TheManTheMusicTheShow : Official Reviews(Potential SPOILERS)

[jo]

From the UK's The Telegraph --

www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/hugh-jackman-review-hydro-glasgow-worlds-greatest-showman-quite/

Hugh Jackman, Hydro, Glasgow, review: the world’s greatest showman? Quite possibly

4 of 5 stars

Hugh Jackman performing a song from The Greatest Snowman Credit: Samir Hussein/ WireImage
David Pollock
8 May 2019 • 4:22pm


“Congratulations, you’ve all passed Musical Theatre 101,” purred Hugh Jackman, after an affecting rendition of My Boy Bill from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. Carousel is hardly esoteric, but it was about as niche as the set list got at this first night of Jackman’s debut European musical tour.


Subtitled “The Man. The Music. The Show”, Jackman’s new live set with orchestra and a troupe of dancers is a version of previous one-man shows that had brief runs on Broadway and in his native Australia.


While there’s no doubt his global fame following 2017’s The Greatest Showman has provided impetus for nearly one hundred of these arena dates across the world, it is the generous glimpses of Jackman’s interior life that make this show special.
He prefaced a version of You Will Be Found from the stage musical Dear Evan Hansen with a tale of feeling abandoned by friends before his first ever cricket match at the age of eight, before the massed ranks of Glasgow’s SoundSational Community Choir generated a vivid sense of togetherness. When he was nine, Jackman recalled, a teacher recommended he take dance lessons, but his interest was blunted when one of his older brothers called him a “sissy”.


Nine years later, their father took the pair to 42nd Street, the brother apologised at last, and Jackman booked his first dance lesson. Here, the story prefaced a bravura tap-and drumming medley to hits from the past such as Van Halen’s Jump, with the snarling and still-lithe 50-year-old brandishing his drumsticks as though they were the claws of his previously defining screen character, Wolverine from the X-Men films.



There was plenty of personal nostalgia in a medley of songs by the late Australian composer Peter Allen from The Boy from Oz, the show which won Jackman his first Tony Award, while the flash and sparkle of Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) and I Go to Rio was balanced by the comic moment when a female admirer in the front row eagerly laid her hands on the singer. In Tenterfield Saddler, Allen’s tale of his bush upbringing, Jackman made spiritual contact with a kindred Aussie boy done good on the biggest stage.

The crowd-pleasing moments were plenty, among them a frenetic medley from classic movie musicals including songs like Luck Be a Lady and Singing in the Rain; a redemptive, lip-quivering storm through Valjean’s Soliloquy from Les Misérables, segueing into Glaswegian singer Jenna Lee-James’s rendition of I Dreamed a Dream; and – most surprising of all – the shocked ovation when US singer Keala Settle appeared to sing This Is Me from The Greatest Showman.

None of these, however, would have achieved such impact without Jackman’s emotional commitment, as though he was leaving a little of himself behind on stage with each song. The sense of natural showmanship that made him perfect for the role of PT Barnum was tangible, and – along with his raw, rustic baritone – it carried the evening.

[jo]

Not from a critic - but a summary of social media reactions with all its heady praise compiled by the Daily Mail. Hugh should frame the article

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7006237/Hugh-Jackman-gets-standing-ovation-thrilled-fans-brings-Hollywood-glamour-Glasgow.html

[jo]

From the Scotland Reviewer of BroadwayWorld --

BWW Review: HUGH JACKMAN: THE MAN. THE MUSIC. THE SHOW. SSE Hydro, Glasgow

by Natalie O'Donoghue May. 8, 2019



It's often the case that major tours seem to skip Scotland completely so it was an absolute delight to have Hugh Jackman kick off his world tour in Glasgow this week. While I wouldn't normally feel the need to put a spoiler warning in a concert review, if you're planning to see this tour and don't want to know the setlist- look away now!


From the second Hugh Jackman appears onstage this is a spectacle. Opening with "The Greatest Show" sets the pace for the rest of the evening as he performs with an orchestra and perfectly executed choreography.

Jackman takes us through his musical career and includes songs from important moments in his life- such as the song he had as his first dance at his wedding "Just The Way You Look Tonight". The show has been designed to be very accessible to an audience that might not know much about Jackman's background but also to give the theatre nerds everything they came for. One of the standout moments for me was his performance of "You Will Be Found" from Dear Evan Hansen complete with choir.

Of course, there was bound to be plenty of songs from The Greatest Showman and we were treated to "Come Alive", "Million Dreams" and "From Now On". Another special surprise was an appearance from Keala Settle who took to the stage to sing "This Is Me" and received a well deserved a mid-show standing ovation.

Something I found particularly remarkable about the show was how unique it felt to the city it was being performed in. The choir featured in the show were from Glasgow, as was musical theatre performer Jenna Lee James who sang a stunning "I Dreamed A Dream" during the Les Miserables segment of the performance. Jackman was keen to involve the audience and have playful banter with audience members throughout.

Sometimes gushing over the city you're playing in can come across as insincere but not in Jackman's case. He's embraced his new nickname ("Shuggie") and has spent the past few days sampling the local cuisine. Though his energetic two hour plus show does not indicate any ill effects from the deep fried mars bars he's developed a taste for...!

Hugh Jackman is a born entertainer who had the 13,000 strong audience in the palm of his hand the entire evening. The Greatest Showman? He certainly is.

Hugh Jackman: The Man. The Music. The Show. is on a world tour throughout 2019.

[jo]

www.bigissue.com/culture/hugh-jackman-the-man-the-music-the-show-review/

MusicCulture

Hugh Jackman: The man. The music. The show – review

As his world tour comes alive in Glasgow, Hugh Jackman turns out to be the greatest show tune man



May 9, 2019
By Steven MacKenzie
@stevenmackenzie

He’s everything you ever want, he’s everything you ever need and when he’s standing right in front of you it’s clear that Hugh Jackman is fulfilling not just the dreams of thousands in the audience, but his own.

Fuelled by the phenomenal success of The Greatest Showman, the preposterously multitalented 50-year-old Australian is hitting the road in an all-singing, all-dancing revue.

Dubbed “The man. The music. The show” Jackman took to the stage in Glasgow’s Hydro this week, and this review touches on the first two nights. If you’re going to a future concert, it might be best not to read ahead – just enjoy the surprises that await. Otherwise, see you on the other side…




“Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for…” Cheers and screams confirm the truth of the opening line.
Freed by having finally hung up his claws as Wolverine/Logan in the X-Men franchise (which he reconfirms tonight), Jackman is letting his life-long love of musical theatre propel him through a world tour and he is letting rip.
In a breathless two-and-a-half hours, accompanied by dancers, vocalists and orchestra, Jackman revisits highlights from his musical career – songs he’s sung, songs he’s always wanted to sing.

After The Greatest Show and Come Alive, he takes us back to the beginning, recounting how he got his first professional job playing beefy blockhead Gaston in a stage version of Beauty and the Beast.


Of all his formidable, envy-inducing skills, he is a truly great actor.


He devotes a lot of care and attention on Soliloquy from Carousel, which marked another important step in his career, and later races through a Broadway medley, ticking off Luck Be a Lady, Singin’ In the Rain and I Got Rhythm in quick succession. Each time, he transports you to the dramatic moment in each musical. Of all his formidable, envy-inducing skills, he is a truly great actor.

At the end of the first act comes a couple of numbers from Les Misérables, the highlight of which is one of his supporting vocalists, Jenna Lee-James’ towering rendition of I Dreamed A Dream. On the opening night, Jackman let Lee-James take the spotlight to sing another song solo. Born locally, her father had helped build the Hydro and watched from the audience as his daughter performed on its stage.

On the second night he grants a gyrating session to Jude, who held up a sign asking for one last dance before she got married. Lucky for Jude, unlucky for her fiancé William. These personal touches set Jackman’s show apart, combining twinkly charm with an earnest desire to entertain.

After the interval (measured by a clock counting down the 20 minutes) there is a lengthy tribute to Peter Allen, the Australian singer-songwriter best remembered for Arthur’s Theme (“when you get lost between the moon and New York city…”). It gives Jackman the opportunity to resurrect his Tony-award-winning role as Allen in The Boy From Oz, camping it up like Christmas, all spangles and sashaying.


