“Burlesque” at Savoy Theatre

Franco Milazzo in the West End
24 July 2025

Now directed by its star Todrick Hall, the stage musical Burlesque comes to London in much the same way that my parents did some 60 years ago: poor and in desperate need of work. After last autumn’s Manchester run, senior creatives (including director Nick Winston and set designer Soutra Gilmour) were ditched, four major cast roles were recast, the songbook has undergone severe changes, and multiple reports have emerged of concerns over working hours and conditions and costume readiness. To top it off, this week Equity have responded to complaints about the work environment by opening an investigation involving the show’s producers and members. Ouch.

Photo credit: Pamela Raith Photography.

The original 2010 film was a classy and brassy vehicle for Cher and Christina Aguilera to show off their ample vocal talents. Despite featuring barely any actual burlesque, it boosted an art form in a way that hadn’t been seen since the emergence of Dita Von Teese. Scroll forward a decade and Steven Antin decided to adapt the movie he wrote and directed into a stage musical. The name stays the same but the plot is a much looser interpretation: our heroine Ali (Jess Folley) now moves to New York instead of Los Angeles to find her mother Tess (Orfeh), some characters like Marcus and entire plotlines have been given the heave-ho and, when not inching its way towards steamy romance and mother–daughter bonding, this more modern narrative revolves around a deposit box and impending bankruptcy.

If anything saves this production, it will be the star turns by the lead actors. Both Folley and Orfeh are outstanding performers, their acting and singing filling the grand Savoy Theatre at every opportunity. The former is in most scenes but bounces around indefatigably even when bogged down by leaden text or delivering one of the countless filler songs. Her refreshing take on the part played by Aguilera in the film is both more winsome and (later) more raunchy. Orfeh is no Cher but tackles the role of Tess in a grittier fashion, blasting out “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” with a steely determination.

Apart from those two, the characterizations are thin enough to cause paper cuts. As Jackson, Paul Jacob French appeared in Winston’s next project – Midnight Cowboy, another misbegotten screen-to-stage musical which debuted at Southwark Playhouse in April – and yet still has to master an American accent; thankfully, the direction requires his abs and tight trousers to do most of the talking. In the film, Nikki is a raging alcoholic; here (played convincingly by Asha Parker-Wallace making her professional and West End debut) she downs a few glasses before conniving with the villainous Vince (superbly realized by George Maguire).

A welcome trans subplot around Trey coming out as Chardonnay and being welcomed into the women’s changing room (to the bemusement of Tess) is over in a blink of an eye. Charlotte Jaconelli’s Queenie is a lesbian, Alessia McDermott and Jess Qualter play blonde twins Spring and Summer who speak in unison, and Sophie Cracknell is the ditzy Daphne who comes out at the end with a PhD-level statement. Sophistication and innovation are not the name of the game here.

Much of the blame for the current state of Burlesque can be laid at the feet of Hall. The hand of Tod is everywhere: as well as directing, he plays two different key roles (Tess’s assistant Sean and Ali’s musical mentor Miss Loretta), has designed the choreography and – if that wasn’t enough – composed the music and lyrics for 19 of the 30 numbers that are rolled out over the three hours-long runtime. That’s already enough hats to start up a shop and, while Hall has a background of directing and starring in his own YouTube shorts, this is a bridge too far.

With all the recent changes, it should maybe come as no surprise that there is an air of improv about this. A funny gag about avoiding the kisscam at Coldplay concerts is cute but requires Folley to apparently break character and double over with highly awkward laughter despite having heard that same line on previous nights. Added to Hall’s overacting, there’s a definite pantomime vibe in a show that never really settles on what it wants to be. There are nods to Chicago and Cabaret, a few songs and tender moments from the film, a slow-burning love affair between Jack and Ali that adds literally nothing to the overall plot, and songs from Hall, Sia, and Diane Warren inserted where songs shouldn’t be.

Nate Bertone’s set design is colourful but below the standard for a musical of this size, Hall’s choreography brings grandeur to the set pieces but doesn’t pop or snap with any great vim or vigour, and Marco Marco’s cavalcade of costumes struggle to impress. Perhaps somewhat predictably, its journey to the West End has seen Burlesque ending up in something of a car crash.