Big Broadway moments shine through is this lavish, satirical new musical.
⭐⭐⭐
What's it about?
Making its world premiere at the King's Head Theatre, Here Comes J. Edgar! is a new musical inspired by the life and legacy of the infamous FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover. Blending politics, ambition and satire, the production charts Hoover's extraordinary rise to power through an original score, sharp theatricality and a healthy dose of irreverence.
What we loved
For a world premiere, there's plenty of promise on display. Everything about this show is big – large cast, huge production numbers and big ambitions. It's clear this production has its sights firmly set on a future life on Broadway. While it isn't there yet, there are enough flashes of quality to suggest it could be one day.
The score is great – catchy songs, clever lyrics, and feels like a real musical theatre score.
Bill Deamer's choreography is fabulous and creates the feeling of a much larger musical. Deamer delivers impressive Broadway-style moments despite the physical limitations of the King's Head's intimate stage.
The casting is strong throughout, particularly Bryan Batt as Hoover, whose wonderfully dry performance fits the show perfectly. A few standout performances are Laura Medforth as Hoover’s long suffering secretary Helen, Hugo Bolton as Hoover’s ‘lifetime assistant’ and Judith Owen as the Lady in Red.
The show contains a few fabulous showstoppers– such as a superb ensemble number featuring America's former presidents lamenting that they should have done something to stop Hoover. It's one of the show's moments of genuine brilliance: a fantastic song, cleverly staged and brilliantly performed by the company. Numbers like this perfectly showcase the strength of the cast and demonstrate what the musical is capable of when every element comes together.
Some of the recurring comic gags are also extremely effective. Rather than becoming repetitive, they establish a satisfying rhythm across the evening, with each return earning even bigger laughs.
Anything we'd change?
Like many world premieres, Here Comes J. Edgar still feels like a musical in development. Some sections are genuinely outstanding, while others remain a work in progress.
Given the creative team's comedy background, and with the show marketed as a comedy musical, we expected more laughs. There are some wonderfully funny individual lines, but much of the book between the musical numbers feels flatter than it needs to. A sharper comic pace would help maintain the momentum created by the score and choreography.
The show uses a ‘Christmas Carol’ type device, with Hoover's younger self taking him back through key moments of his life, but the concept is then largely abandoned for much of the show before the younger Hoover suddenly reappears towards the end.
The second act could also benefit from some tightening. There are perhaps too many songs exploring Hoover's relationship with his long-serving assistant, which begin to slow the pace. Trimming a handful of these quieter moments would allow the production's standout sequences to shine even more brightly and create a stronger dramatic drive towards the finale.
Who would enjoy it?
Anyone who enjoys discovering new musicals, political satire and fans of Mad Men will enjoy seeing Bryan Batt performing up close.
Who created it?
Here Comes J. Edgar is written by Harry Shearer and Tom Leopold with music by Peter Matz. The show is directed by Josh Seymour and choreography by Bill Deamer.
Verdict
Here Comes J. Edgar is an ambitious and entertaining world premiere that already contains moments of genuine brilliance. While the book and pacing still need refinement, the score offers several standout songs, Bill Deamer's choreography consistently elevates the material, and the talented cast fully commit to the production's considerable ambitions.