After a spec-tap-ular dance routine, Jackman asks if Ryan Reynolds could do that
The opposite end of the Australian cultural spectrum is celebrated when he brings out Olive, Clifton, Paul and Nathan from the Nomad Two Worlds Foundation, an organisation that empowers indigenous people and encourages “reconciliation through culture.” This culminates in an odd but moving didgeridoo-accompanied Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

There are scraps for X-Men fans too. After a spec-tap-ular dance routine, Jackman asks if Ryan Reynolds could do that. He candidly reveals he was almost fired five weeks into shooting the first X-Men film – told his performance was like looking at a light behind a lampshade. Needing a real-life hero, his wife Deborra saved the dayreminding him about the power of positivity and self-belief. Behind every great showman there’s a great woman, and Jackman dedicates a ballad to her to prove it.


Moments like this walk the tightrope of over-the-top sentimentality but balance is kept by Jackman’s natural charisma and authenticity, which he has brought to every film role, whether adamantium-endowed mutant, French bread thief, grizzled ski jump instructor, prestigious magician, robot boxing coach or Van Helsing.


This quality was encapsulated best by his portrayal of PT Barnum in The Greatest Showman – a fantasy version of a fantasist – the reason most of the fans have showed up tonight.

A 50-strong community choir joins in with a transcendental version of A Million Dreams. From Now On turns into a singalong by a crowd having risen to their feet, but just like the film, one performer sweeps in and steals the show.
In an unbilled surprise, Keala Settle who played Lettie Lutz, aka the bearded lady, delivers the momentous, era-defining anthem, This Is Me. She seems deeply moved when joined by a choir of thousands.

Lamentably, she sings just one song. Imagine her taking on Never Enough or Tightrope, but as it is, her appearance is a sparkly bonus.

Seeing songs from The Greatest Showman performed live is what fans were waiting for but this also feels like the moment Jackman has been waiting for.

At one point he recollects being called a “sissy” by his older brother after asking to take dance lessons. One suspect’s his younger self would be prouder of performing tap dance routines in arenas than he’d be of Oscar nominations or blockbuster films. This is who he’s meant to be.

hughjackmantheshow.com

[jo]

theartsdesk.com/new-music/hugh-jackman-sse-hydro-glasgow-review-showman-plays-his-strengths-he-kicks-world-tour

Hugh Jackman, SSE Hydro, Glasgow review - showman plays to his strengths as he kicks off world tour
Drama and laughs in Hollywood star's arena-sized one-man musical revue
by Lisa-Marie FerlaThursday, 09 May 2019



There's no mistaking Hugh Jackman's movie-star smile

“I hope you’re not only Wolverine fans or this is going to be a long night,” a grinning Hugh Jackman tells a screaming Glasgow crowd.

The line - delivered in front of a giant screen on which Jackman, adamantium claws extended, is climbing out of a river with his shirt off - sums up a particular curiosity about the actor known to many as the Greatest Showman: how did an award-winning musical theatre actor end up playing a comic book mutant?

There’s actually an answer of sorts in Jackman’s new one-man show, which kicked off an extensive world tour with three nights in Glasgow - as well as a confession that he was nearly fired from the role that made him famous internationally. Jackman hangs large segments of the show on his own life story, interspersed with musical set-pieces inspired by classic Hollywood, Les Miserables and some film about a circus.

‘One man’ is, of course, a bit of a misnomer: Jackman’s supporting cast includes 10 dancers, 20 musicians and the 50-strong SoundSational Community Choir. Yet there’s a casual intimacy to the way “Shuggie”, as he claims locals have dubbed him, addresses the audience, promising even the people in the cheap seats that “we’ll know each other a lot better by the end of the night”.

There was only ever one choice of opening number, but there’s not a top hat in sight when the star appears at the top of an illuminated staircase to the opening strains of “The Greatest Show”. While the silver-clad dance troupe is a little more Vegas than vaudeville, there’s no mistaking that movie-star smile as Jackman strikes a Barnum-esque pose for the end of “Come Alive”.

It’s probably the weakest point of a set that strikes every emotional beat, from a gently humorous tribute to Jackman’s first musical role as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast - complete with archival footage and plenty of tankards - to emotional tributes to his wife and father. SoundSational, a Glasgow-based choir, join Jackman for a moving rendition of “You Will Be Found”, from the musical Dear Evan Hansen - a song which Jackman dedicates to his eight-year-old self, and confesses always makes him emotional - while “Soliloquy”, from Carousel, lets Jackman show off his full range of musical theatre skills, and earns him a worthy standing ovation.

A two-act structure allows Jackman to play for both drama (“Valjean’s Soliloquy”, from Les Miserables), and laughs (a lengthy segment inspired by his Tony award-winning role as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz, in which Jackman manages to stay in character for three costume changes and a dance with a member of the audience). But like any great showman, he also knows when to step back, giving Glaswegian singer Jenna Lee-James a chance to shine during “I Dreamed A Dream” and introducing Aboriginal musicians including tribal elder Olive Knight who join him for a stunning rendition of “Over The Rainbow”.

The biggest surprise of the night, however, is an unbilled appearance from The Greatest Showman’s Keala Settle. Performing a note-perfect “This Is Me” in a sparkly jumpsuit, the vocal powerhouse almost upstages her co-star - but you suspect, from his affectionate introduction, that he wouldn’t have minded.

"There’s a casual intimacy to the way “Shuggie” addresses the audience"

Rating

5 Stars

[jo]

Theatre
Hugh Jackman live review – he really is the Greatest Showman

5 out of 5 stars.

SSE Hydro, Glasgow
The renaissance man’s song-and-dance spectacular skips merrily through his acting career with celebrity pizzazz and unashamed sentimentality

Mark Fisher
Fri 10 May 2019 15.30 BST

Hugh Jackman at the O2 Arena, London. Photograph: Anthony Harvey/REX/Shutterstock


Is there a market Hugh Jackman has yet to capture? Streaming into the Hydro at the start of the Tony award-winning actor’s lengthy world tour are fans of the X-Men, lovers of romantic comedies, admirers of musical theatre, people who want to marry him – and the rest who want to be him. “I hope you’re not only Wolverine fans because it could be a long night,” he quips after his superhero alter ego appears on the big screen behind him.

Such self-awareness is part of his charm, as is his willingness to engage directly with the audience, making a 13,000-capacity venue seem intimate. If he is acting that smile at the end of his first number, it is acting of the highest order. He looks to be genuinely delighted. Of course, he can turn on the celebrity pizzazz, but he remembers to turn it off again too. “It’s so good to be in a place where you’re finally called Shuggie,” he tells the Glasgow crowd with a winning grin.

It is gauche and cheesy, but performed with too much honesty and joy to get snobby about
You can only wonder at the permutations he must have considered in putting together a show that would appeal to all the people all the time. He succeeds – and rather brilliantly – by drawing on the great mix-and-match tradition of variety. Channelling the light-entertainment spirit of Peter Allen, the Australian singer-songwriter of the 1970s and 80s, he fronts a song-and-dance spectacular that skips merrily through his career, alighting on choice showbiz anecdotes along way.

Under the direction of Warren Carlyle, he opens – how else? – with The Greatest Show, the rousing opener of The Greatest Showman with its We Will Rock You rhythms and chant-along chorus. He does so, standing atop an illuminated staircase in silver suit, black bowtie and cummerbund – only the first of several costumes. It’s not long before he’s trotting along the central walkway backed by a full orchestra and 10 singer-dancers who look to be having as much fun as he is.


If it is sometimes gauche, sentimental or cheesy, it is unashamedly so, performed with too much honesty and joy to get snobby about. Jackman is a good enough actor to play it straight in the humourless songs from Les Misérables, to be knockabout with numbers from Beauty and the Beast and Hollywood’s golden age, and to be forthright when he serenades his wife, the actor and producer Deborra-Lee Furness who gamely offers her best imitation of a Glasgow accent in return. He does chorus numbers, solo ballads and tap dancing (although holding off until after his Singin’ in the Rain).

Neither is he above handing over the stage to his fellow performers. Having started Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s You Will Be Found seated alone at a piano, he finds himself joined by the 50-strong SoundSational community choir who make concrete the song’s refrain of “You are not alone”. Later in the show, he recalls a teenage spiritual awakening in the outback before welcoming a group of Indigenous Australian performers, among them Olive Knight singing of reconciliation in her traditional Walmajarri language.

