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Beetlejuice

 
Paul T. Davies Review by Paul T. Davies 4 Published: 30 May 2026 Prince Edward Theatre, 28 Old Compton Street Show Dates: 21 May 2026-17 Apr 2027

Opening in the West End with goth sass raised to 11, Beetlejuice The Musical is peppered with contemporary digs at the UK and other musicals. This includes filthy and hilarious jokes about Paddington that will make fans choke on their marmalade sandwiches.

David Fynn is wonderfully manic as Beetlejuice.

This production at the Prince Edward Theatre is full of life, even if its subject is death. Based on the enduringly popular 1988 film, the music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect and the book by Scott Brown and Anthony King gleefully tap into the original source, and while some elements are firmly established goth tropes, it doesn’t feel dated.

The success of the evening is due mainly to David Fynn’s wonderfully manic performance as Beetlejuice, his connection with the audience firmly established from the outset in a striking opening that quickly wrong-foots the audience. Meta-theatre is joyously employed, and he has a striking Robin Williams-type energy that never drops throughout the show.

All the principals are strong, especially Hannah Nordberg as grieving teen Lydia, with soaring vocals, and Aimie Atkinson’s superb life coach Delia. The duet No Reason, performed by Lydia and Delia, is a show highlight. David Hunter and Chelsea Halfpenny are perfect as the boring ghostly Maitlands, and Alisdair Harvey exudes great fun as dad Charles. What is particularly striking is how hard the ensemble works, with costume changes and character switches performed with aplomb and panache.

It doesn’t break ground within the gothic musical tradition, the design is quite conventional, and occasionally the material is stretched a little thin. The Netherworld number What I Know Now, although beautifully executed, feels very much like filler. Fynn is also so charismatic as Beetlejuice that I occasionally found myself impatient for him to return on stage. However, it builds very well to the wedding scene and Beetlejuice’s final exit. Just as you thought Paddington was safe, it is worth being in your seat for.

The show seemingly has a built-in fanbase and it’s wonderfully atmospheric to see some cosplay in the auditorium. It delivers exactly what everyone wants and should settle in for a long run.

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The Blurb:

Based on Tim Burton's beloved movie classic, this wildly funny — and weirdly life-affirming — musical tells the tale of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager sharing her home with a pair of newly-deads and the demonic ghost with the most, Beetlejuice. He's dead trouble, but if you really want to feel alive, just say his name three times…