Jo-Little Women Musical in Concert

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

One night only

Photo credit: Roger Alacorn

{PR Gifted ticket}

Having been in development for a number of years, including a studio cast recording at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in 2025, Jo - The Little Women Musical took to the West End stage.

In this stripped-back, music-first production of Jo, Composer and Music Director Dan Redfield conducts a full orchestra on stage, creating a real sense of grandiosity in the space. Faithfully retelling the story of Little Women that everyone knows and loves, Jo introduces us to the four March sisters (Meg, Amy, Beth, and the titular Jo) as they grow up and traverse love, loss, and self-discovery.

Whilst the title of the show suggests this is a story focused on the witty, stubborn Jo (Christine Allado), who dreams of being a successful author, we actually spend a surprising amount of time with the other characters. Outside of the March sisters, neighbour-stroke-love-interest Laurie (Tobias Turley) is a central component of this story as he discovers what it means to become a man.

With over 35 songs featured in the score, Jo’s greatest strength is its musical numbers. The sprawling, classic style of musical theatre composition fits the 19th century period perfectly, with a number of songs sounding as if they wouldn’t be out of place in Les Mis. A particular standout is Laurie and Amy’s duet ‘My Captive Heart’, which balances sentimentality with soaring melodies to create a breathtaking musical moment that even the greatest cynic would struggle to not get swept up by.

Sometimes the scales tip too far towards sentimentality, however. I was delighted when I heard that the legendary Kerry Ellis would be playing Marmee, but somewhat disappointed to find that her only two solo numbers were more saccharine than show-stopping. Marmee doesn’t feel as three-dimensional as some of the other characters, a fate that Beth (Eleanor Grant) suffers too. While Grant does a beautiful job conveying Beth’s soft kindness, she is far less developed than the other sisters, feeling more as though she’s there as a plot device rather than a character.

Meg (Kelly Mathieson) is written with greater depth and clarity, but her plot points feel rushed – an impressive feat given this show lasted over three hours. Sadly, a fundamental flaw with Jo is that while you can see the great love and care that have been poured into the score by its creators, the book feels like it's merely tacked on to move the narrative along. This leads to underdeveloped characters – the initial introduction to the sisters especially felt as though it relied on the audience’s pre-existing knowledge of the story – and clumsy dialogue, as well as the excessive runtime.

Beyond the many musical gems featured in Jo, this production’s other greatest asset is its cast. Allado is wide-eyed and dreamy as Jo, with a tremendously powerful voice that reminded me somewhat of Rachel Zegler in her range and control. From her first solo (‘Journey’) to the strong conclusion of ‘This Is Our Story’, Allado grounds the narrative with heart and aplomb. Sophie Pollono is just as magnetic as youngest sister Amy, who becomes more of a central character as the show goes on. Pollono does a stellar job of showcasing her transition from an excitable girl to a self-assured young woman, and her chemistry with the equally captivating Turley as Laurie is dazzling.

Staging a musical as a concert successfully is tricky, but Director & Choreographer JoAnn M Hunter makes it work very well here. Ensemble scenes such as the New Year’s Eve ball and Meg’s wedding feel full of life despite the absence of set and props, and the charming moments of dance are a lovely touch. There will always be some challenges that require the audience to use their imagination a little bit more with a concert staging, however – I will admit I struggled to suppress a chuckle when Jo returned to the stage announcing she’d cut off her hair for money, her long flowing hair now simply tied up in a messy bun.

There’s really a lot to love about Jo - The Little Women Musical for musical theatre lovers, with its sparkling score, genuine heart, and sublime cast, but it needs some hemming before it can become as beloved as its source material.

Creatives

Composer and Music Director: Dan Redfeld  

Book and Lyrics: Christina Harding and John Gabriel Koladziej

Director and Choreographer: JoAnn M. Hunter