Writing about Musical theatre
If you’re writing about a musical show that you have seen, there are two things that are important to remember in addition to the usual scope of such a review – design, lighting, actors, performances etc. The first is to make quite clear the scale of the production. In the West End production of Mary Poppins for example the actress flew across the auditorium! That isn’t going to happen in a village hall production and there is no point in criticising a low budget show for that fact.
The other thing is the music and how it is staged. There may well be incidental music in a show that isn’t categorised as a musical but in a musical there is a lot of music. It needs to be performed well in the musical sense and the linked routines require skilled dancers and energy as well as the ability to engage the audience in the emotion of the music. You’d expect the style in which the musical numbers are performed to define the style of the show. If you’re reviewing a musical, your reaction to that style will be central to that review. If you want to read professional theatre reviews, visit The Stage magazine or popular newspapers’ theatre sections online.
