Barnum: The Circus Musical

10th to 14th February 2026
Palace Theatre & Opera House Manchester
ATG Tickets

Curtain Up: 19:35
Curtain Down: 21:45

‘BIG TOP. BIG THRILLS. BIG FUN’

‘LEE MEAD LEADS YOU ON A MERRY CIRCUS DANCE’

‘LEE MEAD HAD BIG CLOWN SHOES TO FILL…. & HE DID WITH EASE’

Tonight we braved the Manchester rain and popped along to the Manchester Palace Theatre for BARNUM - THE CIRCUS MUSICAL. A show that promises what it’s title suggests.

BARNUM explores the life of showman P.T. Barnum between 1835 and 1880, focusing on his partnership with wife Charity

Monique Young (Charity) was thoroughly believable and was a real show highlight. Penny Ashmore (Jenny Lind) the songbird steals Barnum’s spotlight with huge vocals and the audience was hanging on every word.

Fergus Rattigan (General Tom Thumb) really does excel in his part and has a rather large elephant to perform alongside.

Set & costume design by Lee Newby is thrilling. There’s a lot to pack into this show to really set the scene. It all felt rich with vintage antique nods. You’re transported immediately behind the big top canvas and can almost smell the greasepaint !

Musical supervision by George Dyer

Music: Features a score by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Michael Stewart.

The show features an ensemble cast of over 20, including circus performers and actor-musicians.

A talented troupe…. There were circus artists preforming whilst the cast sung this was both enthralling and distracting. Fire Eaters, trapeze, tumblers, jugglers, confetti cannons, puppetry, magic, Barnum really does have EVERYTHING thrown at it…. All enclosed in a beautiful 1870’s proscenium circus environment with some pretty neat lighting effects that transform from bold to subtle in a heart beat.

Roll up roll up for Lee mead walking a tightrope of thrills on the circus musical Barnum - there was no need to send in the clowns as he juggled the role well. There’s aerialists, tumblers and acrobats. Lee mead managed to fill Micheal Crawford very large clown sized shoes! This reviewer was 8 when he saw the mighty Michael take to the high wire in this role. It was one of my earliest memories. Travelling down to London full of expectation. I was lucky enough to see him again in the P.T. guise at the MGM Grand Hotel in 1996 when he was in EFX.

This version of Barnum had a lot of the Circus feels…. But I wanted a bit more tugging at the heart strings. The scenes skip quickly from song to song. Your left with a short dialogue between these songs and only x3 were memorable sadly - Come Follow The Band, Brick By Brick & There’s a sucker born ev’ry minute. You know that part on a Sunday night when it’s the Strictly results show…. They have a famous singer and then the pros glide into shot and perform around them? That’s what this show kept doing. You’d have heads singing and a performer spinning around behind them. You’re desperately trying to focus on the words of the lead but find yourself watching the talented Circus performer instead.

The audience which was a sell out were all on their feet cheering and it’s clear this production will go from strength to strength. The cast were selling each and every number - each line of dialogue with passion and grace. With shows like The Greatest Showman, Cirque - Barnum still has some energy in it to give a great night out at the theatre. *Stagey rumour that Disney’s Greatest Showman will be heading to Drury Lane*

Lee is performing until July when Matt Rawle dons the famous top hat & red tails.

Tickets are limited and are flying out like the human cannon ball of box office!

‘You won’t be a sucker if you book to witness BARNUM’

Book Now for Family Fun from the Big Top that’s guaranteed to brighten any Feb blues.

Plays until Saturday 14th February 2026

https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/barnum/palace-theatre-manchester/