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The Jonathan Larson Project

 
Max Allen Review by Max Allen 4 Published: 21 Jul 2026 Southwark Playhouse Borough Show Dates: 9 Jul 2026-22 Aug 2026

History is littered with great artists and visionaries taken too soon. Their celebrated works become canon: carefully curated masterpieces that remain with audiences long after their creators are gone. It's easy to imagine that brilliance simply poured from their minds onto the page. Rarely do we see the discarded ideas, the unfinished drafts, or the songs that weren't quite right. We seldom get to witness the process that made these artists human.

!nfectious energy, inventive choreography and remarkable vocal performances

The Jonathan Larson Project is a celebration of that process. Rather than revisiting only the works that made Larson famous, it explores the songs that were left unfinished, never released, or written without an accompanying show. In doing so, it offers audiences the chance to hear the foundations of the voice that would eventually produce Rent and Tick, Tick... Boom!, while delivering a thoroughly entertaining evening of music along the way.

Those looking for a conventional narrative may find themselves disappointed. This is less a musical than a carefully curated showcase of Larson's catalogue. Director John Simpkins wisely avoids forcing an overarching story onto material written across different periods and for different purposes. Instead, he trusts the music and assembles an exceptionally talented cast who move effortlessly from song to song, packing the ninety-minute running time with infectious energy, inventive choreography and remarkable vocal performances.

The production understands exactly what it is trying to be, and I never found myself wishing for a stronger narrative. Attempting to artificially connect these disparate works would likely have distracted from the songs themselves.

That said, as someone largely unfamiliar with much of Larson's lesser-known material, I occasionally found myself struggling to grasp the emotional context behind certain numbers. Without the framework of the shows they were originally written for, some of their impact inevitably felt diluted as the evening moved rapidly between vastly different styles and themes.

Even so, there is something wonderfully nostalgic, raw and deliberately unpolished about the production. It feels like an honest celebration of Larson's artistic voice, imperfections and all. Imelda Warren-Green delivers several genuinely show-stopping performances, though the entire ensemble performs with remarkable commitment, ensuring the show's energy never falters.

If you're looking for a tightly plotted musical, this may not be for you. But if you're interested in experiencing the work of one of musical theatre's most influential writers through a diverse collection of songs, performed with talent and genuine enthusiasm, The Jonathan Larson Project is well worth your time.

Amir Nisi

Max Allen

Max Allen is an award-winning writer and performer whose acclaimed work has been staged across the UK and Europe. His debut play, FRAT, played to sold-out audiences in London and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He has a keen interest in emerging theatre, which continues to inspire and inform his own creative practice.

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The Blurb:

The Jonathan Larson Project makes its UK premiere!

This new production commemorates 30 years since Larson’s death on the very eve of his greatest success.Max Harwood (the breakout star as Jamie New in the film Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Imelda Warren-Green (Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder in the West End), Michael Mather (currently playing Fiyero on the international tour of Wicked), Natalie Kassanga (Satine in Moulin Rouge! The Musical and original West End cast of Dear Evan Hansen) and Marcus Collins (original West End cast of Kinky Boots), will star in the European premiere of The Jonathan Larson Project.Following a critically acclaimed Off-Broadway run, The Jonathan Larson Project will premiere in London at Southwark Playhouse Borough.An electrifying celebration of the groundbreaking composer behind Rent and tick, tick… BOOM!, it is being reimagined for London by the original Off-Broadway director, John Simpkins.The Jonathan Larson Project is a show about a young man following his heart in New York City trying to change the world. The show offers a rare and exhilarating window into Larson’s creative world, featuring previously unheard songs from the late composer’s archives. They illuminate the artistry, activism, and restless imagination of one of musical theatre’s most influential voices.The 2026 London production holds special significance, marking 30 years since Jonathan Larson’s death in January 1996 from an aortic dissection just one day before Rent’s first performance in New York.Jonathan Larson’s sister, Julie, said “It means so much to us to bring this show to a UK audience and to continue honouring Jonathan’s extraordinary work and legacy. This new celebration of my brother’s previously unheard music offers an intimate portrait of an artist who was truly ahead of his time, and we are deeply honoured to share it with you”.This exciting UK cast of West End stars will bring Larson’s early, experimental, and never-heard work to life with bold theatricality and contemporary resonance.

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