★★★★ REVIEW: The Witches (National Theatre) | 2023 new Roald Dahl musical London / west end

[@joeevans5770]

The hex review is part of the Mickey Jo deeplore

[@hannahcostanzo7488]

This review was fantastic! Don't worry about them being "too long" - as long as you have things to say its fine

[@lisa-lisa-lisa]

"villains dream so big" - come for the theater stay for the life lessons

[@matth3w2002]

I feel like what makes Matilda work so well is that, for the most part, the adaptation of the story feels so far removed from Roald Dahl’s often heavy handed dark and cynical style that it actually gives the story an extra emotional layer to it.

[@LauraTRAVIS-l4p]

I would really agree with this. There is so much subtext and commentary on what growing up is and what it means to be a child and be an adult. I honestly think it greatly improved on the source material in adding complexity that makes it so great for all ages. The story Matilda tells then coming in at My House gets me every time. And how When I Grow Up adds this beautiful heartbreaking idea of what you dream being an adult is like and imagining it is having all this bravery and confidence that it is really children who have, not adults.

[@daisukefan92]

omg lovin' the way your hair looks in this video, Mickey Jo!

[@ladyarabellamalfoy]

Shorter reviews? Whatever for? Talk as long as you want. For someone like me who does not live in the UK and doubtfully will ever see those shows, I can listen about them for hours.

[@if3359]

Same!

[@megzworld1684]

Love the new hair btw x

[@LauraTRAVIS-l4p]

Two Matilda-related comments: 1. The callout moment into the audience sounds like a badly executed attempt at a Telly moment like in Matilda. 2. Katherine Kingsley played young Miss Trunchbull in the Matilda musical movie so she now has played two Dahl villains.

[@alice5790]

i knew I'd heard Kingsley's name before !

[@rachi5212]

Surely there is a Mickey MOUSE in your home!?!?!?!?

[@ChienaAvtzon]

IKR?

[@vdemarzo2375]

It’s funny to see how different people respond differently to the show, all my friends LOVED the soup song and were unimpressed with the children’s ballad (Get Up).

[@trocks7418]

Just seen this (without kids) and thought it was very good but agree it feels like a work in progress. I think that someone needs to use a red pen and cut parts of this and certainly some of the songs ( but leave Bruno alone!). The phone call fell v flat - wasn’t needed, not part of the story and was embarrassing to watch. But enjoyed it and the theatre was lovely.

[@lilacsilk]

I just saw this with the first cast on Friday! IT WAS AMAZING!! I really hope it goes to Broadway

[@MajorAlenko]

I saw it twice in previews and it was just so chaotic. Had show stops in both performances. That pesky revolve. The second time seeing it, there was a very audible crack and break of the set at one point and some of the ensemble looked terrified 😅 But it was fixed during interval so wasn’t too bad. *tiny spoiler next* The best was at the end when mouse Bruno is supposed to fall onto the stage by parachute. But his poor little parachute got caught somewhere in the rafters so they had to act out that entire scene still acting to him in the rafters 😂 With the dad character finishing the scene with ‘well we better go get him then’ something along those lines. It was hilarious.

[@emergingmuses]

I so wish I lived in the UK to see this. Loved your thoughts on it. Also, the purple lighting made your hair look like it had purple highlights and I loved it hahaha 🐁🐀

[@rachel-vx3mu]

I was supposed to see this on previews but the first two were cancelled so I didn’t bother in the end and I’ve heard a lot about the set breaking and a few stops to the performance so I’m surprised at all the good reviews I’ve seen for it

[@taylordevon12]

saw this today and i thought exactly the same about the wigs and the gloves!!

[@meganthewriter589]

I saw this two weeks ago and although I really did enjoy it, Grand High Witch definitely needed a lot more - like you said. She has an incredible voice, it just felt like she was wasted at times! And I know you said you loved that song, I really hated the Get Up song... that whole scene was laughably bad to me and a lot of the audience around me felt the same.

[@ryebread9299]

I’m loving this haircut/style and the content is incredible as always Mickey Jo! ❤❤❤ (didn’t know the witches was a Dave Malloy joint! I’m super excited now!)

[@k1tkat-kate]

idk why but the 'I'm gonna have to go back and buy a mouse' bit for some reason made me giggle so much!

[@kueller917]

Was curious about this to see Dave Malloy writing again but shame the run is so short. Already going to London in February for Hadestown so can't really afford another trip so close.

