Promising Musical with Lovers from different worlds ...
“A witch boy from the mountain came,
A-pinin’ to be human,
Fer he had seen the fairest gal…
A gal named Barbara Allen.”
From “The Ballad of Barbara Allen”
“Just remember: being human is heart breaking.”
Conjur Man
The origin of the story of this musical lies in the folk song Barbara Allen of Scots and Irish tradition, going back to the 17th century. Dark of the Moon is set in the Appalachian Mountains which stretch from Newfoundland to Alabama. Part of the Appalachian range are the Smoky Mountains, from Tennessee to North Carolina, which were settled by people from Scotland and Ireland, hardy people who could cope with making a living from inhospitable terrain. The musical colour hue of greys and blues reflects the misty, mysterious climate where there are ancient beliefs in witches and ethereal creatures.
These are isolated communities, often independent from other areas and with prejudices about outsiders. A Singer (Kiah Lindsay) sings a narration with the first part of “The Ballad of Barbara Allen”. A scene switches to the townsfolk in “Ordinary Life”, a hoe down dance using folk or country music, with blue grass resonances, which introduces some of the personalities.
In the shadows are an eerie group of witches, lit only by the moon and unseen by humans. The lighting changes to a red lit coven with the witches skulking around. John (Glenn Adamson) is a witch boy with magic powers and, a human girl Barbara Allen (Lauren Jones), has caught his eye. Barbara is being pursued romantically by local farmer Marvin Hudgens (Samuel Murray) but every night in her dreams she dances with John.
There is a funeral for Mrs Wharton whose husband Mr Wharton (David-Michael Johnson) is the shop keeper. We meet the preacher Reverend Haggler (Martin Callaghan, who has a very fine deep voice). There are five witches, Conjur Man (Gary Turner), Conjur Woman (Josie Benson), Arwen (Appolilly Szwarc), Devin (Jordan Broatch) and Raven (Al Knott). Together with John, their costume and make-up is other worldly and their movement full of mystery. The Witches need to number Six to take back their land and their agenda is to fully recruit John the Witch Boy who had a human mother, but he wants to be human with Barbara Allen.
John and Barbara have two great duets in the First Act of “Wildflower” and “Maybe”. These original songs by Lindy Robbins, Dave Bassett and Steve Robson are really tuneful as their song writing pedigree assures us. “Ordinary Life” John asks Conjur Man and Conjur Woman in “Make Me Human” if he can become human to wed Barbara Allen, the condition being that he will be permanently human, if he stays there living as a human for a whole year and Barbara is faithful to him. The spell to make him become a man, has a condition that he could live with a broken heart, a malaise unknown to pure witches.
The sets by Libby Todd are all-wood mountain dwellings but above the lighting and smoke give the witches their own supernatural world. I really liked the contrast between the witches’ costumes and make up and those of the townsfolk. Georgie Rankcom has done a good job directing this large cast who are universally strong and believable. Josie Benson is powerful vocally especially in “Play Dirty” with the witches. Both Glenn Adamson and Lauren Jones are consummate professional singers, as well as being singers who can act and show vulnerability. I really liked the rock number “Certified Rockstar” when Glenn Adamson can show his rockstar ability.
There is much to relate to as this story grows and I found myself really caring about them. I have always preferred the darker musicals and Dark of the Moon gives a sinister side, not from the witches but from prejudice. John, as a truly emo witch, has difficulty finding work as an outsider; the townsfolk are suspicious of him and superstitiously blame the failure of the crops on him. Now in its newest staging I think it has the potential, with some fine tuning. to find a growing audience of admirers. There has already been some for whom it has caught on seeing it several times in the first few weeks. I’d happily see it again very soon.
And if this musical wasn’t already cool enough for you, welcome to the best and quietest air conditioning of any London theatre at Charing Cross!
Musical Numbers
Act One
The Ballad of Barbara Allen Part One
Ordinary Life
Under Our Spell
Wildflower
Make Me Human
Dark of the Moon – Spell Version
Raising Hell in Heaven
Maybe
Hey Johnny
I’d Die For You
Life Sucks
With This Ring
Act Two
The Ballad of Barbara Allen Part Two
Look at Them
Certified Rockstar
The Longest Night
Wildflower (Reprise)
Play Dirty
Maybe (Reprise)
Raising Hell in Heaven (Reprise)
Unthinkable
Dark of the Moon
Forgive Me
The Ballad of Barbara Allen Part Three
Raising Hell in Heaven Bows
Production Notes
Dark of the Moon
Authors Howard D Richardson, William Berney
Book by Jonathan Prince
Composers and Lyricists Lindy Robbins, Dave Bassett, Steve Robson
Director Georgie Rankcom
Cast
Starring:
Glenn Adamson
Lauren Jones
Josie Benson
Martin Callaghan
Gary Turner
Gemma Maclean
Sue Appleby
Jordan Broatch
Al Knott
David-Michael Johnson
Wills Mercado
Kiah Lindsay
Thomas-Lee Kidd
Samuel Murray
Appolilly Szwarc
Creatives
Director: Georgie Rankcom
Choreographer: Jane McMurtrie
Designer: Libby Todd
Musical Supervisor: Brad Haak
Orchestrator: Dillon Kondor
Musical Director: Matt Herbert
Information
Running Time: Two hours 40 minutes with an interval
Booking until 8th August 2026
Theatre:
Charing Cross Theatre
The Arches
Villiers Street
London WC2N 6NL
Website: www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 08444 930 650
Tube: Embankment
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge
at the Charing Cross Theatre
on 26th May 2026
