The real beauty of Brighton Fringe is that you never quite know what you’re going to see. You put your faith into a flyer, a poster, or sometimes a venue you love, and just go with it. So it’s truly magical when the stars align and you end up seeing something that takes your breath away. A performance that’s so good you had to talk about it for hours after the lights went down. AND it’s still only your first Fringe show of 2025 – a gloriously strong start!
Joan The Musical by Melanie Bell and Hannah Doyle is a triumphant tale about a woman’s dwindling confidence and her journey of self-discovery. A tale of despair and sadness, followed by joy and karma. With sequins, hot pink leggings, squats and box breathing. All set to an amazing original musical score.
We meet 72-year-old Joan who, after many years as a glitzy West End dancer, feels she has long lost her sparkle; while her ex-husband crushed her confidence even further with his wayward ways. She’s a shell of the once glamorous and sassy woman she used to be, seriously lacking in self-love and self-belief.
We follow Joan as she spirals into a marvellously musical fever dream, coming face to face with herself. A place where she questions her worth, respect and validation. And where she embarks on a journey of self-discovery to be reminded that, regardless of age, past careers and a broken marriage, she is still a powerful goddess.
We soaked up every minute of Joan the Musical. It had plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as well as a couple when our eyes welled up just a tiny bit too. The acting was authentic and engaging, while the songs were sung beautifully, note for note.
As we left the always-brilliant Actors Theatre, we heard someone in the audience say “what a woman”. We couldn’t agree more. Joan’s a woman we can all relate to – maybe because there’s a little bit of her in all of us.
There’s still time to grab a ticket for the next performance of Joan The Musical. But if you miss it, The Actors has a brimful of other amazing Fringe performances. From cabaret and film, to theatre and comedy.
Sunday 26th May; 1.30pm; £8
The Actors, 4 Princes Street, Brighton, BN2 1RD
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Photo credits: Luci Carnall
