Dupree delivers a spectacular and acrobatic demonstration of pure burlesque, their stripping and flipping earning the biggest audience reaction of the evening.

As you would expect, a real highlight of this show is the production design. Everything from Harrison Smith’s lighting to Amelia Lockey’s costumes is perfectly tuned to bowl you over. Each element is big and almost every element is immaculate. A background video screen with a couple of pixels already dying does slightly cheapen some of the otherwise flawless sets, but it adds complementary sparkle and dizzying movement when used more subtly.

So there’s a lot to love. This is a big show that isn’t short on peaks that stand head and shoulders above its ‘Hen Party Musical’ competitors: honestly, some of these musical numbers are real-life big-budget 1990s music videos. However, these frequent and stunning setpiece moments are connected by a plot that is serviceable in keeping us engaged and hitting those standard Hollywood beats, but never surprises or challenges. Brainless isn’t a bad thing when you’re a few Proseccos deep, but with a running time pushing dangerously close to three hours and the show’s camp detachment subverting any earnestness anyway, it does feel like the book is still an edit or two away from perfection.

Still, I would have no hesitation recommending this show to anyone in search of a good time in the West End. I’d even go so far as suggesting spending a little more than you usually would to get the best possible seats and a few drinks for your party. Dress up, lose yourself in the opulence of it all, and enjoy an outrageously talent-rich spectacle. Escapism at its most feather-laden fabulous.

Ian Bowkett