Hugh Jackman on stage: from Oklahoma! to The River – in pictures


All this gives shape, texture and soul to a show that’s as slick as it is human. But if the audience adore Jackman, they positively venerate Keala Settle who turns up in a spangly cape to take the roof off with a rendition of This Is Me that sends the emotional temperature rocketing.

Hugh Jackman the Show is touring until 15 October.

[mamaleh]

Ms. Ferla's review above cites HJ's Barnum pose at the end of "Come Alive" as the "weakest" part of the evening. That mystifies me, as it's pretty evident many audience members are there because of their ardent support of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN and seem to have reacted very positively to that segment. If something brings down the house, how could it be perceived as "weak"? Perhaps a personal preference by the reviewer for other parts of the show? Well, just a quibble, to be sure. It's wonderful and heartening to read such overwhelmingly rapturous reviews.

Ellen

[jo]

I have the same impression on her calling the first two songs as the weak part.

It is the most appropriate opening song given its theme, the spectacle involved in its performance ( as an excellent waker-upper to introduce a show), and it has reference to Hugh Jackman's most recent popular hit in the field of film musicals/musical theatre, so in a way it serves the purpose of also introducing the performer ( aka The Greatest Showman).

However, I have a feeling that she may not even have seen the movie and does not understand how those 2 songs are the heart of the circus story. Also "The Greatest Show" official release of the music on YouTube by Atlantic Records has the highest number of views ( 122 million as of now, followed by Million Dreams) so it is a very popular song. It was chosen as the Song in the Opening Number for the BRIT AWARDS so its popularity is really not a question. It has also earned a Platinum award ( at least 1 million in sales) for a Single recording, per RIAA.

Or maybe she just does not like it herself?

Jo

[jo]

www.mailonsunday.co.uk/home/event/article-7009795/Hugh-Jackman-not-greatest-showman-proves-consummate-entertainer.html

POP REVIEWS: Hugh Jackman may not be the greatest showman, but he proves a consummate entertainer with charm to burn at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow

By Graeme Thomson For Event Magazine
Published: 22:00 BST, 11 May 2019 | Updated: 22:00 BST, 11 May 2019


Hugh Jackman
SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Rating: 4 of 5 stars


'I’m shameless,’ says Hugh Jackman, and who are we to argue. The opening night of his world tour is yet young, and already his manly Antipodean chest is busting out from his shirt.

Later he will slow dance with a besotted audience member and make gooey dedications to his wife and children. For all the things the affable Australian is good at, the one thing he truly excels at is being Hugh Jackman.

Presumably either modesty or a Hollywood lawyer prevented him subtitling this tour The Greatest Showman. He has starred in dozens of hit films and award-winning stage musicals, but it’s the phenomenal success of the 2017 film based on the life of P T Barnum that has enabled Jackman to play six nights at the O2 next month.


To date, the soundtrack album of auto-tuned belters has sold seven million copies.

Hugh Jackman makes sporadic visits to the Big Top tonight, as he must, but The Greatest Showman turns out to be something of a Trojan horse

Jackman makes sporadic visits to the Big Top tonight, as he must, but The Greatest Showman turns out to be something of a Trojan horse. Assisted by 20 musicians, ten dancers and a local community choir, this big-budget blowout is a whirlwind ride through the history of post-war light entertainment.

A soliloquy from Carousel. A mini Les Mis set-piece. A glitzy homage to the golden age of screen. Tap dancing. Mack The Knife. A rhythmic mash-up of rock songs. It’s all here, executed impeccably, though a section where Jackman camps it up as late Australian songwriter Peter Allen settles too readily for the broad comedy of arched eyebrows and persistent bum-wiggling.

The mood never settles but Jackman provides a charismatic fixed point. He acknow-ledges his sex-symbol status with humour, balances the schmaltz with blokey directness and projects carefully choreographed intimacy, linking songs to key moments in his life.



A mini Les Mis set-piece. A glitzy homage to the golden age of screen. Tap dancing. Mack The Knife. A rhythmic mash-up of rock songs. It’s all here, executed impeccably

All The Way was the first dance at his wedding; Gaston triggers a self-deprecating memory of auditioning for Beauty And The Beast. Though his voice has a slightly grating nasal quality, he’s a solid singer and hoofs with grace and gusto.

Some of the most memorable moments occur when the star cedes the spotlight. Keala Settle (Lettie Lutz in The Greatest Showman) brings down the house with a barnstorming rendition of This Is Me.

Later, after Jackman recounts a life-altering trip to the Outback, two didgeridoo players and two indigenous singers perform a powerful Aboriginal song.

A less generous artist might fear being upstaged, but Jackman hardly seems the insecure type – and with good reason. He may not be the greatest showman, but he proves a consummate entertainer with charm to burn.

hughjackmantheshow.com

[jo]

Glasgow Theatre Blog
The best place for news, interviews and reviews of theatre in Glasgow and beyond.



REVIEW: Hugh Jackman – The Man. The Music. The Show. – SSE Hydro Arena, Glasgow
Posted on May 12, 2019 by glasgowtheatreblog

Eight years in the making and after months of anticipation since its announcement, Hugh Jackman is finally in town to kick off his world tour.

The man is truly a global superstar, there are few corners of this world where he’s not recognised. He’s Wolverine for goodness sake! the star of a legion of other hit movies, a Tony Award-winning stage superstar and let’s not mention the star of a certain movie and its soundtrack from 2017. As a result, the atmosphere is tangible and the reception he receives as he steps onstage is ear-splitting. When the night is over, the reaction is actually deafening – and deservedly so.

This is a great big, old-fashioned variety show delivered by a truly gifted, multi-talented performer. Accompanied by a 20-strong orchestra, ten backing dancers, a local choir, two didgeridoo players, two indigenous singers, and fellow star of The Greatest Showman, Keala Settle, Jackman manages to encompass his entire life and career and a greatest hits of popular entertainment, in the space of a few hours.

The atmosphere is a joy throughout, a coming together of fans of the man – utterly celebratory. There’s singing, of course: from the inevitable tunes from TGS, through the songs of the golden age of Hollywood movie musicals to some personal stage favourites, including a touching rendition of fellow Ozzie Peter Allen’s Tenterfield Saddler, there’s also a celebration of Australian music with a moving Aboriginal song; there’s a bit of acting – Jean Valjean’s soliloquy from Les Mis; tap dancing à la Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire – Jackman proves to be a stunning dancer; many anecdotes from his life and career, including a very personal moment about his world turning on its head at eight years old (referring his mother leaving him and his brother in Australia with his father, as she took his sisters back to England); we’re treated to the famous Wolverine roar and a drumming section. Is there anything this man can’t do? – err…no.

It’s one of those nights that will truly blow you away. It’s taken a few days to write this down, but the feeling stands, the warm and fuzzies are still here – one of the greatest shows I have ever seen.

[jo]

I am going to have a review in German translated via Microsoft --

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A born entertainer: Hugh Jackman on tour

He is arguably the smartest entertainer on the planet: Hugh Jackman. After becoming known primarily as an actor through films such as "X-Men", "Australia" or "Scoop", it has been no secret since Hugh Jackman not only since the musical films "Les Misérables" and "The Greatest Showman" is in the drama at home, but also can sing and dance. With his show program "The Man. The Music. The Show, "he is now on a world tour and will give about 100 concerts in six months.
At the concert in Hamburg, the 50-year-old Australian proves that despite his Hollywood successes, he always likes to return to the stage and enjoy every minute with his audience. He takes more than 10,000 spectators on a journey through his show world, in which he sings hits from musicals in which he already played, but also presented a successful song selection.

He is supported by a 20-piece orchestra, two guest singers and a show ensemble, which together with Jackman ignite a real fireworks display of great entertainment - on a huge oval stage with bridge and small satellite stage, two large LED walls and several LED cubes on which film and musical scenes as well as different effects are faded in.
Hugh Jackman and his ensemble open the concert with the numbers "The Greatest Show" and "Come Alive" from the successful movie "The Greatest Showman" with euphoric cheers. By his own admission, he loves the songs from "The Greatest Showman" so much that his wife and children can hardly hear them anymore. And although this music must have gone into flesh and blood, he just sounds a bit pale and out of rhythm with the first two numbers. But with his first-class entertainer qualities, he is able to dub this cleverly and still bring the hall to a boil.

