Paul Jacob French takes the lead as Joe Buck - an impressively irritating cowboy. He must be applauded for his continuous commitment to character, as he remains on stage during the interval so as not to break what little emotional connection the audience manage to build. The same can be said of his co-principal (Eastenders' Max Bowden) for his performance of the sickly sidekick 'Rizzo', especially given the choice material he often had to work with. Their duo performance should not be understated, as the pair were the highlight of the piece.

Also executed to a high standard were the design aspects: with set and lighting by Andrew Exeter, and stylish costumes courtesy of Sophia Pardon. Not only did they manage to enhance the stilted direction but they wholly, fully realised elements themselves, that were only further electrified when brought together. Unfortunately Yvonne Gilbert’s sound design lets the team down, unaided by the actors' accent abilities... or lack thereof. 

Nick Winston is an undoubtedly marvellous choreographer. However, if this was your first experience of his work, you most likely disagree. The movement itself was of a professional standard, however was not executed in such a way that shows its full potential. This isn’t inherently a reflection of the cast, but more a recurring theme throughout the piece - it's a musical lacking musicality! 

The main irk with this production was simply its pace. Some scenes are unnecessarily elongated for what one would presume is supposed to be dramatic effect, however by act two this feels overdone and predictable and so is more like a lacklustre lullaby than an artistic approach.

The songs by Francis ‘Eg’ White are enjoyable at best but completely misplaced in this production. They throw the tempo of the whole piece entirely off kilter, so as much as it is gorgeous to hear the vocals of the (mostly) amazing singers, it just doesn't feel like the right platform for them. I certainly wouldn't class this soundtrack as a 'cast recording' any more than I would an Adele album.

Given that the two most recent Oliver Awards for ‘Best New Musical’ have gone to shows that really started their life at Southwark Playhouse (Operation Mincemeat - 2024 & The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 2025), it's clear that Midnight Cowboy has fallen short at this particular rodeo.

You can book tickets to Midnight Cowboy, here.

Review by Katie