Michael Jackson musical is fun, slick and frothy – just don’t mention the bad stuff
MUSICALS
MJ The Musical
Sydney Lyric Theatre, March 8 until August 3
Reviewed by CHANTAL NGUYEN
★★★½
With a legacy as polarising as Michael Jackson’s, MJ The Musical will either delight or discomfort based on what you think of the late, great “king of pop” and his astounding, troubled life.
Featuring a book by Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage, and direction and choreography by ballet golden boy Christopher Wheeldon, MJ swept the Tony Awards and earned millions for its co-producers, who are also co-executors of Jackson’s estate and gave the musical their official blessing.
MJ’s premise is to separate Jackson’s extraordinary artistry from the emotional baggage.Credit: Daniel Boud
It starts with a frame story set over two days in a tense, sweaty rehearsal studio on the eve of Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous tour. Tensions run high as Jackson’s adoring, protective staff (Derrick Davis, Wonza Johnson, and Tim Wright) struggle to meet his exacting demands and boundless artistic imagination.
Two MTV reporters (Penny McNamee and Yashith Fernando) cajole their way into a rare interview opportunity. Jackson hesitates. “No matter what I do,” he says sadly, “It always gets twisted. I’ve been burned in the past. I want to keep this about my music.”
It’s an introductory cue – with as much subtlety as a foghorn – that MJ‘s premise is to separate Jackson’s extraordinary artistry from the emotional baggage: his troubled personal life and the child abuse allegations that increasingly tarnished his name from 1993 (conveniently a year after MJ’s timeline).
His abusive father, Joe (a commanding Davis), is portrayed as the cause of his demons and his arrested development. MJ in this musical is a naive, almost saintly child-like figure, too brilliant and loving to be understood.
For Jackson fans, everything that follows will be pure joy. The interview slides into flashbacks of his early years singing with The Jackson 5, Motown, and Quincy Jones (Liam Damons and Will Bonner both radiant as the younger Jackson).
The gorgeous costumes, sliding neon lights and feel-good music are irresistible. Then come the rehearsal scenes: a choice jukebox selection of Jackson hits, with Roman Banks playing MJ in an extraordinary shape-shifting performance channelling Jackson at the height of his dance and vocal prowess.