Between songs Hugh Jackman tells a lot about his childhood in Australia, rugby and dance classes. He tells of how he got to know his wife and how his father once came from Australia to New York for a performance of his son and wearing a tuxedo was completely "overdressed". And he always looks for the closeness to his audience, goes through the ranks, sits on the lap of spectators, poses for selfies and brings a young couple to the stage. And even as he appeals to a spectator on his very casual clothes, Jackman proves to be an extremely great charm bolt, so that his winking criticism of the clothes hardly comes through.

How versatile Hugh Jackman is as an artist becomes all too clear in the setlist of his concert. Having mimicked the circus director P. T. Barnum at the beginning, he then slipped directly into the Disney character Gaston, which he once played in The Beauty and the Beast. A role that earned him the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actor is that of Peter Allen in the musical "The Boy from Oz". And still he dominates the songs - "Tenterfield Saddler", "I go to Rio" and "Once before I go" - absolutely perfect.


Jackman provides the goosebumps with the song "You will be found" from the Broadway musical "Dear Evan Hansen," written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who are also responsible for the music for The Greatest Showman. Jackman starts the song calmly and alone on the piano, until the orchestra joins in, the show ensemble starts singing, and finally the quiet song turns into a powerful hymn. "If you get the chance, check out this show," Hugh Jackman promotes "Dear Evan Hansen," which not only premieres on Broadway, but also premieres in London's West End this fall.

Then he talks about the fulfilling collaboration with Pasek and Paul, who wrote the song "This is me" for "The Greatest Showman" overnight on the plane. The song, which earned its Golden Globe Award to interpreter Keala Settle last year, should not be missed in Hugh Jackman's concert - and the audience in Hamburg celebrates the interpretation of the guest singer, who unfortunately is not Keala Settle, but a no less impressive appearance lying down. With "Valjeans Soliloquy" and "One Day More" Jackman finally delivers the "Les Misérables" block, which is sure to be heard by everyone in the audience, where he shines with voice and stage presence. He also shows his soulful side and a nice enamel in his voice in "Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz".


To surprise Hugh Jackman but especially with his dancing skills. It's not just a few strides that he shows on stage, but some demanding choreographies, which he translates together with his dance ensemble. He dances in a glittering outfit and sometimes in tuxedo pants with a cummerbund, always doing an incredibly good figure and making the audience go crazy for his brilliant tap-dance performance.

When he plays the Mackie Knife, sings songs like "I got Rhythm" and "Luck be a Lady" or wakes up the umbrella on "Singin 'in the Rain", it becomes very clear that the big Broadway classics in particular suit Hugh Jackman , The big show numbers in the style of Fred Astaire are the numbers that best suit the charismatic all-rounder. Jackman lets his charm shine and gives a gentleman to whom the women - and certainly some men - are at their feet. The highlight of the concert, however, turns out to be the song "A Million Dreams" from "The Greatest Showman" because it is brilliantly visualized through a sign language choreography.

At the end of the concert, Hugh Jackman sings "From Now On", the great final anthem from "The Greatest Showman", which he manages to achieve the perfect conclusion to a consistently perfect concert. For two and a half hours, Jackman has proven to be a world-class entertainer, a charismatic bundle of energy with a boundless love for the musical genre. Hugh Jackman is not just Hollywood, no, Jackman is musical!

Text: Dominik Lapp

[/quote]

[jo]

A review of the show in Antwerp/Anvers in Belgium --

Translated by GOOGLE --

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Review: Hugh Jackman "The Man. The Music. The Show. "In Antwerp

Hugh Jackman travels the biggest halls in the world with his exceptional show. When Wolverine comes to Europe to sing "show tunes" (songs from musicals), you can not miss the rendezvous! We still have stars in our eyes after this amazing concert in Antwerp (Belgium) on May 12th. See you on May 22 at the AccorHotels Arena for the Paris edition.

Hugh Jackman turns fifty this year. To mark the occasion, the latter has launched a crazy bet: a major world tour to share his passion for musicals. The ad alone already had enough to make us salivate. The actor has proved several times that he has mastered the genre. Before his superhero films, he had started on stage in classics like Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard and Oklahoma !.

Lately, it is in this register that we found on the big screen with the successes of box office Les Misérables and The Greatest Showman. Who better than Hugh Jackman could fill huge rooms, such as pop icons, by playing Broadway tunes?
Hugh Jackman and his troupe during the opening number



For more than two hours of concert, the Australian actor offers us his selection of songs that have marked his life. He takes the model of the American recital, namely a few titles, each preceded by a personal anecdote. This format, usual on Broadway, is regularly borrowed by the divas of the big avenue. Where these intimate concerts are played in more modest venues and short durations, Hugh Jackman offers his version on a large scale.

The show starts strong. The performer is surrounded by a dozen dancers, two singers and fifteen musicians. After two songs from The Greatest Showman, Hugh Jackman addresses his audience and says with humor: "For those who know me only for the role of Wolverine, the evening will be long". And for good reason, on the program: Dear Evan Hansen, Carousel, The Threepenny Opera, An American in Paris, The Boy from Oz, The Wizard of Oz, Guys and Dolls, Let's sing in the rain ...

The Hollywood star juggles impressive tableaux, emotional sequences, complex choreographies and funny moments. He even goes dancing taps on AC / DC and Van Halen. Between two songs, the artist connects jokes and confidences. He talks about his life, his family, his country, his career. He does not lose an opportunity to amuse the gallery when latecomers arrive. He interrupts his monologue to go improvising while guiding them to their seats.

Two slight disappointments all the same: no recovery of Oklahoma !, which had marked its debut outside Australia; and The Music Man, which he will play on Broadway alongside Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes) a week after the end of his tour.

Hugh Jackman raises his hand and delight his audience. The actor wanted to have fun with a daring and personal programming. Lovers of musicals will be thrilled. Even though three-quarters of the audience will probably not know half the songs, it does not stop the performer. Thanks to his talent, he can still reach neophytes. There is nothing to say, Hugh Jackman is really "The Greatest Showman". We would like him to celebrate his fiftieth birthday more often!

[jo]

A Concert Report/Review from Cologne --

HUGH JACKMAN – THE MAN. THE MUSIC. THE SHOW – A concert report

Home» News» HUGH JACKMAN – THE MAN. THE MUSIC. THE SHOW – A concert report

It's Thursday night, May 16, 2019. That evening, Hollywood star Hugh Jackman takes us on a journey back in time at 19:30 a.m.: A musical journey through his life, career, youth and Australian roots. Titled HUGH JACKMAN – THE MAN. THE MUSIC. THE SHOW, the smart Australian returns to the stage with his own live orchestra. We watched the brilliant show of the Tony Award winner in Cologne.


This Is The Greatest Show

With Hugh Jackman, most of us probably associate his parade role Wolverine/Logan from the X-Men film adaptations; He proved that he is also a fantastic entertainer, singer and dancer in the film blockbuster THE GREATEST SHOWMAN and in various Broadway productions. Just in time for half past eight, Jackman kicked off a glamorous evening with The Greatest Show and Come Alive from the film THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. With entertaining and amusing moderations, he whisks viewers away to the world of Gaston (THE SCHÖNE AND THE BIEST) and also considered his wife Deborra-Lee Furness, to whom he dedicated the entire show. He played and sang the first song of her wedding waltz on the piano. Australia's sweetheart Olivia Newton John also played a very special role in his life, as he revealed with a mischievous smile. Indeed, his wife's resemblance at a young age to his swarm of youth, Olivia Newton John, is startling, as Cologne audiences were allowed to note in photos displayed. Together with the choir Vocalive from Griesheim in Hesse You Will Be Found from the musical DEAR EVAN HANSEN, he presented a fantastic lighting and stage design. Another highlight in Hugh Jackman's artist life was his performance as Billy Bigelow from the musical CAROUSEL at New York's Carnegie Hall.


A song that should go around the world

Of course, the anthem This Is Me from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN was not to be missed either. Who would have suspected this song originated in a late-night and fog action at three in the morning on a plane. A song that should go around the world. At the end of Act 1, the French flag shimmered over the heads of spectators-Welcome to the LES MISÉRABLES block. The audience saw a short snippet of the film before Hugh Jackman tuned Valjean's soliloquy. Followed by a very heavily shortened I Dreamed A Dream, the crowd was released into the 20-minute break with One Day More.


