Come Alive! – Empress Museum, Earl’s Court

As a fan of ‘The Greatest Showman’ I was excited to see ‘Come Alive!’ Simon Hammerstein’s new creation to the world: circus meets musical theatre.

‘Come Alive!’ literally explodes in a blaze of riotous colour, big vocals and circus acts from the opening beat. It is a gorgeous assault to the senses and not one for those looking for a quiet night out.

The acts in the 700-seater Big Top are daring and jaw dropping. With everything from acrobatic performers defying logic with their stunts in the sky, to chewing gum torso bodies twisting and tumbling across the stage to fire eating, tight-rope walking and so much more. This is a celebration of fun and madness.

From the outset, the hit songs (‘This Is Me’, ‘Rewrite the Stars’, ‘A Million Dreams’) are in abundance and the soundtrack carries the show. There did appear to be a storyline, but it was rather disjointed and I wasn’t clear what it was – and to be honest trying to understand the tangled underlying plot was more of a distraction to my enjoyment of the show rather than it adding another level.   

There’s a huge roster of talented performers led by West End sensation Simon Bailey in the lead role of a modern-day ‘Showman’ alongside newcomer Aaliya Mai. Their skills are showcased in a schizophrenic frenzy of which your eyeballs will know no mercy. At times it’s unclear where you’re meant to be looking there is so much action on stage, but that’s not a complaint – it’s just part of the bigness and over-the-topness of this show.  

This feeds into the venue, the Empress Museum, which is unlike any other, for the venue itself comprises an array of different areas where people enter into a trance-like world where not only can they eat fast food, they can also trampoline in the clouds, get a drink from one of the bars and be entertained by the actors who mingle and immerse themselves in the crowd. It’s an unusual and slightly weird feeling of ‘what’s-going-on’ as there’s no signposting for the world you’re about to enter, but that’s all part of the pre-show antics to get you in the mood.

‘Come Alive!’ is a spectacular show. It is a feast for the senses and the soundtrack – with an incredible sound system which vibrates your entire body – really elevates this. The only downside, as a circus aficionado, I have to confess I was a little disappointed to not be blown away by any new tricks or twists on the old favourites. I also struggled to understand the underlying storyline and felt the darker twist in act two detracted from the joyfulness I was expecting – and had been experiencing – up until this point.

Despite this, ‘Come Alive!’ feels fresh and different and is targeted to a younger audience looking for an alternative big show night out. The venue is super Instagrammable and will likely move the notion of the whole pre-show experience on several notches in the theatre world.

Reviewer: Samantha Collett

Reviewed: 16th October 2024

North West End UK Rating: