‘Come Alive’ The Musical review - The Greatest Show or more Barnum Humbug?
Date seen: 8/3/25
Written by: Matthew Dudley
After navigating the twists and turns of London’s underground stations - where I may or may not have gotten us lost - my partner, Chloe, and I finally arrived at West Brompton station.
A short three-minute walk brought us to the Empress Museum, the venue for Come Alive, and wow - what an experience.
Having seen a plethora of live performances - from musicals and comedy to concerts and plays - making the following statement isn’t easy. But I stand by it completely:
It is the greatest show I have ever seen.
The entire experience is one I won’t forget, and I implore you to see it for yourself.
A spectacle before the show
The show started at 14:30, but we arrived around 13:45, as the side acts began an hour earlier. This was a lovely extra that made the experience even more immersive.
Watching a “professional bubble artist” called Kieron The Mighty before the show was quite the start to the event - something we had never seen before but certainly something I’ve decided to try and replicate…and fail at.
The show was held in the Empress Museum, but inside stood a tent, much like the one seen in The Greatest Showman.
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A fresh - and genius - take on a familiar story
What made this experience truly unique was that it wasn’t a replica of the film, nor a mere twist on the original storyline.
Instead, it was something entirely different - yet cleverly woven with consistent links to The Greatest Showman.
The storyline followed the journey of finding the new ‘Greatest Showman’ and transforming the lead actress into that role.
The original ‘showman’, introduced at the beginning of the play, was fantastic throughout, delivering excellent vocals and keeping the audience on tenterhooks.
The new ‘showman’ was equally impressive, with her character’s transformation unfolding clearly as she grew into the role.
A minor mystery, but a musical triumph
The only slight hiccup in the show was a particular character who made several appearances but didn’t seem to have any real impact on the story.
We both left feeling confused about his role and purpose.
Despite this, we had no trouble following the storyline and understanding where the show was heading.
Musically, the performance was exceptional. Every hit from the film was included and performed with fantastic vocals from the entire cast.
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A spectacular finale to a spectacular show
One of our personal highlights came near the end of the performance. The audience and cast joined together to chant and clap, building up to ‘The Greatest Show’ before the music fully kicked in - an absolutely wonderful experience.
Throughout the show, we were treated to incredible circus acts that made the performance even more immersive.
The acts themselves were phenomenal. From a trapeze artist and tightrope walker to a fire breather, teeter board acrobats, and more, the show kept us constantly engaged.
At times, we were left with sweaty palms, wondering, How on earth did they do that?
Incorporating so many unique skills and powerful musical performances - while maintaining audience engagement and weaving in a compelling story - was nothing short of miraculous.
Final thoughts and useful tips
As I’ve stressed before, I can’t recommend this show enough - I urge you to go. If I get the chance, I’ll definitely be seeing it again.
Now for the bits they don’t tell you:
The show runs for about two hours, with a 25-minute interval in the middle.
The seats aren’t the most comfortable but are manageable and won’t leave you with back pain.
Footroom is limited, but not unbearably so.
Hot food is available at the venue. We didn’t try it, but it looked good - just be prepared for prices higher than your average fast food spot.
Free tap water is available from dispensers, and you’re allowed to bring cups into the tent.
There’s also a designated smoking area for breaks between the main show.
125ml wine = £5.50
Pick’n’Mix = £4.50
Tickets = From £96.90
No programme at the show
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