THE BOY FROM OZ – Australian icon Peter Allen

The second act started in a revue-like way: Australian icon Peter Allen was a wonderful storyteller, let Hugh Jackman know the people of Cologne. He won a Tony Award in 2004 for his portrayal of Peter Allen in the Broadway musical THE BOY FROM OZ. One of the audience is probably not forgotten the song block around Peter Allen's masterpieces: Hugh Jackman pranced through the seated rows of the interior and brought the randomly selected and surprised Jürgen to the stage, with whom he took him to roaring applause Danced. This was followed by songs from the pen of Allen, such as Don's Cry Out Loud, I Got To Rio or Quiet Please, There * s A Lady On Stage. A circle also closed here, as the audience also met his youth swarm Olivia Newton John again in Jackman's moderations.



The showstopper – A Million Dreams

The world star showed a wonderful gesture at A Million Dreams from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. The Lanxess Arena resembled a sea of lights, while the entire song was translated into sign language. Jackman also took up this in the choreography. The choir Vocalive supported him and his singers in a vocal manner directly from the seated arena interior. Minute long standing ovation was thanks for this special goosebump moment.


Hugh Jackman's youth in Australia – a musical journey through time

The journey back in time to Hugh Jackman's life as a young adult led us to amusing stories about step dancing, the 42ND STREET to the Australian rock band AC/DC, without which Jackman's life would have gone completely differently, as he laughingly reports. Galant, he continued to build his Australian roots into the show: At the age of 19, Jackman had strong love heartache, as he notes with a wink. Together with a friend, he went to an Aboriginal community for three months to build houses and forget about his love grief. The lives of the Indigenous Australians have greatly impressed and shaped him, his life and that of his family to this day. This was followed by two folkloric, musical works that took the Cologne audience Down Under. Minutes later, the Lanxess Arena was literally under power: Hugh Jackman began the evening's finale with From Now On (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN) under a standing ovation. Like a common thread, the final song of the evening was now joined. How could it have been otherwise: Jackman ended the concert spectacle with Once Before I Go from THE BOY FROM OZ.


Conclusion:
That evening, not only was a world star on stage, but a very great entertainer who may not have hit every "sound" acurat. But just a musician and dancer who is a total work of art: Hugh Jackman. Wonderful and mischievous moderations, a fantastic light concept and stirring choreographies captivated from the first second. Together with a 20-man orchestra, 10 dancers, 2 singers and the choir Vocalive, he managed to conjure up a very special evening: THE GREATEST SHOW.
If you want to experience Hugh Jackman on his tour in Germany, you will have the opportunity to do so in Mannheim on 21 May 2019.

[jo]

A review already -- from the Manchester Evening News! 4 of 5 stars!


www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/review-hugh-jackman-manchester-arena-16330007

Review: Hugh Jackman at Manchester Arena is irresistibly good fun

The Greatest Showman and Les Misérables star brought his 'The Man. The Music. The Show' tour to Manchester on Friday night


ByEmily Heward
22:57, 24 MAY 2019
What's On
Review



Hugh Jackman (Image: PA)

Marvel superhero, Broadway and big screen musical star and now arena-filling artist - is there any role Hugh Jackman has yet to conquer?

The Greatest Showman star brings all those personas out to play on his The Man. The Music. The Show tour, flipping in and out of character as nimbly as one of P.T. Barnum's trapeze artists.

Songs from the smash hit film scaffold the set, which opens with the whip-cracking beat of The Greatest Show, backed by a full orchestra and a troupe of sequin clad dancers whirling around him.
Jackman commands the crowds like a ringmaster as he struts down a catwalk stage into the crowd to the triumphant chorus of Come Alive.

Evolving from his 2015 concert tour From Broadway to Oz, the setlist dances, jazz hands outstretched, through show tunes from some of Jackman’s favourite musicals and films, from Guys and Dolls to Singin’ in the Rain.


Touching personal stories are interspersed with comic asides. He interrupts the show to record an Instagram video for Sir Ian McKellen, getting the whole arena to sing him a happy 80th birthday (“Awesome - now I don’t have to buy him a present”), before telling a heartfelt story about his father and devoting Carousel’s Soliloquy to him.

It’s sentimental to the point of indulgent at times, but Jackman isn’t above stepping out of the spotlight to give his supporting cast their time to shine.

The One Voice community choir from Preston join him for a rousing rendition of You Will Be Found, from Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen; a quartet of Aboriginal musicians later shares the stage with him; and singer Jenna-Lee James is captivating as she takes centre stage to perform I Dreamed A Dream at the end of Jackman’s brooding medley of songs from Les Misérables, in which he starred as Jean Valjean in 2012.


Instagram

There’s only one other person this audience have come here to see, though, and that’s his Greatest Showman co-star Keala Settle - “the heart of that movie” - who joins him to perform This Is Me.

The entire arena erupts into cheers and 21,000 voices provide the backing vocals to her anthem of empowerment.


The second half finds Jackman in exuberant form as he reprised the role of Peter Allen, the Aussie singer songwriter he played in jukebox musical The Boy From Oz for a gloriously camp romp through his repertoire.

Sheathed in a silver sequin jacket like a human disco ball, he jumps into the crowd to gyrate up against an audience member before hopping back on stage and shaking his maracas to I Go To Rio.

“I know what you’re thinking. Is he or isn’t he?” he asks
“Yes, I am. Australian.”


Hugh Jackman (Image: PA)


A tribute to ‘those great old movies from the golden age’ sees him crooning and tap dancing his way through a medley of Luck Be a Lady, Singin' in the Rain - complete with umbrella - I Got Rhythm and Sing Sing Sing, before thundering into a tap and drum frenzy to Earth Wind and Fire and Van Halen.

One final Greatest Showman number, From Now On, sends the set hurtling towards its triumphant closing number, Once Before I Go, from The Boy From Oz.

It’s hard to imagine any of Hollywood’s other leading men carrying off an all-singing, all-dancing revue with such charisma.

“Let’s see Ryan Reynolds do this, hey?” he quips at one point, hands clawed in a Wolverine pose.

Schmaltzy? Yes. Indulgent? Absolutely. But it’s also irresistibly good fun.

[jo]

A blog review --

Kate Driver
Musings of a clueless postgrad.

Hugh Jackman – The Man. The Music. The Show [Review]
May 26, 2019

Back in November when this tour was announced, fans around the world snapped up tickets at an incredible rate for the opportunity to see Hugh in the flesh and see the real life Greatest Show.

The show is breathtakingly spectacular. Jackman promised fans a great show and boy did he deliver. The show is a musical autobiography of Hugh’s life, starting with his first musical role (Gaston in Beauty and the Beast) and we go on a journey with him throughout his career (full of wonderful throwback videos, stories and hilarity). This is a very personal show and it feels special to be a part of it as a spectator. Hugh talks very openly (and lovingly) about his wife Debb and their children, he talks about his childhood, his parents and even the low points of his career (he was almost fired as Wolverine in the first few weeks of filming, but thanks to his wife he managed to pull it out the bag – Thanks Debb!). We also had some brilliant quips at Ryan Reynolds who I’m sure will retaliate when word gets back to him.

Jackman’s engagement with the audience is incredible and it’s hard to believe this is the same man we’ve watched on our screens for over 20 years – the A Star Celebrity so out of reach. At points throughout the show he seems overwhelmed with the response and love shown from the audience which as an audience member is always lovely to see – for someone like Hugh Jackman to be emotionally overwhelmed shows us how down to earth and ‘normal’ he is. Honestly, I’m pretty sure Jackman must be the nicest guy in Hollywood. At one point, he pulled a man up on stage to dance with him and the entire audience was in stitches – Dave from Wales you were an absolute star and such a good sport!

Luckily for European audiences, the insanely talented Keala Settle joins Hugh on stage and performs ‘This is Me’. Keala has such an incredible voice and This is Me is an anthem for everyone who’s ever struggled with being themselves it was a privilege to not only see and hear Keala perform, but to be able to sing along with her. As the song hit its last note all 17000 audience members leapt to their feet and conducted the longest standing ovation I’ve ever been apart of (we almost missed the next song).

When I said Hugh Jackman must be the nicest guy in Hollywood, I genuinely meant it. He spoke about spending time in the Australian Outback as a teen and brought along some incredible guests to pay tribute to the Indigenous Australian’s. This segment of the show complete with a rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was so raw and emotionally charged it will leave you wiping your eyes. This is one of those shows you never want to end, incredible and so energetic from start to finish.

