Frenetic Musical

“You look like a bloated zebra that a lion ripped apart and then didn’t eat ’cause something was obviously wrong with it so it just rotted in the hot African sun …”  

Lydia Deetz

David Fynn as Beetlejuice and Hannah Nordberg as Lydia Deetz (Photo: : Johan Persson)

The 1988 movie from Tim Burton had the character Beetlejuice on screen for twenty minutes.  The stage musical has been extensively rewritten for the Broadway stage and really is not for fans of the movie.  Beetlejuice is hardly ever off stage in the musical. However, only having watched part of the movie, I can tell that this sort of humour really isn’t for me in either media.

We are told that Beetlejuice has no filter and can only conclude that he needs one.  What David Fynn as Beetlejuice also needs is singing lessons as, on the night I saw the show, he was constantly hitting flat notes unless this was some weird attempt to imitate Michael Keaton’s raspy vocal delivery?  Not the best look for the star of a West End musical. 

David Hunter as Adam Maitland, David Fynn as Beetlejuice and Chelsea Halfpenny as Barbara Maitland. (Photo: Johan Persson)

This shows feels that someone has thrown everything into the mix, regardless of the over the top effect of too much comedy, too many sex jokes, too many profanities ignoring a relentless need for some calm and peace.

There are two story lines.  Adam and Barbara Maitland (David Hunter and Chelsea Halfpenny) have died not in a car accident as in the movie but they die by electrocution in the house they are renovating.  Their later agenda is to save their house from the people who have bought it. A thousand year old ghost named after the red star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion, but known as Beetlejuice needs his name said three times by a living person to be seen and heard by humans. The Maitlands call on him for help in reclaiming their home from the new residents.  They need to learn how to be scary ghosts.

Aimee Atkinson as Delia and Alasdair Harvey as Charles Deeks (Photo: Johan Persson)

The house is bought by a widower Charles Deeks (Alasdair Harvey) who plans to live there with his new age, crystal reading girlfriend Delia (Aimie Atkinson) and his Goth daughter Lydia (Hannah Nordberg).  Lydia is missing her mother and seeks Beetlejuice’s help to contact her in the NetherWorld.  

The sets for Beetlejuice are extravagant, the lighting is phenomenal and the special effects and illusions are no expense spared. Fortunately the rest of the cast can sing well but there is no getting away from the frenetic direction when Beetlejuice is onstage.  Really the Broadway production, which was plagued by Covid closures, has come to the Prince Edward intact with its American director, designers and choreographer.

Hannah Nordberg as Lydia, David Hunter a Adam and Chelsea Halfpenny as Barbara (Photo: Johan Persson)

Production Notes

Beetlejuice the Musical 

Book by Anthony King and Scott Brown

Music and Lyric Eddie Perfect

Directed by Alex Timbers

Cast

Starring:

David Hunter

Aimie Atkinson

Alasdair Harvey

Chelsea Halfpenny

Chris Draper

David Fynn

Jemma Alexander

Richard Frame

Robbie McMillan

Irvine Iqbal

Tom Xander

Natasha Cayabyab

Adam Taylor

Hannah Nordberg

Chasity Crisp

Rachel Macdougall

Vanessa Auror Sierra

Samuel Bangs

Harley Emmitt

Catherine McCormick

Kieran Mellish

Elliott Parry

Jacob Smith

Tyler Timmins

Issie Wilman

Creatives

Director: Alex Timbers

Choreographer: Connor Gallagher

Set Designer: David Korins

Costume Designer: William Ivey Long

Musical Supervisor and Orchestrator:  Kris Kukul

Magic and Illusion Designer: Michael Weber

Special Effects: Jeremy Chernick

Puppet Designer: Michael Curry

Lighting Designer: Kenneth Posner

Sound Designer: Peter Hylenssky

Video/projection designer: Peter Nigrini

Information

Running Time: Two hours 30 minutes with an interval

Booking until 17th April 2027

 

Theatre:

Prince Edward  Theatre

Old Compton Street

London W1D 4HS

Box Office 0344 482 5151

Tube: Leicester Square

Website:  https://beetlejuicemusical.co.uk/

Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge

at  the Prince Edward  on 27th May 2026