5.0 out of 5.0 stars
“Sometimes you just know”.
Whether you are buying a house, thinking about popping the question, moving cities, or changing jobs, sometimes you just know what to choose; it’s easy and obvious, you have peace and confidence about it.
Well, after walking out of MJ The Musical at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, I knew I now have a no-hesitation-answer to “what is the best show you have seen so far?”
An experience you will not get every day.
I went on a Friday night. The house was packed and the audience. went. off. It was actually a bonding experience for me with the people sitting nearby. We all looked at each other, speechless. We couldn’t not talk about what we had just witnessed. Two and a half hours earlier, we’d been strangers, but, have you ever been in a moment where that doesn’t matter anymore and something powerful brings you together? Well that was my MJ experience; it was impossible to not enjoy their company, connect, and share the “wow!”.
Actually, you could even say all of the above just after Act One.
Indeed, interval gave us a chance to take stock about what we were experiencing and calm down from the sensation and emotion. But that recovery was short-lived as Act Two starts with back-to-back hits smashed out and energy that only continues to climb.
Getting to know Michael Jackson
The show follows Michael Jackson’s preparations for his Dangerous Tour and includes dance rehearsals and regular flashbacks to his childhood and earlier years. In total, three actors play MJ at various ages. The story is strong and interesting; it’s not ridiculous in an effort to fit songs in but fits really nicely. Price of Fame was a good example of this.
You will get all the big hits and some other songs too. I only knew as many songs as the average person but I went with a true Michael Jackson fan who grew up with his music and knew his albums better than I do and the show really resonated with him. The inclusion of the lesser-known song Stranger in Moscow already won him over early in Act One.
It was all brilliant and I was soaking it in the whole time. Every song was done with such skill and I have discovered since how many references to Michael Jackson’s original work are in this show. Human Nature and Thriller were two personal favourites, although as soon as I write that, all the others come to mind and deserve recognition too.
The sets were fantastic with variety, surprises, and first-class quality. The band too was top shelf and it added to the show being able to see them on stage for much of the show. This show is famous for the dancing and with good reason; it made me want to take classes.
A cast as good as it gets
Roman Banks looked, sounded, and moved like Michael Jackson in the lead role. He gave it 300% and I am so grateful to have experienced his energy, engagement, and skill and am so glad Michael Cassel Group brought him to Australia.
Liam Damons played Michael as a younger adult and his dancing in his first scene is still etched on my retina. This is still my favourite track to listen to on the CD because of the memory of his performance, especially the robot dancing! His acting and energy were brilliant and I couldn’t believe it when I read this was his professional theatre debut.
The two children in the cast were amazing. Blaiyze Barksdale played Little Michael and looked comfortable and confident in front of the large crowd. Kayleb Alese played Little Marlon and stood out for his dancing and precision. Both were clearly disciplined and talented, holding their own amongst the adult cast members.
Time to rebook
I had previously seen Myles Frost (the original MJ from Broadway) play the title role in London which was, of course, amazing. This production is every bit as good. It could be the best show on in Australia, it brought the audience together, and is a beautiful tribute to one of the most talented men the entertainment world has met. I will be doing all I can to go back and warn you now not to miss out!