The Man. The Music. The Show is on tour until October 2019 and I would highly recommend getting tickets if you can.

[jo]

Kate Goerner

Hugh Jackman: The Man, The Music, The Show
Manchester Arena
Saturday 25th May 2019



Hugh Jackman: The Man, The Music, The Show

5 of 5 Stars

The show is billed Hugh Jackman: The Man, The Music, The Show - but really The Man, The Musicals, The Show would be more fitting.


Because this eagerly-awaited gig is really a showcase for Jackman’s stage presence and skills - honed before he got the Wolverine gig that turned him into one of Hollywood’s most bankable action stars.

Before that big break, Jackman was mostly known for his stage roles - such as Curly in the National Theatre’s 1998 production of Oklahoma!, with a bit of Beauty and the Beast and Sunset Boulevard in his native Australia thrown in for good measure.

Following his big screen comic-book breakthrough, Jackman returned to the stage with a memorable, Tony-winning turn as Peter Allan in The Boy From Oz on Broadway in 2004.


In recent years it’s been the big screen musical hits of Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman, portraying Jean Valjean and PT Barnum respectively, that have won Jackman his musicals megastar status - and no doubt provided the impetus for this world tour

Indeed you only have to look at the audience to see that here is a performer who appeals to all demographics. From girls' nights out to middle-aged couples to small children dressed up in ringmaster garb, it’s rare to see such a mixed bunch making up a 17,000 strong sell-out Manchester Arena audience.



To call Jackman a true showman feels cliched now, but that’s exactly what he is. An old-fashioned hoofer/crooner/matinee idol.

Opening with a barnstorming rendition of The Greatest Show, Jackman struts around the stage with his dancers and the screams almost drown him out.


He invited his Greatest Showman co-star Keala Settle out to perform the now-iconic anthem This Is Me - and boy did she bring down the house! A genuinely moving moment.

Act 1 is packed with great songs, including Gaston (Beauty and the Beast - complete with the technical tankard-tapping choreography from the show), You Will Be Found (Dear Evan Hanson - with help from Preston's One Voice Choir) Soliloquy and One Day More from Les Mis, alongside anecdotes about Jackman’s life and career (including a heartfelt tribute to his wife of over 20 years, Deborra-Lee Furness.

But it’s in Act 2 that things really step up a gear and when Jackman really displays the confidence and charm that made him such a star of stage and screen; when he breaks out the sequins and unleashes his Peter Allen Boy From Oz persona in all his camp, charismatic glory.

Perhaps less well known to some of the audience, this is where you really see Jackman’s natural showmanship come alive, his off-the-cuff quips and pointed asides captivating the audience, as well as songs like the Oscar-winning Arthur's Song and I Go to Rio.

His Allen was a hard act to follow, but Jackman manages it with a toe-tapping homage to the golden movie musicals he grew up with - Singin’ In The Rain, Guys and Dolls (Luck Be A Lady), and a barnstorming tap and drum breakout number to classic modern hits - earning laughs and cheers for the Wolverine pose with drumsticks. “Let’s see Ryan Reynolds do that” says Jackman - alluding to his mock Twitter feud with his fellow action star and friend.

The night ends with From Now On and Once Before I Go (with Jackman giving the crowd the heads up that there were two songs to go, in case anyone wanted to beat the rush to the car park

The show was a lovely celebration of Jackman’s family, upbringing, native Australia, career and musical inspirations and the chance to see a true entertainer prove he really does live up to the hype.

And mention also has to go to the show credits that rolled on the big screens after Jackman had departed the stage - the first time I’ve ever seen this at a live show. Classy to the very end.

Hugh Jackman: The Man, The Music, The Show plays Birmingham, Dublin and London through to early June. Various dates and venues. See www.hughjackmantheshow.com/ for full details.
#HughJackman #ArenaTour #TheManTheMusicTheShow

[jo]

Another blog/review --

Suzie Speaks
The Adventures Of a Thirty-Something Life

HomeAboutAwardsBirmingham ReviewsBlogging TipsSocial Media Management ServicesSponsorship, Contact & PR
Hugh Jackman: The Man. The Music. The Show.
Posted on May 29, 2019 by suzie81speaks
0

*Warning: Spoilers*


Last night The Bloke and I went to see Hugh Jackman in concert at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham.
While he’s most famous for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film franchise and Barnum in The Greatest Showman, his career was built by performing in various musical theatre shows and his world tour entitled ‘The Man. The Music. The Shows’ takes the audience through his life and influences as a performer.

It’s something I have been looking forward to since The Bloke surprised me with tickets a few months ago – I’m obsessed with The Greatest Showman and when we were in New York last year we missed him by about half an hour at the coffee shop that he owns, so I couldn’t wait to be in the same space as someone who has achieved so much and still, by all accounts, remains a down-to-earth nice guy who adores his family.

I wasn’t disappointed. With a sold-out audience of 15,000 people, not only had The Bloke managed to get tickets, but with it had bagged a pair of amazing seats – close enough to see his face but far enough away where the whole stage was visible.


For a seemingly small set-up, it was a massive performance, which incorporated singers, dancers, a choir and a mini-orchestra and band. Along with some of the favourites from The Greatest Showman, he performed songs from Beauty and the Beast (he played Gaston in a production in Melbourne in 1996) Les Miserables (he was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Jean Valjean in the 2012 Hollywood movie), Carousel and one of my favourite songs from Dear Evan Hansen (also written by the duo who composed the Greatest Showman songs). One of the additional highlights was the appearance of Keala Settle, the singer and actress who plays Lettie Lutz (the bearded lady) in The Greatest Showman who performed This is Me, who absolutely brought the house down. What. A. Voice. We were lucky – she is performing in the rest of the European tour.

For a segment in the second half he adopted the character for which he won a Tony Award, playing Aussie singer/songwriter Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz, interacting with the audience and in particular, a woman with incredible pink hair who he pulled up on stage.


Hugh: Do you do this a lot, get up in front of 15k people?
Woman: Only with strippers…

Legend.


It was clear that the band were having a bit of fun with him in this section too, hiding an air horn that they used unexpectedly and made him break character and laugh.

He also acknowledged his Aussie roots, bringing on indigenous Aboriginal people to perform including elder Olive Knight, who sat across from the Australian government when an official apology was given for the treatment of the Aboriginal people, with the message of bringing people together through culture.

He dedicated the show to his wife and children, singing All the Way (the song that served as their first dance at their wedding), he tap danced to AC/DC, played the piano, told stories of how his family and friends had influenced him, and he made us laugh repeatedly. To top it all off, there was a proposal that happened in the audience during a performance of A Million Dreams – he obviously wasn’t aware of it but the person who planned that timed it perfectly.

What an incredible night, and certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I held it together until we got home and then bawled – there has only been RENT and Adele at Wembley that had the same emotional impact, and I loved every minute of it.


What about you guys? Have you seen a concert recently that blew your mind?

[jo]

From The Irish Times --

www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/hugh-jackman-in-dublin-he-came-he-tap-danced-to-ac-dc-he-conquered-1.3912261

Sat, Jun 1, 2019 Dublin



Hugh Jackman in Dublin: He came, he tap-danced to AC/DC, he conquered

3Arena review: Jackman isn’t afraid to take chances, and the audience is right there with him
about 3 hours ago

Ciara O'Brien



Hugh Jackman: The Man. The Music. The Show. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images


Have you ever seen someone tap-dance to AC/DC’s Thunderstruck? After seeing Hugh Jackman’s The Man. The Music. The Show, I can tick that one off the list.


It isn’t quite as disconcerting as it sounds. In fact, it fits perfectly with the entire show. Jackman isn’t afraid to take a couple of chances with his material, and the audience is right there with him.
From the moment Jackman appears on stage – kicking off with The Greatest Show naturally – he has the audience in the palm of his hand.


“We’re going to have some craic tonight,” he promises. “It’s the only country you can say that without getting arrested.”
He certainly delivers on that. And no one seems to be having more craic than Jackman himself, although his fellow performers have certainly got on board with it.

There’s a full orchestra on stage, with backing singers, dancers and an appearance from Irish choir The Line Up. An appearance from his Greatest Showman co-star Keala Settle earns a standing ovation, a deafening applause that feels like it should bring the roof down.