[@shushannahcr8774]

Great review Mickey. I was there too last night. Just to say that Luke and Bruno were played by Bertie Caplan and Cian Eagle-Service on opening night. They both did a fantastic job 🌟🌟

[@nixastra1745]

They should still do a James and the Giant Peach the Musical, maybe adapting songs from the film too?

[@annaklaus8377]

Thank you! Really helpful in helping me make up my mind about booking.

[@if3359]

Don't shorten your reviews Mickey! I love how comprehensive they are! And yes, you're right, in several Jewish orthodox groups (married) women wear wigs. (There are other orthodox groups where they wear head coverings)

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

Out of topic- You look like you're about to represent Finland at Eurovision with something emo. And I say it as a compliment, I love the Finnish at Eurovision. You also look good.

[@gillyuk1013]

When I saw this in previews it was kind of a mess and I said that although I had a 4* time it really was only *just* a 3* show. Hopefully it does develop over time because it has great potential. Katherine Kingsley is great though. A very vampy, campy Grand High Witch.

[@Talilma]

I am literally only here to say your hair looks amazing.

[@LauraTRAVIS-l4p]

I am curious on how scary you think it is for children? Just as someone who had literal nightmares from the book and original movie, I have had a lot of skepticism to this adaptation and how this would work as a musical. I also really appreciate you bringing up Dahl's antisemitism and the elements of that in this story because it is not really talked about enough.

[@coltraingo]

We took our kids to one of the performances. Ages 7 & 9. They loved it and were not frightened at all. And usually our youngest gets scared going to pick out a Halloween costume. 😅 We thoroughly enjoyed it as well with lots of laughs and some very memorable scenes / songs. Actually, so much so that we are scouting the web for the score.

[@trocks7418]

Just been to see it - the opening/introduction is probably the most scary bit… but it’s long - 2hrs 45mins I think - which is possibly the bigger consideration!

[@operationlivetheatre]

Non-theatre question, did you do something different with your hair? It looks good!

[@rburns5495]

Love the bear. Love your hair. Impossible for any of your reviews to be too long ..

[@gstone8255]

I saw the Stockhom production of Matilda the musical yestertoday !

[@RachelMay1989]

I too would be sad if I wasn't invited to the Witch Conference in a Bournemouth Hotel.

[@joanneanderson3860]

I enjoy your more detailed reviews

[@falcore]

I was thinking about getting tickets for early January... might we expect some developments by then do you suppose? Really enjoyed your review... you are always how I make my decision on whether I should see things or not. 💁‍♂

[@mccafferyfamily]

I'm going to work for a week in London from Australia and managed to book this in during first week of december (+ Guys & Dolls, Royal Albert Hall John Rutter Christmas Special, and Kings College Choir Carol service....) might be able to cram one more matinee in? Last time I saw Sunset Boulevard and have seen already in London most of the long running stuff...any other tips what to see?

[@ee1529]

I saw it last night and loved it! I agree with some of your criticisms but really only little things that could improve it if it goes to the West End. I disagree with the bit in the Grand High Witch's number, I loved what they did in there, such a great moment (no spoilers!)

[@DerekMckean]

I was lucky to see a National Theatre production of Let The Right One In, when they went on tour to the United States. Although Washington DC has its own theatre with the same name, i know we had The Royal National Theatre of London performing in Seattle became everyone had a strong Scottish accent and Christian Ortega was in the leading role. Actually, Let The Right One In might be one of those niche plays that caters to a small demographic. In this production, it had all adults who played younger. Hence, it did help the play to avoid being too juvenile or too Twilight. And ut had some spooky parts and sone stunts. However, the general reception was good. However, there were 2 adults in the front row who did not stand and applaud for the leads. While it's not required to give a standing ovation to the lead actors, actors may notice you if you are in the front row abd not clapping. It is one thing to be in the middle or rear orchestra and sit and no one will notice. However, if you are jn the front row and everyone starts to stsnd for the main actors, you should stand out of respect.

[@kilimenjiro3753]

Not to be pedantic… That was the National Theatre of Scotland that made Let the Right One In. Different company

[@DerekMckean]

​@@kilimenjiro3753 it was still an honor that they toured the U.S and not just the U.K

[@theshadowdirector]

Do let us know if you're ever back down in Bournemouth! Though I know only so many shows stop there.

