Jo: The Little Women Musical - concert review

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Promising a striking new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's beloved tale, Jo: The Little Women Musical is the latest reimagining of the classic, directed by JoAnn M. Hunter. After its conception over in America, rave commentary has forged a following that translated across the pond, posing the opportunity for the sell-out West End concert staging that occurred at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

So, does it live up to the hype? It is worth questioning whether a remodelled version is required, since a long-standing production can already tell the Little Women story with a rich essence of beauty if done right (which has been seen in London, albeit on a smaller scale, in recent years). A completely fresh score - composed by Dan Redfeld, with lyrics by Christina Harding and John Gabriel Koladziej - brings a compelling dynamic to begin with, but fades as the piece progresses, leaving pivotal moments uncatered for at times. The orchestra certainly lifts the tracks, with unwavering talent permeating the room, given the quality of the cast for this event. However, it's unclear whether this same charming effect would be evident in a regular viewing. Similarly, the emotional weight that is typically felt behind the characters and their narrative just didn't translate, again, perhaps due to the concert set up, so it would be intriguing to see how this is altered for future performances with full set and staging.

Despite the show's title, one of the standout songs actually belongs to Amy, as she vocalises her adoration for art and how it has shifted her outlook on life. '(A World of) Dreams and Figments' is a really lovely track, then followed by the bittersweet 'Little Women', and 'Fly Away' later concluding the first act, being the musical highlights. With such heavy reliance on the tracks to guide the plot - the vast majority of this is told through the 42 tunes featured - the focus on character development seems to fall by the wayside. An example comes right at the beginning, with the 14-minute 'Pickwick Portfolio', which then has a reprise later in the same act... a great, swirling piece of joy between the March sisters, but loses momentum a little by being so long without massively driving the story forward. By the end, the show has been an enjoyable experience lacking the punch needed for total, sweeping engagement and passion.

In all, there is definitely potential for a Little Women musical to be loved on stage, given the incredible reception from this. However, whether it shall be Jo or if it's worth hoping for a revival of the original may be up for debate.

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The cast for this one-off concert performance was as follows:

Christine Allado - Jo March

Kelly Mathieson - Meg March

Eleanor Grant - Beth March

Sophie Pollono - Amy March

Kerry Ellis - Marmee

Tracie Bennett - Aunt March

Tobias Turley - Theodore ‘Laurie’ Laurence

Chris Mann - Professor Bhaer

Julian Ovenden - Father

Liam Tamne - John Brooke

Barry James - Grandfather/Mr. Laurence

Miyuki Miyagi - Sallie Gardiner

Yazdan Qafouri - Fred Vaughn

Lydia Bannister - Company

William Bozier - Company

Michael Lin - Company

Gabriella looma - Company