Extra, extra! Get your papes! Newsies has finally landed in London after a decade-long wait.

My love for Newsies has been unwavering for an equally long period of time, so of course I’m biassed. But when I tell you this production is one of the most incredible pieces of theatre in general that I have ever seen, I mean that with all my heart.

It’s rare for a show to leave me completely speechless. I was lucky enough to snag tickets for both the first preview and press night, and both times the audience gave two mid-show standing ovations in the space of five minutes. I’m no detective, but it’s clear we have something really special on our hands here.

Strike! Strike! Strike!

Set in New York City at the turn of the 20th century, and based on the 1992 Disney movie, the story follows the newsboys of Lower Manhattan as they organise to strike after Joseph Pulitzer raises the price of newspapers. This means the newsies will have to sell double the amount just to earn the same as always. On top of this, whatever they don’t sell they just lose the money for. An already bad deal turning into a worse one is the last straw.

Strike leader, Jack Kelly, rallies newsies around the city to join them in their protest to be paid and treated as valued members of the newspaper companies. In the midst of this, we meet Katherine Plumber, a budding news reporter who is trying to find her first big news story to prove her work is worth the front page. She quickly realises, as a female reporter in 1899, she and the newsboys have more in common than you would think. Both are underdogs fighting for a fair chance for opportunity and work.

From Brooklyn to the Bronx… where should you sit?

It’s breathtaking to walk into the auditorium and see this gorgeous set. The space is really unique and allows for the creative team to have a lot of fun. With the high ceilings and a set design that incorporates the entire theatre, the auditorium feels highly immersive. But fear not, we still have the striking fire escape style towers as the centrepiece!

For the first preview I was sitting near the back of Brooklyn, and for press night I was in an aisle seat in Woodside. Both gave very different experiences, which is why I would say you definitely need to see this show more than once. In Brooklyn, I got a head on view of all the action. It was the best place to see the show for the first time, and it’s definitely the best position to be in for the choreography. With some of the action happening in the walkway between Brooklyn and Manhattan, I did have to turn around sometimes. But I loved the chaos of it all and not knowing where they were going to enter from next.

In Woodside, I felt like I was right in the middle of newsies square. I had actors going up and down the aisle, sometimes sitting on the stairs next to me. Papers were thrown in my face – it was awesome! You also get to hear a lot of the ad libbing from nearby actors that may go missed if you’re sitting elsewhere. However, being in the front side section means that you don’t get the full experience of the incredible choreography. You also sometimes may miss things happening at the other side.

Both views have their pros and cons. Which is why you definitely want to try and see this show from various different angles. I have no doubt that each time you go back you will have a different experience and be able to see various things you may have missed your first time around.

A new creative vision

Aside from the complete new staging and set design, changes have also been made to the Tony Award winning choreography. It was certainly daring for director and choreographer, Matt Cole, to make these changes. Gone is the iconic choreography from ‘Seize the Day’ and ‘King of New York’ that you may have seen in various televised performances of these numbers. In its place, is some equally iconic choreography. It feels fresh and exciting for the space the show is in, with certain nods to some of the original routines incorporated in.

It’s a real testament that they believe in their vision for this show so much they were confident in changing a key thing that everyone raved about with the original production. One part I always loved was that moment in ‘Seize the Day’ when they are all doing the same choreography but at different times, and then they all come together to move in unison as one. We still have this exhilarating moment in the new choreography and the way this is done is so spectacular. My jaw was on the floor and it certainly deserved the two standing ovations the audience gave it.

Without saying too much, changes have also been made to ‘Brooklyn’s Here’. I can’t say I ever really cared much for this number before but now it’s all I can think about. During the first preview, the audience went wild with their appreciation for the change that has been made (after we all got over the shock), and I really hope as many people as possible go into it without knowing what happens.

The most perfect casting

As our strike leader, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, is the most perfect choice for Jack Kelly. He is both charming and playful. With his outward display of confidence in his craft of selling papes, and his inherent need to stand up for others, it’s easy to see why he is so respected by the other newsies. At the same time, he dives into a much more sensitive side of Jack which is beautiful to see.

Bronté Barbé gave us the headstrong Katherine we deserve. She has always been one of my personal favourite characters, and I adored her portrayal. I equally enjoyed Ryan Kopel, who gave a stand out performance as an uncertain and nervous Davey who we see grow throughout the show.

As for Crutchie, you could tell Matthew Duckett’s version came straight from the heart. He was hopeful and optimistic, but also the frustration, anger and trauma was clear behind his eyes. I think praise is also due here for casting an actor with a disability in the role of a disabled character. Newsies is a very dance heavy, physical show, so it’s important that with Crutchie they make sure the doors are opened to the right people to take on this role.

There are absolutely no weak links in sight across the whole board. Of course, some of the more prominent moments in Newsies are big ensemble numbers and they do not disappoint. There are so many standouts, it’s impossible to name all of them!

From New York to London

As some may be aware, there are some substantial changes that have been made from the original production. I’m going to write a post soon detailing these changes as I’ve had a few people asking me already. This will 100% be riddled with spoilers so read it at your own risk. But I’m aware there are many fans of the show who will be unable to make it to see this production and would love to know more.

Alternatively, there may be some people who have only ever seen this production and would be curious to know what it was formerly like. Of course, there is always the pro shot available on Disney + which you can watch (and I would definitely recommend). Many of the differences for this show are to do with the staging, set and choreography. The score and script remain completely intact, although with new orchestrations.

Final thoughts

As I said at the beginning, I am very impartial when it comes to this show. Teenage me was a huge fan of the show and I was lucky enough to catch it on Broadway a month before it closed. But I have always admitted to myself that whilst it may be a personal five star show for me, I understood why critically that may not be the case. However, exciting changes made to this production have elevated the show to whole new standards. All I know is before November I had seen Newsies live before, but I never imagined I would ever see it like this.

In this current climate, their story couldn’t be more relevant. Of course, the show doesn’t delve into the politics too much (it’s a Disney show), and the history is a very loose basis of the actual events. But Newsies is a story about fighting for what’s right and demanding fair pay, which is what everyone deserves in this life. It’s an uplifting tale where the underdogs prevail and, in this bleak world, we all need that joy right now.

Have you seen Newsies? Let me know what you thought in the comments!