Barnum the Circus Musical at the Wyvern Theatre from Wednesday the 6th May to Sunday the 10th May. Book your tickets here: https://trafalgartickets.com/wyvern-theatre-swindon/en-GB/event/musical/barnum-tickets
Well, I watched this show last night and I could sum it up in one word: Spectacular! But I’d best use a few more words to talk about it ….
Taking the lead role of PT Barnum is Lee Mead, who, apparently, shot to prominence in winning the BBC series, Any Dream Will Do, back in 2017. And he was tremendous. Well they all were TBF.
The set and the action do a clever job of evoking the excitement of being at the circus. I’m old enough to remember Billy Smart’s circus – (Billy Smart being Britain’s answer to Barnum) and this show took me back to my distant childhood. The vocalists, the acrobats, the high wire, the fire-eaters, the band and the Barnum drum – together they created an exciting circus extravaganza on the stage at the Wyvern theatre.
Oh – and the elephant! That was breath-taking! Because of course what circus could be without an elephant?!
My friend and I so loved this show and I urge you not miss it.
It’s a fast-moving, colourful, breath-taking spectacle from start to finish. As Barnum used to bill it: it’s the greatest show on earth.
A bit about Barnum the musical
This American musical, with lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, is based on the life of the famous showman, PT Barnum. It covers the period from 1835 to 1880. It’s set in American and major cities of the world where Barnum took his performing companies.
The characters include jugglers, trapeze artists and clowns. All along with such real-life personalities as Jenny Lind and General Tom Thumb.
The original Broadway production ran for 854 performances. A London production followed.
