There are forty-two tracks on the cast album of Jo – The Little Women Musical, five of which are reprises. At its world premiere, the running time was just over three hours. It may well be a cliché to say a new piece of theatre could do with some trimming, but this one really could, especially in the first half, in which I felt like I was at a Josh Groban concert. The twenty-seven strong orchestra, sometimes flanked by a twelve strong chorus, did an extraordinary job. But the music swelled with such regularity that musical numbers started sounding very much like one another. This was a musical that relied too much on the kind of big, majestic ballads that end on a Really Long and Loud Note. Yes, Broadway and West End audiences love that sort of thing, but even the Act One closing number, designed to send the audience into the interval on an emotional high, didn’t do anything for me in terms of being wowed by proceedings. I wasn’t won over until Amy (Sophie Pollono) and Laurie’s (Tobias Turley) big number, six scenes into Act Two (out of nine).
Perhaps the semi-staged concert setting played a part in creating a state of confusion. It wasn’t always clear, until one read the programme afterwards, what scenes took place when, or indeed why. The action begins with a long scene in which the March sisters, in December 1861, appear to be playacting. Readers familiar with the coming-of-age novel will know what is meant by ‘The Pickwick Portfolio’. They will also know the oldest sister, Meg (Kelly Mathieson) is sixteen when the story begins. Jo (Christine Allado) is fifteen, Beth (Eleanor Grant) is thirteen and Amy is twelve. The production didn’t cast teenage girls in these roles, and it wasn’t the only aspect that might confuse anyone who hasn’t at least read the novel’s Wikipedia page.
That said, patrons are likely to have some familiarity with the story – after all, why would anyone be persuaded to book to see something called Jo – The Little Women Musical knowing nothing at all about Little Women? There have been several film adaptations, play adaptations, an opera adaptation and – wait for it – another musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2005. I’ve seen three different productions of the musical Little Women, and I have to say they all resonated more strongly than Jo.
This version came across as rather sanitised – nobody burns someone else’s manuscript out of spite, for instance, depriving the show of a key moment of dramatic tension, and one that lasted, in terms of the novel’s timeline, for some time. Visually, this ‘world premiere concert’ could have done with taking down, during the performance itself, a huge backdrop sign covering much of the back wall of the stage with the show’s title on it. Seeing the word ‘Jo’ insistently writ large when one of the other sisters had a solo number was more than a little off-putting. It took someone with the stage presence and authority of Tracie Bennett’s Aunt March for me to momentarily forget the big ‘Jo’ sign.
Even by nineteenth-century standards, the teenage sisters seem too agreeable with regards to practically everything (yes, I’ve seen episodes of The Waltons, and Little House on the Prairie, and the characters there seemed infinitely more willing to disagree, if not argue). The roleplay scenes, good as they were, seemed a missed opportunity to link Jo’s personal fears and frustrations with her creative writing. The second half had a greater variety of musical styles to enjoy, and some of the orchestrations, rightly or wrongly, had the feel of a motion picture score.
I can’t help thinking I might have found the show more engaging if there were a few direct addresses to the audience from the title character. Jo March is a writer who strives to be a published author, so some inner thoughts expressed aloud would be in keeping with the essence of the character. The sheer wholesomeness of the show might be too dull for people who want to see some pizzazz – this isn’t exactly a show with jazz hands and athletic dance routines. Then again, in such a bleak world as the one we inhabit today, perhaps it’s the right time for a staged portrayal of a family and community that conducts themselves with civility and decorum. Because if history repeats itself, then maybe, just maybe, the respectable living of the March clan, whatever curveballs life throws at them, could be on its way back. I wish the show well as it continues to develop.
Review by Chris Omaweng
A universal story. A cultural moment.
A reimagined take on Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic. At its heart is Jo March, a passionate young writer whose grief over losing her sister transforms into the story we all know and love. With a lush, timeless score and bold new perspective, Jo brings universal themes of family, ambition and identity into sharp focus for today’s audiences – reminding us that the fight to claim one’s voice and purpose is as relevant now as it was then.
Christine Allado – Jo March
Kerry Ellis – Marmee March
Tracie Bennett – Aunt March
Kelly Mathieson – Meg March
Eleanor Grant – Beth March
Sophie Pollono – Amy March
Tobias Turley – Theodore “Laurie” Laurence
Chris Mann – Professor Bhaer
Julian Ovenden – Father March
Liam Tamne – John Brooke
Barry James – Grandfather Laurence
Miyuki Miyagi – Sallie Gardiner / March Sisters Standby
Yazdan Qafouri – Fred Vaughn
Lydia Bannister, William Bozier, Michael Lin, Gabriella Tooma – Featured Ensemble
Music by Dan Redfeld
Book and Lyrics by Christina Harding and John Gabriel Koladziej
Based on the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Director and Choreographer – JoAnn M Hunter
Music Director – Dan Redfeld
Designer – Elin Steele
Lighting Designer – Rory Beaton
Sound Designer – Nick Pugh
Orchestrator – Dan Redfeld
Stylist – Amii McIntosh
Associate Director and Choreographer – Billy Mitchell
JO – THE LITTLE WOMEN MUSICAL
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
25 January 2026
