Burlesque Review: A GLITTERY MISS WITH MOMENTS OF SHINE 

A MUSICAL ADAPTATION OF THE HIT 2010 FILM OF THE SAME NAME ARRIVES IN THE WEST END

★★☆☆☆

As a longtime fan of the 2010 cult classic Burlesque, I walked into the West End’s new stage adaptation with a mixture of nostalgia, curiosity, and cautious optimism. What I got was a perplexing mishmash of ideas, talent, and missed opportunities that, despite a few shining moments, ultimately fails to capture the magic of the film or stand confidently on its own.

Let’s begin with the positives, because this show is not without merit. The cast is, without question, multi-talented. Jess Folley delivers an extraordinary performance as Ali. Her vocal prowess alone is worth the price of admission—she is one of the rare few who can genuinely match, and at times rival, Christina Aguilera’s iconic runs and vocal gymnastics. Her stage presence is magnetic, and she commits to every moment, even when the material around her doesn’t quite land.

Then there’s Orfeh as Tess. A Broadway legend making her West End debut, Orfeh brings raw power and deep emotional resonance to a role that is unfortunately written in a way that veers toward abrasive. Tess, as portrayed in the original film, had layers—hard yet nurturing, jaded but warm. In this version, she’s too often reduced to sharp edges and yelling matches. Orfeh does everything she can to humanize her, and vocally, she’s unmatched. But the writing does her no favors.

Now to the real cracks in the glittery façade.

Anyone hoping for a faithful adaptation of the Burlesque film will likely walk away confused, if not outright disappointed. Steve Antin—who wrote and directed the original movie—has returned as the book writer for the stage version, but in a surprising twist, he’s thrown the entire structure of the story into disarray. The show is no longer set in Los Angeles; we are now in New York, and Ali is no longer a small-town girl chasing fame. Instead, she’s on a quest to find her birth mother—who, in an on-the-nose plot twist, turns out to be Tess.

This major reworking of the central premise has massive ripple effects throughout the show. The sense of ambition and wide-eyed wonder that drove the original narrative has been replaced with melodrama and half-baked family dynamics. The emotional throughline just doesn’t hit the same way. While this could have been a powerful mother-daughter arc, it lacks the depth and buildup needed to resonate.

And then there’s Todrick Hall.

Hall is wearing a lot of hats in this production—director, choreographer, co-composer, and performer (he plays Sean). It’s admirable, in a way, and certainly ambitious. He does succeed in giving the show some cohesion—just barely—but the strain is visible. In fact, he literally says as much during the first act in a now-meta moment, quipping “my back hurts keeping this show together” during his song “Big,” which happens to be one of the few numbers that genuinely works. “Big” is cheeky, energetic, and finally gives us that larger-than-life, showbiz storytelling the rest of the score seems to be searching for.

Unfortunately, not all of Todrick’s 20 musical contributions hit the mark. Many of the new songs are little more than glorified transitions, with some clocking in at under a minute. These musical vignettes often feel like filler—excuses to feature an ensemble member or move scenery. While there are a few toe-tappers here and there, the overall score lacks cohesion, narrative thrust, and that memorable spark that you’d expect from a musical of this scale.

The inclusion of songs from the original film—“Express,” “Tough Lover,” “Show Me How You Burlesque,” “Welcome to Burlesque,” and “Last of Me”—do help inject some nostalgic energy. And yes, “Last of Me” was thankfully restored after a wave of fan backlash during early previews. But these numbers, rather than lifting the show, serve to highlight just how much weaker the new material is by comparison.

Visually, the production is flashy but uneven. The costumes are dazzling, and there are a few staging choices that hit the right notes. But directionally, it feels like the show doesn’t always know what tone it’s going for—campy cabaret? Family drama? Glitter-soaked empowerment? It tries to be all of these things and ends up being none convincingly.

There’s something incredibly frustrating about a show like Burlesque. It has the bones of something great: a killer cast, iconic source material, and a built-in fanbase. But between the inconsistent direction, overstuffed score, and drastically altered plot, it feels like a missed opportunity rather than a triumphant adaptation.

To the creatives: I commend the effort. Mounting a new musical—especially one based on a beloved film—is no easy task. But as it stands, this version of Burlesque feels like a first draft that made it to the stage too soon. If the goal is a Broadway transfer, a serious reworking of the book, the score, and the directorial vision is necessary.

For now, it’s a glitzy spectacle with glimmers of brilliance, but not much substance. Two stars—for the cast, the vocals, and the attempt. But if you’re a fan of the film like I am, temper your expectations. This isn’t that Burlesque.

Burlesque - Savoy Theatre

Attended on 18 July 2025