[@tpleahy5175]

Correct on the wigs as a practice among orthodox women

[@AnimalMagnetism1965]

I've just seen it. I enjoyed it & laughed a lot. However I did feel it was too long for the slight plot, it could definitely lose 3 or 4 songs.

[@Landis963]

27:46 ...Does the thing that happens to her directly after also happen in the musical? (being vague for the purposes of spoilers)

[@arsonist___]

Unrelated, but I like your hair a lot in this video!

[@JonMannNews]

I really enjoyed the show. Funnily enough what you disliked about the show I loved (the soup song was lyrically, comically and rhythmically genius I thought, and I thought the Patti Lupone moment was a brilliant lead in to the GHW’s song) and what you loved I was a bit more reserved about! Agree it’s no Matilda but it has potential. Agree there needs to be a big musical number. They use a lot of Dahl’s original lyrics (Down with children, do them in… which I could probably recite all of it as I’ve read the book a thousand times), but this could have been made much bigger, as you say, a defining end of Act 1 number with the GHW leading the helm. I thought it was gloriously camp and trod the family/child/adult line fairly well. Rough around the edges but very well done I thought.

[@andydolan8061]

Hey Mikey, any comments on the makeup ?

[@CecTate-x6r]

Hi I have seen the witches the play , the musical sounds a lot different I may see it sometime.

[@Waggers789]

I enjoyed it, so parts were too long. The cast are great. My expectation was so low after Hex but I was very surprised. Apparently kids that have seen the show has been quite scared, god help them if they seen the original film. The kid I saw play Bruno was amazing if Billy Elliot was still running he would of made a great Michael.I that during the first preview I was told that the thing that happens during the second act, the audience turned on the child and we’re booing them.

[@LauraTRAVIS-l4p]

As a literal adult who was terrified by that film and the book, I literally am nervous to go see this musical if I even have the chance 😂

[@Waggers789]

@@LauraTRAVIS-l4p same the film is terrifying and brilliant! I didn’t realise Jim Henson did the puppets. The show is great and worth seeing.

[@LauraTRAVIS-l4p]

@@Waggers789 Yes! And I think Jim Henson like convinced Roald Dahl to still put his name on it or something because the kid turned back into a human which like made him mad for whatever reason lol, I honestly think I would appreciate the humor in it now as an adult, I am just a bit nervous to watch it still if I am honest 😅

[@Waggers789]

@@LauraTRAVIS-l4p as a kid terrifying but as an adult I’m fascinated by all the different elements on how they brought it to life. They don’t do puppetry or make up like that anymore.

[@jennyhacking1289]

Only just got round to watching, but I did want to comment on your point about the wigs and gloves, and i wondered whether this was a choice to make you purposely question who is and isn't a witch, as they are often in disguise and could be anyone, so you are left guessing just like Luke is.

[@henryriley4958]

I can’t wait for this!

[@ChienaAvtzon]

Thank you, for pointing out how antisemitic the portrayal of witches is in “The Witches”. Mickey, you were correct about Orthodox Jewish women wearing wigs. It is specifically something only married women do. Even as a child, I figured out how antisemitic the story was.

[@MrMakeDo]

Miss the quiff

[@aerials_etc]

I adore you but my friend, please stop apologizing for things!!! Nobody is complaining about a half hour video and if they do, that's not entirely your problem as many people will love the longer format. Can't please everyone. I hope one day you'll be less apologetic for your amazing videos! P.S. Also love the new hair style.

[@andyhornby8710]

I saw it a week ago in previews and unfortunately, for the first time, I left in the interval. I found It a boring, lazy and lacklustre production. Hopefully they have ironed things out (character choices, staging and 'tricks' to name a few) but it was very underwhelming. Some things definitely work better on screen than stage.

[@ellie1981]

I absolutely loved it and thought it was better than Matilda, which I found quite stale when I saw it. I laughed all the way through this. So many fun characters and the script was hilarious.

[@gstone8255]

I think some gay men might a special thing for Witchs.

[@DerekMckean]

Although I haven't seen this musical, a bit of stage combat that's a bit comrdic yet captivating where witches are going after childten and tripping over their own feet and complaining like white valley girls. That way the adults have something to laugh at.

[@carlito876]

I’ve found it really hard to enjoy the work of a lot of artists and writers i did when i was younger once i realize how racist, anti semetic, misogynist etc etc they and often their work is..i haven’t really worked it out in my head but the former joy is definitely tainted. Loved dr. Doolittle and tintin as a child…sad