There is the obligatory attempt at the Irish language (“Conas ata sibh? That’s all I have.”) and the compliments that the audience – myself included – are lapping up (“I love Dublin, you guys are just a party crowd.”)


The show is a trip through Jackman’s career, kicking off with the Greatest Showman, through to Beauty and the Beast and Les Miserables. There’s a nod to Wolverine, with Jackman warning the X-Men fans among the crowd “I hope you’re not only Wolverine fans, it could be a long night.”


The patter is well rehearsed but doesn’t feel fake. When Jackman comments on how he’s weirdly good at remembering numbers, someone in the audience starts shouting out their phone number.



An admission that he is “terrible at saying no” brings the predictable response from some of the crowd. But he bats it away with good humour. “You don’t stay married 23 years unless you get good at saying no to that.”

The second act kicks off with a sparkling tribute to Australian entertainer Peter Allen. Jackman is a veritable human mirrorball when he appears on the stage, with a jacket and trousers that dazzle the crowd as he shimmies his way through some of Allen’s best known numbers, from Arthur’s Theme to I Go to Rio.


It seems there is little Jackman can’t turn his hand to. From Luck Be a Lady and Singin’ in The Rain, he segues into a tap dancing medley that includes the aforementioned AC/DC number and another nod to Wolverine at the end.
“Let’s see Ryan Reynolds do THAT,” he quips. “I’m going to get a middle of the night tweet from Ryan Reynolds. It’s coming.”


Things turn a bit serious when Jackman is joined on stage by a group of indigenous Australian performers, with Olive Knight singing in her native language of Walmajarri of reconciliation, before translating for the crowd. That earns another standing ovation.

Ultimately, Jackman is there to have fun, and even the most cynical among the audience can’t help but get swept along. By the time Keala Settle reappears for From Now On, the entire 3Arena is back on its feet, singing along. They’d be dancing ion the stairs, if they were allowed.

There’s time for one more – Once Before I Go. And just like that, it’s done. Jackman leaves the stage, with his title of Greatest Showman firmly intact.

[jo]

BroadwayWorld rounds up all the reviews from the European tour so far --


www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-Hugh-Jackmans-THE-MAN-THE-MUSIC-THE-SHOW-Opens-in-Glasgow-20190511


While we have posted most of the reviews here ( and in full), there are a few that we have not come across --

✉


Review Roundup: Hugh Jackman's THE MAN. THE MUSIC. THE SHOW. Opens in Glasgow

by Review Roundups May. 11, 2019



Hugh Jackman has opened his The Man. The Music. The Show. tour!

Hugh Jackman's The Man. The Music. The Show. will see Jackman perform a new show with hit songs from The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables and more from Broadway and film, accompanied by a live orchestra.

Was he everything the critics ever wanted? Read the reviews below!



Note: These are reviews for the UK leg of the tour

Natalie O'Donoghue, BroadwayWorld: Something I found particularly remarkable about the show was how unique it felt to the city it was being performed in. The choir featured in the show were from Glasgow, as was musical theatre performer Jenna Lee James who sang a stunning "I Dreamed A Dream" during the Les Miserables segment of the performance. Jackman was keen to involve the audience and have playful banter with audience members throughout.


Lisa-Marie Ferla, The Arts Desk: A two-act structure allows Jackman to play for both drama ("Valjean's Soliloquy", from Les Miserables), and laughs (a lengthy segment inspired by his Tony award-winning role as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz, in which Jackman manages to stay in character for three costume changes and a dance with a member of the audience). But like any great showman, he also knows when to step back, giving Glaswegian singer Jenna Lee-James a chance to shine during "I Dreamed A Dream" and introducing Aboriginal musicians including tribal elder Olive Knight who join him for a stunning rendition of "Over The Rainbow."


David Pollock, Telegraph: "Congratulations, you've all passed Musical Theatre 101," purred Hugh Jackman, after an affecting rendition of My Boy Bill from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. Carousel is hardly esoteric, but it was about as niche as the set list got at this first night of Jackman's debut European musical tour.
Subtitled "The Man. The Music. The Show", Jackman's new live set with orchestra and a troupe of dancers is a version of previous one-man shows that had brief runs on Broadway and in his native Australia.


Mark Fisher, The Guardian: Such self-awareness is part of his charm, as is his willingness to engage directly with the audience, making a 13,000-capacity venue seem intimate. If he is acting that smile at the end of his first number, it is acting of the highest order. He looks to be genuinely delighted. Of course, he can turn on the celebrity pizzazz, but he remembers to turn it off again too. "It's so good to be in a place where you're finally called Shuggie," he tells the Glasgow crowd with a winning grin.


Paul Little, The Times: A chameleon-like versatility is not often a prerequisite for a male Hollywood star, as long as they can look good and turn on the charisma, yet for Hugh Jackman, the Australian actor, a combination of charm, being multi-talented and possessing leading man looks defines him.
Here, in The Man, The Music, The Show world tour at the Hydro in Glasgow, Jackman, 50, completed his accidental transformation into a bona fide arena pop star.


Steven MacKenzie, The Big Issue: Moments like this walk the tightrope of over-the-top sentimentality but balance is kept by Jackman's natural charisma and authenticity, which he has brought to every film role, whether adamantium-endowed mutant, French bread thief, grizzled ski jump instructor, prestigious magician, robot boxing coach or Van Helsing.


Graeme Thomson, Daily Mail: A soliloquy from Carousel. A mini Les Mis set-piece. A glitzy homage to the golden age of screen. Tap dancing. Mack The Knife. A rhythmic mash-up of rock songs. It's all here, executed impeccably, though a section where Jackman camps it up as late Australian songwriter Peter Allen settles too readily for the broad comedy of arched eyebrows and persistent bum-wiggling.

The mood never settles but Jackman provides a charismatic fixed point. He acknow-ledges his sex-symbol status with humour, balances the schmaltz with blokey directness and projects carefully choreographed intimacy, linking songs to key moments in his life.


Kate Goerner, TheatreReviewsNorth: Indeed you only have to look at the audience to see that here is a performer who appeals to all demographics. From girls' nights out to middle-aged couples to small children dressed up in ringmaster garb, it's rare to see such a mixed bunch making up a 17,000 strong sell-out Manchester Arena audience. To call Jackman a true showman feels cliched now, but that's exactly what he is. An old-fashioned hoofer/crooner/matinee idol.



Emily Heward, Manchester Evening News: Jackman commands the crowds like a ringmaster as he struts down a catwalk stage into the crowd to the triumphant chorus of Come Alive. Evolving from his 2015 concert tour From Broadway to Oz, the setlist dances, jazz hands outstretched, through show tunes from some of Jackman's favourite musicals and films, from Guys and Dolls to Singin' in the Rain.



Sophia Dellapina, Manchester's Finest: My favourite moment, and everyone else's by the sounds of things, was Keala Settle's surprise performance of 'This Is Me'. After a really heartfelt introduction from Hugh- who spoke about the moment when she deservedly won the role of Lettie Lutz - I don't think there was a dry eye in the house after her empowering and spectacular performance. Soppiness aside, it wasn't all wobbly lips and lumps in throats- he was actually really funny and charismatic too which shone through his dialogue with the crowd. Yeah some of his one-liners may have been scripted, but so what?



Ciara O'Brien, Irish Times: Ultimately, Jackman is there to have fun, and even the most cynical among the audience can't help but get swept along. By the time Keala Settle reappears for From Now On, the entire 3Arena is back on its feet, singing along. They'd be dancing ion the stairs, if they were allowed. There's time for one more - Once Before I Go. And just like that, it's done. Jackman leaves the stage, with his title of Greatest Showman firmly intact.



Frances Winston, EILE Magazine: Throughout, Jackman proves completely engaging, chatting with the audience, popping off the stage to high-five children in the front row, signing autographs while in full flow with an anecdote (I kid you not) and even bringing one delighted Dubliner called - of all things - Tom Jones up on the stage, where he dad-danced to his heart's content. I appreciate that I went in to this as a fan anyway, but there is honestly very little I can find fault with in this show. He may have hit a bum note or missed a step somewhere, but I truly didn't notice. My biggest complaint is actually the disgraceful queue for the ladies in the 3 Arena, which has been a problem at every show I have attended there recently!

