REVIEW: Thriller! Live 10th Anniversary at the Lyric Theatre

Now celebrating its 10th year in London’s bustling West End, Thriller Live is the longest running production to ever hit the Lyric Theatre in its 125 years of history, having now completed over 4000 performances. In works since 1991, Creator and Executive Director Adrian Grant has been on an undeniably successful journey with his initial vision to bring the story and music of Michael to people around the globe, including countless audience members at the 15thlongest running musical in the West End. 

With hundreds of cast, crew and creatives working both within the West End and with the UK touring production both on and off stage, last night’s anniversary performance was nothing short of a family affair. With an audience full to the brim of ex company members and die hard Michael Jackson fans, the vibe, spirit and love of Jackson himself was unmissable throughout the auditorium. Which was only sky rocketed when the 23 strong member cast burst onto stage, delivering everyone’s favourite classic MJ hits. 

REVIEW: Thriller Live at New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Featuring over 35 Michael Jackson hits, Thriller Live has been performing to audiences all over the world for over 10 years with more ticket sales since the King of Pop’s untimely death in 2009.

Much like Immortal by Cirque du Soleil, this show fails to tap into the mind of Jackson and instead presents the hits backed by an energetic ensemble and tight live band. Largely the hits are presented in all their glory, resisting the temptation to update or remix them. This is well received by the enthusiastic crowd tonight who are on their feet and happily join in with the audience participation.

There’s no story to follow – save a couple of facts about Jackson – and no seeming logic to the order of the numbers but the cast plough through nearly two hours of songs and dances with highlights being the final 15 minutes act one (disco MJ) and the Smooth Criminal segment in act two. When the show is good, it is a timely reminder of an artist lost and it is a joy to hear the music he left behind.

Thriller Live has now entered the record books as the 20th longest-running musical in West End history

Thriller Live has entered the record books to officially become the 20th longest running musical in West End history!

Recently it overtook  the records set by the legendary stage musicals The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady, who have now dropped forever out of the Top 20.

Thriller Live has played 2391 perfornances at the Lyric Theatre (as at Wednesday September 24). It is just 138 performances away from overtaking the record set by the 1993 revival of Grease (which ran 2529 performances before closing) and just 227 from leap frogging the original 1960 production of Oliver! (2,618 performances). In 2015 it will beat the record set up Evita, which closed after 2,900 performances at the Prince Edward Theatre.

THRILLER! LIVE extends booking to 6 September 2015

As it continues its sensational record-breaking 6th year in the West End, the producers of Thriller Live are delighted to announce that the show is further extending its booking period to 6 September 2015. It had been booking to 26 April. 

Producers Paul Walden & Derek Nicol said in a statement: “We are thrilled that Thriller Live continues to be one of the longest running shows in the West End and its celebration of the music and iconic choreography of one of the world’s greatest ever artists is continuing to attract new generations of theatregoers from around the world. We are looking forward to theming the theatre’s bars for a ghoulish week celebrating all things Halloween and the show’s iconic title track, Thriller.”