Barnum The Circus Musical Review by Nina Jervis-Green

July 1, 2026

How can the Cliffs Pavilion’s stage – robust as it is – support the gargantuan weight of talent on display in Barnum The Circus Musical? It’s a question you might find yourself pondering as you leave the theatre, in complete and utter awe.

Before the show starts, we’re regaled with an announcement that over 150 musical instruments will be played live. Every person we see on stage has not just one, but a veritable selection-box of finely-honed, sometimes death-defying skills that could make you wonder what on Earth you’ve been doing with your life up to now.

In case you hadn’t guessed, this show tracks the life of ‘The Greatest Showman’ himself, Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum, through the mid-19th century. Barnum is already a master of hype and “humbug” (wryly described by his wife Charity as “something designed to deceive or mislead”) and is busily building a name for himself through his touring show of amazing circus exhibits.

It’s testament to Lee Mead’s talented and assured performance that, even though Barnum famously exploited both his audience and his – often extremely vulnerable – performers in horrendous ways, he comes across as a charming, charismatic dreamer you want to root for. There’s genuine chemistry with Charity (a formidable Monique Young), too, though her feisty, questioning spirit fizzles out in the second half with little examination. After the highs and lows we went through with this couple in the first, that felt a little disappointing.

Of course, Cy Coleman’s songs are rousing and memorable: including the show’s opener, the unashamedly brash ‘There Is A Sucker Born Every Minute’. ‘Thank God I’m Old’ is a highlight; sensationally performed by Dominique Planter as Joice Heth, the falsely-advertised “oldest woman in the world”. But that’s not all. Penny Ashmore plays Jenny Lind, the real-life Swedish opera singer, so authentically that when she sings, the audience seems to pause for breath. Another real-life performer, ‘General’ Tom Thumb, is given new life and energy by Fergus Rattigan, in the enchanting ‘Bigger Isn’t Better’.

This show is bespoke-designed to dazzle, both visually and physically. Lee Newby’s two-storey, Big Top-style set is vivid and wondrous, and every scene is peppered with aerial work, acrobatics, and jubilant circus skills (one such skill is even performed by Lee Mead himself, though I won’t spoil the surprise and say what!). Scenes are ably introduced by the Ringmaster (Laura Sillett) in full top hat and tails, giving each one a swaggering, vaudeville-style flourish that works extremely well.

While we may not feel as dazzled mentally or emotionally – the story is perilously thin at points – the style, flair, and sheer talent (did I mention that?) on display throughout more than compensates. Barnum is “The Circus Musical”, after all. So roll up, roll up, and watch this jaw-dropping spectacle work its magic!