Last Updated on 11 February 2026 by Colette
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I have to admit that prior to getting the invited to go watch Barnum at Palace Theatre Manchester this February, I had never heard of it but I quickly realised this was going to be right up Amy’s street. She’s currently loving all things musicals (Everyone’s Talking about Jamie is her most recent discovery!) so she was really excited for our night at the theatre together!
Barnum first took the UK by storm when it played the London Palladium some 45yrs ago, with Michael Crawford making theatrical history with a death-defying nightly tightrope walk across the stage. And now, Lee Mead steps into Barnum’s shoes and on to the tightrope – no trickery here, he literally walks a tightrope across the stage and whilst there are some wobbles, I actually felt like they were for effect – he looked completely in control and like he could have skipped across it!
This lively musical tells the story of the legendary 19th century American showman and circus founder P.T. Barnum, taking us on his journey via career twists and turns as he “dreams and schemes” his way from being a struggling businessman with plenty of ambition and more than a little “humbug” to becoming the creator of spectacular entertainment and eventually the world-famous circus.
As the story progresses, Barnum builds his reputation by showcasing unusual and exciting acts (like Tom Thumb and “the world’s oldest woman), and his shows grow bigger and more dramatic. But his obsession with success puts strain on his marriage and forces him to choose between fame and family. Amy was absolutely not impressed when Barnum chose to leave his wife for one of the performers, especially as she really liked his straight-talking, sensible wife, Charity.
In the end, Barnum realizes that while chasing dreams is important, the people who support you matter most and he manages to find something of a balance between his ambition and his love for his wife Charity.
Barnum is upbeat and full of circus energy. The ensemble cast of over 20 actor-musicians playing 150 instruments, along with acrobats and circus acts mean there is nothing low key about this performance – we loved all the ariel work and the springboard seesaw was a particular highlight. Barnum is an absolute spectacle, a real feast for the eyes. At times there was so much going on on stage that I didn’t really know where to focus my attention but of course this all adds to the sensory overload that is circus!
Now not every show is for everybody and despite all the razzmatazz, this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me – whilst I was impressed by the scenery, the costumes, the singing, the choreography, the performance – I just wasn’t invested in the story. I just didn’t care enough. I had thought perhaps I was being a little grumpy about it but Amy said to me at the interval “It’s not my favourite” which I think summed it up nicely. There’s a lot going on and the level of skill and talent on display cannot be denied but I just wasn’t a massive fan unfortunately.
Barnum plays at Palace Theatre Manchester from Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th February 2026 before moving on to York, Brighton, Aylesbury, Woking, Richmond, Torquay, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Wimbledon.
If you’re looking for parking near the Palace Theatre, you’ll find that here and this list of places to eat near the Palace Theatre might be useful too.
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