A truly dazzling song and dance spectacle, MJ the Musical rides a heady wave of nostalgia through the blue chip catalogue of undisputed King of Pop, Michael Jackson. 

If you are going to do a jukebox musical, the jukebox may as well contain some of the greatest pop songs of all time. Cleverly centred around the 1992 rehearsal room for Jackson’s Dangerous world tour, MJ the Musical weaves memories and concert previews throughout the ongoing rehearsals, presenting more than 30 songs from across the decades. 

The highly theatrical concept sees props and people from the rehearsal room transform into places and characters from Jackson’s life, which he shares with an ardent MTV documentary maker. Jackson also becomes lost in his recollections, the ghosts of the past inexorably haunting his present day artistry. Commanding patriarch Joseph Jackson is seen as a womaniser and unrelenting bully, and it is no surprise when the character later morphs into the main monster in the concert performance of “Thriller.”

In her solid book, acclaimed playwright Lynn Nottage is occasionally heavy on the wikipedia-style factoids but overall facilitates a smooth journey from show-stopping production numbers to intimate family scenes. While Jackson’s world-domination success is taken for granted now, it is interesting to recollect the challenges he faced moving from beyond a narrow R&B focus to reacher a wider (ie whiter) audience. 

Genre-crossing director / choreographer Christopher Wheeldon is in peak form with MJ the Musical, collaborating with the full creative team to craft a sensational production that really dances. From rehearsal numbers in day wear to stunning fully staged concert numbers, Wheeldon both honours the legacy of Jackson’s unique and exacting style and pushes the boundaries in new and exciting ways. 

As Jackson shares and becomes lost in his memories, concert personnel flip back and forth between dual roles, often with split-second timing. The clarity and precision of this work illustrates Wheeldon’s expertise with direction and makes the biographical storytelling aspects all the more interesting to watch.

While the big hits rightly stand alone, terrific use is made of medleys, particularly in compacting storytelling across time. Climactic musical numbers are truly thrilling, with standouts including infectious toe-tapper “Dancing Machine,” act two closer “They Don’t Care About Us,” lavish New York-set “Smooth Criminal,” and classic 11 o’clock finale “Thriller.”

Music director Michael Azzopardi is often seen onstage with some musicians as part of the rehearsal room band. The full band features Azzopardi on keyboard leading 11 fellow musicians in a musical performance that is easily as sensational as the on-stage visuals. The immersive sound design of Gareth Owen is often chest-thumpingly loud, giving the strong impression of attending an actual concert. 

The synergy of creative elements reflects the strongest possible collaboration between designers. Scenic designer Derek McLaine, lighting designer Natasha Katz, and projection designer Peter Nigrini deliver a fully integrated performance space that magically transforms from a workmanlike rehearsal room to a glittering concert stage, with embedded lighting and featured projections at a premium. Act one closes with Jackson smashing a screen at a press conference, and the resulting stage full of floating shards of glass bearing snippets of projected news stories is memorable both for its bold storytelling impact and its sheer technical ingenuity. 

Costume designer Paul Tazewell adds significantly to the visual splendour, with fabulous highlights coming in the 1970s costumes of the Jackson Five. 

The Melbourne season of MJ the Musical is blessed with American performer Ilario Grant as MJ. Grant finds the perfect balance of losing himself in the role of Michael Jackson without doing an actual impression of the famed artist. Grant expertly adopts Jackson’s soft speaking voice, drawing the audience towards him in the role. Grant then brings out full strength vocals for the songs, and nails the iconic dance moves of Jackson.

In an auspicious professional theatre debut, Liam Damons gives a highly engaging performance as Michael, which is the name for the role in the time between the child and adult phases. Blessed with a winning smile, Damons capably demonstrates Jackson’s path to success in that period, balanced with an equally strong presence in dramatic scenes. 

The key roles of Joseph Jackson and tour manager Rob are shared, suggesting a type of authority figure that Michael Jackson was drawn towards. American artist Derrick Davis gives a superb performance in the dual roles, clearly distinguishing the characters, not shying from the unpleasant aspects of Joseph’s character, and singing with a decadently sumptuous bass voice. 

Penny McNamee skilfully takes the role of somewhat annoying MTV interviewer Rachel and underpins the character with good hearted humanity. Yashith Fernando gives solid support in the thankless role of videographer Alejandro. Stage veteran Tim Wright takes on a similarly underwritten role as finance manager Dave. 

Further skill in dual roles is seen in the slick work of Conlon Bonner as Tito Jackson / Quincy Jones and Wonza Johnson as Berry Gordy / Nick. 

Brimming with crossover appeal for musical theatre and pop music fans alike, MJ the Musical is world class in its construction and execution, sure to leave theatregoers on a buzzy high. 

MJ the Musical plays at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne. For tickets, click here. 

Photos: Daniel Boud