[jo]

Evening Standard review --

www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/hugh-jackman-o2-review-london-a4157771.html

Hugh Jackman movie roles: In pictures

Review
Hugh Jackman review: Supremely entertaining but not without a hint of self-indulgence

Reviewed by andre Paine
2 hours ago


Our rating: 4 of 5 stars

The O2
Peninsula Square
SE10 0DX


The Greatest Showman is the surprise chart phenomenon of recent years. Still in the top 10 after 18 months, the film soundtrack was the biggest global album of 2018.

Hugh Jackman, who starred as PT Barnum, is now on a victory lap: a 90-date world tour, including six nights at the O2. Accompanied by an orchestra, backing singers and dancers, he twirled his way through the opening spectacle of The Greatest Show and Come Alive, both perfect feelgood moments.

When Jackman’s co-star Keala Settle appeared for This Is Me, the film’s signature song of inclusivity, it was an emotional celebration that might have won over critics who hated the movie.

Jackman seemed to relish the chance to revisit other stage and screen roles. “I hope you’re not only Wolverine fans, it could be a long night,” said the 50-year-old. While a few empty anecdotes were a reminder that actors generally need lines, Jackman was an affable Aussie who kissed fans loitering by his ego ramp. A good singer rather than a great one, he seemed happy to be upstaged vocally by Settle and surprise guest Robbie Williams on an under-rehearsed duet of Angels.

Subtle songs rarely suited Jackman, who is a natural at meatier tunes from musical theatre. A dramatic return to Jean Valjean from Les Misérables was a remarkable transformation into the role that earned him an Oscar nod.

The second half was sillier but fun as Jackman adopted the flamboyant persona of his role in The Boy From Oz. At one point, he ended up in the arms of a failed Britain’s Got Talent contestant for reasons that weren’t entirely clear.
The greatest showman, or a self-indulgent superstar? A bit of both, perhaps. But Jackman’s energetic arena show is supremely entertaining.


Until Friday (0844 856 0202, theo2.co.uk)

Self-indulgent ? Of course - what do you expect from a show that focuses not only on The Music and The Show...but The Man himself

Er… the reviewer did not seem to have been present during the entire time. No comment on the unusual and very well-received A MILLION DREAMS... nor the curtain call FROM NOW ON, both highlights of the show? No comment either on the extended tap dance/drum medley segment enjoyed by all the crowds since the tour start?


He did not seem to appreciate that this is not a typical concert, but a personal retrospective of a performer who is now being hailed in many peforming branches. I wonder if he has ever seen Hugh in a musical theatre show or did he ever see his two film musicals -- material which calls for a lot of acting skills in addition to song and dance. His comment on " empty anecdotes" seem to imply that Hugh should not bother to lay down the background for the incoming song( and dance) choice. If he is familiar with musical theatre, it makes sense to segue from dialog to music as if they were seamless. If he was referring to the number You Will Find Yourself - I have a feeling that Hugh was trying to mask other personal feelings ( what happened to him when he was 8) with the cricket anecdote. Maybe only longtime fans of Hugh Jackman can connect the dots there...and the anecdote is a heartbreaking episode in a young boy's life?


The Evening Standard could have done with a more indepth analysis of the whole musicalized narrative in the life of Hugh Jackman, actor ( and occasional performer)


Jo

[jo]

This review favors the supports rather than the main man

Rates the show 3 of 5 stars


creativereviewsuk.blogspot.com/2019/06/concert-review-hugh-jackman.html?m=1

[jo]

From a Dublin reviewer --


eile.ie/2019/06/01/review-hugh-jackman-the-man-the-music-the-show-3arena-dublin/?fbclid=IwAR1TY8iAX_75Ixq2-dBez4nrsJ7HEc7muXAbKSnwmOUnOHuF8VIsFRd71IA

Review: Hugh Jackman – The Man, The Music, The Show (3Arena Dublin)
Posted by EILE Magazine on June 1, 2019 in Culture & Arts, Events, Music, News & Current Affairs, Reviews

Hugh Jackman – Image: Aiken Promotions
Review By Frances Winston
Hugh Jackman – The Man, The Music, The Show
The 3 Arena, East Wall, Dublin 1
30th and 31st May 2019

Hugh Jackman is amazing! His show is phenomenal! End of review!!!!


OK, apologies, that was very unprofessional. But if you can’t be bothered reading on, that is this review in a nutshell. I have sat down and thought about it. I have revisited all the rules of critical analysis that I studied in college. But I am truly finding it difficult to find anything to ‘critique’ in this show. I should also point out that I didn’t get a ‘reviewers’ ticket for this show, so I am under no obligation to the PR to say nice things about it.


However, Jackman is one of those rare performers that seems to appeal to literally everybody, thanks to the sheer breadth of his work. It was no surprise when he quickly sold out three shows in the 3 Arena, and as you’d expect, the audience was as eclectic as his body of work. From the 5-year-old children sporting top hats à la PT Barnum, to the elderly man dressed in full Greatest Showman garb, and everybody in-between, this crowd were united in one thing – their love of the talented Aussie.

Giving them exactly what they wanted, following montages of his big-screen performances (including the iconic Wolverine), he opened with the hugely successful, The Greatest Showman, which had the capacity crowd on their feet from the start.
Dressed in a silver tuxedo-jacket and bow-tie, he looked every inch the polished Hollywood star. After a couple of more numbers from the hit movie, the jacket was off though, the dress-shirt sleeves were rolled up, and we were treated to Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, as he explained how he got the role in a production of the show in 1995.

From here on in, he took us on a journey through his life, and the songs that have influenced it, or that he has been privileged to perform.


There is a beautiful tribute to his wife, a selection of songs from Les Mis, his legendary homage to Peter Allen, whom he played in The Boy From Oz (winning a Tony for his efforts) and a nod to the musicals he loved watching as a child.
A real surprise (and highlight for me) was when he tap danced to AC/DC’s thunderstruck. It was truly astonishing and extremely clever. All the numbers are peppered with anecdotes – indeed some feel very personal, and you can’t help but admire him for sharing them. Far from a selfish performer, Jackman brings out the wonderful Keala Settle to perform This is Me, as only she can (bringing several people to tears).

He also shares his stage with Blues singer, Olive Knight who, along her son, singer, Clifton Bieundurry, and Didgeridoo players, Paul Boon and Nathan Mundraby, performs in her traditional language of Walmatjarri, as part of the ‘nomad section’ of the show. This is a wonderful celebration of Jackman’s homeland, and again is very moving. There is also a special cheer reserved for Dublin choir, The Line-up, who joined him for a couple of numbers.

Throughout, Jackman proves completely engaging, chatting with the audience, popping off the stage to high-five children in the front row, signing autographs while in full flow with an anecdote (I kid you not) and even bringing one delighted Dubliner called – of all things – Tom Jones up on the stage, where he dad-danced to his heart’s content.


I appreciate that I went in to this as a fan anyway, but there is honestly very little I can find fault with in this show. He may have hit a bum note or missed a step somewhere, but I truly didn’t notice. My biggest complaint is actually the disgraceful queue for the ladies in the 3 Arena, which has been a problem at every show I have attended there recently!

I can honestly say that this was one of the best shows I have ever attended. It was slick, but had a sense of spontaneity. It was polished but personal. People laughed, people cried, people danced and sang, and it appealed to every single person there, whether they were familiar with the material or not.


It is rare that a performer has such broad appeal, but Jackman has it in spades. I’m actually jealous of the people who have yet to see him. It’s a real treat!

[hughmanity]

Jo, are you a subscriber to the Times of London? I see they gave a 5-star review, but I seem to have no way to read it.

[jo]

Not me either, sorry


Jo

[jo]

But we can read up to here

The greatest showman? Hugh Jackman
20TH CENTURY FOX

★★★★★

How do you make the greatest showman look even showier? Bring out another great showman. Audiences at the opening London concert of the Hugh Jackman world tour were treated to a surprise double act when Robbie Williams — the real “greatest showman”, Jackman quipped — joined the Australian star briefly for a rendition of the Contours’ Do You Love Me, mashed potato dance and all, followed by an Angels duet that raised the roof. They goofed around and bantered like best buds until it felt as if we were watching mates do (rather impressive) karaoke. The two greatest showmen had the audience in the palms of their hands.

Jackman has oodles of pizzazz with or without Williams, of course. The show, which began touring in…