Burlesque the Musical is a rambunctious rendition of a beloved classic

FEATHERS and diamonds and confetti – oh my! Burlesque the musical has made its debut at Manchester Opera House to huge roars of applause, and it’s like you’ve never see it before.

With huge creatives behind it, including Christina Aguilera and Steve Antin, this new rendition of a beloved Hollywood musical has made its way to the north west and it’s not one to miss.

We went along to the star-studded gala night on Tuesday evening to see what it was all about.

To preface, I’ve always loved musicals, but I have never seen the Burlesque film before, so I entered the theatre last night a blank canvas, ready to be impressed – and I certainly was.

Burlesque follows the story of Ali on her way to New York to meet her birth mother (Image: Johan Persson)

The opening number, Welcome to Burlesque, immediately transports you into the world of Burlesque, in a run-down establishment in New York City.

The story follows Ali, a diner worker from Iowa on her journey to find her birth mother Tess, played by Jackie Burns, who runs a struggling Burlesque club.

The set design keeps the staging interesting yet simple, and the use of the turnstile stage allows for effortless scene changes, as well as keeping you encapsulated in the world of Burlesque by having dancers looming over the stage on the facades throughout.

Jess Foley manages to make Ali a powerful, yet vulnerable character that you can’t help but root for, and watching her transform into a butterfly of a Burlesque dancer is a joy to watch.

Jess Foley and Jackie Burns play mother and daughter on stage (Image: Johan Persson)

But Todrick Hall, perhaps best known for his social media presence of more than nine million followers, steals the show with his quick wit and casual one-liners that, if you’re not paying attention, you might miss.

He received by far the biggest applause of the evening after he finished his solo and stood on a high heel shoe suspended in the air and appeared genuinely taken aback by the cheers.

An unexpected joy of the evening, though, was every time Nina Ann Nelson was on stage playing Nikki, the troublesome star of the club.

Her mischievous yet loveable performance is so enticing that it’s hard to take your eyes off her - from the very first note of Sugar Daddy Diet, until the final bow.

Nina Ann Nelson stuns as Nikki throughout (Image: Johan Persson)

The bright lights and sheer volume of the singing towards the end can be a bit past the point of enjoyable, however, but by then you’re so enthralled it’s easy to overlook.

The plot is easy to follow, but it does seem to rush concluding the story in the second act and crams in as many Burlesque numbers as possible instead of allowing it to breathe.

But, if you’re looking for a night full of glamour, laughter and booming voices, then look no further.

Burlesque is performing at the Manchester Opera House until Saturday, June 29 and is almost completely sold out.

It will be making its way back to Manchester from October 3 until November 2 before it heads off to complete a stint in the West End.