Barnum
Barnum – Edinburgh Playhouse
Before typing a single word of criticism or praise, I must lay my cards on the table: I am hopelessly, shamelessly biased when it comes to Barnum.
This musical holds a uniquely treasured place in my heart. When I was eleven years old, my preparatory school staged its own ambitious production. I was cast in the title role. Our staging took a few practical liberties. Rather than tightrope walking across the stage in Act One, I navigated a PE balancing beam roughly two feet off the floor whilst a classroom assistant held my hand. Our music teacher powered through the entire, blistering brass band orchestration single-handedly on an upright piano. And my mother spent hours painstakingly hand-stitching sequins and vibrant red tails onto a blazer retrieved from a local charity shop. To say I came into the Edinburgh Playhouse leg of the UK tour with pre-existing affection for the show would be a massive understatement.
Written in 1980 by composer Cy Coleman and lyricist Michael Stewart (with a book by Mark Bramble), Barnum traces the life of P.T. Barnum—the ultimate prince of humbug—from his early museum days through his foray into politics and eventual union with James A. Bailey to form "The Greatest Show on Earth."
The first Act places significant focus on his museum era—and for good reason. Before the circus, Barnum made his fortune at 'Barnum’s American Museum' on the corner of Broadway and Ann Street in New York City. It was part natural history showcase, part theatre, and part carnival of sensational hoaxes and living curiosities. Visitors flocked to see everything from famous human exhibits like General Tom Thumb to Jumbo the Elephant to the notorious "Feejee Mermaid"—a taxidermied monkey torso stitched to a fish tail. Barnum famously posted signs in the museum reading "This Way to the Egress"; patrons eagerly followed the fancy word expecting another exotic creature, only to find themselves outside on the street, having to pay another admission fee to get back in.
It was during this museum period that Barnum executed one of his greatest promotional gambits: importing Jenny Lind, the opera star celebrated across Europe as the "Swedish Nightingale." Though American audiences had never heard her sing, Barnum marketed her with such hypnotic intensity that thousands greeted her ship in New York harbour. In the musical, her arrival disrupts Barnum's domestic stability with his wife Charity as he falls under Jenny's spell and tours the country with her. Jenny, played by Penny Ashmore, at this point in the musical sings Coleman's number "Love Makes Such Fools of Us All" which Penny does with great assurance and is one of the highlights of the show.
Viewing Barnum's history through a 2026 lens feels strikingly relevant, particularly as the narrative shifts to his real-life political career in Act Two. Barnum eventually pivoted from show business to politics, serving in the Connecticut House of Representatives and being elected Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1875. Watching a master manipulator turn audacious posturing, blatant humbug, and theatrical spectacle into populist appeal—and ultimately civic power—it is impossible not to draw direct parallels to Donald Trump, as well as plenty of other recent Presidents and Prime Ministers. Barnum mastered the art of convincing the public to love being sold a fantasy, proving that politics and circus showmanship have always shared a razor-thin partition. The stage design captures this thematic duality brilliantly—whether by design or happy accident—the circular floor markings feels like a cross between a traditional circus ring and the Oval Office. The overall staging remains remarkably effective, although the glowing BARNUM neon sign feel slightly heavy-handed
What makes this musical so rarely performed today is that ever since Michael Crawford famously created the role in the West End with his Olivier-winning display of circus skills, singing and sheer physical endurance, the show has carried a formidable reputation. It demands an extraordinary combination of traditional musical theatre craft, physical comedy, acrobatic skill, and unflagging charisma—a complexity that frightens off most prospective companies.
In this touring production, Matt Rawle steps into Barnum's boots. Opposite him, Monique Young as Charity Barnum, grounds the show as the steady anchor to her husband's chaotic ambitions. Navigating two equally rigorous roles, Matt and Monique give a convincing portrayal of marriage. Their stage presence possesses a genuine warmth and a subtle, charming vulnerability that renders their bond authentic. The production is elevated by the brilliant decision to feature all the musicians, many of whom are also actors in the show, on stage and choreographed throughout. Having the musicians visible and interwoven gives the score the centre stage it truly deserves. Cy Coleman’s music for Barnum remains criminally underrated. Coleman—the master tunesmith behind classics like "Big Spender" from Sweet Charity and "The Best Is Yet to Come"—crafted a score here that is a masterclass in brassy, joyful melody and rhythm. "Come Follow The Band", "Join The Circus", "The Colours of My Life" and "There Is a Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute" are all showstopping tunes.
Among the cast, the standout performance of the evening belonged to Dominique Planter as Joice Heth. She brought soul and buoyancy to "Thank God I'm Old"—Barnum's museum exhibit claiming to be the 161-year-old nurse of George Washington. Planter returned in Act 2 for "Black & White". Far more than just a gospel-infused ensemble piece, "Black & White" highlights the clash between Barnum’s world of colourful humbug and Charity’s desire for grounded, black-and-white truth—packaged brilliantly by Coleman as another musical hit.
To see Barnum staged with such warmth was a joy. It may not feature charity-shop blazers with homemade red tails or two-foot balancing beams, but this production captured every ounce of the magic and nostalgia that made me fall in love with the show all those years ago as a young boy. If nothing else, the score speaks for itself.
