★★★★★

This musical adaptation of Disney’s Newsies movie has been a long time coming to the UK, having opened on Broadway in 2012. When this production was announced it was slated to be an immersive in the round production, very different to the Broadway one (which can currently be seen on Disney+). So was it worth the wait? I went to see this in previews but as there were issues I decided to go again a month later before giving it a fair review.

For those that don’t know, Newsies tells the (sort of) true story of the 1899 Newspaper boys strike in New York. These children, the newsies, would buy the papers and then sell them on the streets for a profit. However, following the Spanish American War (during which time the cost of the papers had gone up) it became harder to sell the papers and they went on strike to demand that the cost to buy the papers was reduced. This resulted in public awareness of the plight of many child workers in New York at the end of the 19th century. Whilst the musical does take some liberties with the true events, it still maintains the basic story.

The Troubadour theatre is a bit of a trek from central London where the majority of theatres are, but to is worth it as there are not many other venues that could house this particular production. It is a black box theatre (my daughter’s reaction when we went there in 2019 was that it was like walking into a drama studio) which is basically an empty space that can be configured however the producers want. I’ve seen a traditional style production there (Sleepless) with the seats arranged facing a regular stage. For Newsies the set up is a thrust stage with seats on three sides of the stage.

The immersive nature of the show begins when you book tickets. There are six different areas of seating and each is named after a borough of New York (this all makes sense when you see the show). The main area facing the stage is Brooklyn, with Manhattan directly behind it. At the sides you have Woodside, Flushing, Richmond, and The Bronx. I sat in Woodside during previews, and Manhattan when I went back to see it.

The director and choreographer (Matt Cole) has designed a production to make the audience feel a part of it. The cast move all around the theatre, in between the seating areas, and even come down over the top of Manhattan and Brooklyn on a zip wire. When I was sitting in Woodside especially I felt that I was looking all around me, including behind me, to try not to miss any of the action. 

The set design by Morgan Large consists primarily of a large scaffolding structure which moves and becomes a number of different locations. It is supplemented by a couple of set pieces that either come down from the flies, or are pushed on by the cast. I would also say that if you are seated in Manhattan then you get an extra element of set design as you enter the theatre, something that you don’t get in any of the other districts.

The cast are incredible. One reason often cited as to why Newsies took so long to come to the UK was that the producers couldn’t assemble a cast who were the triple threat required. Whether or not this is true it cannot be denied that they have certainly found the cast now!

Leader of the Newsies, Jack Kelly, is played by Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, and he leads the cast effortlessly. He is charismatic and thanks to his portrayal it is clear to see how Jack becomes the leader and spokesperson.

Michael Ahomka-Lindsay as Jack

On the other side of the tracks we have Katherine Plumber (played by Bronté Barbé). The daughter of newspaper owner Joseph Pulitzer (her character is however fictional) she is charming and gives a warm performance as a young journalist determined to prove that women can be reporters and to help bring attention to the blight not just of the newsies but of child workers all over New York.

Bronté Barbé as Katherine

The newsies themselves demonstrate more acrobatic, balletic, and tap skills that you could possibly want in a show. I was in awe of their dancing at many points – especially Mark Samaras who perfectly executed pirouette after pirourette. It is worth noting that the age of the newsies was generally raised for the musical from the true historical events, but children are acknowledged with Les (a role shared by four young actors, and played by Oliver Gordon in both of the performance I saw). 

The Newsies (centre, left to right – Cameron Jones, Mark Samas, and Mukeni Nel)

There were female newsies, something that is normally ignored in the musical, so it was lovely to see the female ensemble arrive on stage in Act 2 as newsies – giving them more to do in what is a male dominated show.

The songs (music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman) are a mixed bag. There are some big numbers that are undeniably catchy – for example, ‘Carrying the banner’, ‘Seize the Day’, and ‘King of New York’ – but I did feel that many of the rest were a bit of a mixed bag.

The Newsies with Ross Dorrington (centre) as Splasher

The biggest issue for me was the sound, and this is why I wanted to wait till a second viewing to write my review. It is probably the main criticism that I’ve heard of the show and indeed it has improved since the preview I first saw. However it is still not quite right. There is no doubt that the venue itself is part of the problem. You basically have an empty warehouse space and with the audience seated around three sides of the stage it is difficult to get the balance right for everyone.

However, I can’t really let this dampen my views on the show. Is the musical exceptional and ground breaking? Not really. Yes, it appeals to our current attitudes towards social justice and so feels relevant today, especially given the current climate of unions and strikes. Is it even a gripping story? Not necessarily and some of the book feels clunky. But my overwhelming feeling was that I had come out of the theatre having seen something exciting and new – largely due to the space and the staging. Something that placed me in the centre of the action and made me smile. Something that made me in awe of the talent on that stage. And that is what is reflected in my overall rating.

Newsies is playing at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre until 16th April 2023. Tickets can be booked here – https://newsiesthemusical.co.uk/home/

Photos © Johan Persson