''Thriller Live'' is a two-and-a-half-hour concert

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...

celebrating the music of

The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...

and the solo work and life of

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

. It had already been performed in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia before opening at the Lyric Theatre, London, on 21 January 2009. The show was conceived by

Jackson family The Jackson family is an American family of musicians and entertainers from Gary, Indiana. Many of the children of Joseph Walter "Joe" and Katherine Esther Jackson were successful musicians, notably the brothers that formed the Motown boy b ...

friend and author Adrian Grant.

Background

Adrian Grant started a British fan club in 1988, and then Jackson invited him out to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

when he was recording '' Dangerous''. Within a few years the fan club had grown to 25,000 subscribed members. This led to an annual Michael Jackson tribute show in the United Kingdom from 1991; Jackson attended the tenth anniversary event. Each tribute show attracted anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 people. Grant also wrote three books, including ''Michael Jackson – The Visual Documentary'' which was approved by the singer. Jackson was never involved with the production of ''Thriller – Live'', but he wished Grant luck with the production.

Productions

In August 2006, ''Thriller – Live'' was previewed in the United Kingdom, at the

Dominion Theatre The Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre and former cinema on Tottenham Court Road, close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point, in the London Borough of Camden. Planned as primarily a musical theatre, it opened in 1929, but the following ye ...

. The show was originally directed and choreographed by Kerys Nathan and with additional choreography by LaVelle Smith Jr. The following year, Grant, backed by Flying Music, began production for a UK Tour featuring the talents of Shaheen Jafargholi depicting the young Michael in the Jackson 5. The adult singers included Pop Idol star

Zoe Birkett Zoe Birkett (born 16 June 1985) is an English singer and musical theatre performer. Birkett was the highest placing female contestant on Pop Idol in 2001 and later appeared on Big Brother. Her first single, Treat Me Like A Lady, was released ...

and Filipino-Australian vocalist Mig Ayesa. The show played a successful set of dates throughout May and June 2007, and later that year it toured in Europe. Production for the West End version began in 2008, when open auditions were held to find a young actor to play Jackson. Ultimately six people would play the singer, going through the various stages of his career, with a total cast of 21 individuals, including Denise Pearson. Gary Lloyd directed and choreographed the show. The West End premiere was on 21 January 2009, at the Lyric Theatre in

Shaftesbury Avenue Shaftesbury Avenue is a major road in the West End of London, named after The 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. It runs north-easterly from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus. From Piccadill ...

Tito Jackson Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson (October 15, 1953 – September 15, 2024) was an American musician. He was a founding member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons), a group who rose to fame in the late 1960s and 1970s with the Motown la ...

other celebrities attended the premiere.

La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons (TV ...

attended the after show party. ''Thriller – Live'' was originally scheduled to run until 16 May 2009, but this date was extended several times following wide public interest, especially after Jackson's death on June 25, 2009. In September 2014, it became the 20th longest-running musical in West End. In October 2019 it was announced that the show would close in April 2020. The show closed prematurely on 15 March 2020 due to the theatre's closure as a result of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. ''Thriller – Live'' played in

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

at the

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, Grand Theater, in May 2011.

Commentary

Karen Fricker of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' expressed the opinion that the musical had "remarkably high production value" but was too long. Fricker continued, "Jackson's hits sung by four strong-voiced, charismatic leads, backed by a crackerjack team of singer-dancers—is effective and entertaining". Sanjoy Roy of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' observed, "It's cute, kicking and retro, but also highlights a danger that looms large in this show: that even as a tot, Jackson was supremely gifted performer—both as a singer and a dancer—and this tribute, however well intended, inevitably pales by comparison." Paul Vale of ''

The Stage ''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. Founded in 1880, ''The Stage'' contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at thos ...

'' stated, "Those looking for history of Jackson's personal life should look elsewhere as this theatrical extravaganza is a breathtaking celebration of a musician whose work spans over three decades... Jonathan Park's set design and Nigel Catmur's lighting are complimented by

LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...

screens creating some wonderful theatrical set pieces that are simple and yet remarkably effective". Benedict Nightingale of ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'' said of one performer, "What elacks in physical similarity to Jackson he also lacks vocally. The coarse, sandy qualities of his voice are as suited to "

Rock with You "Rock with You" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. It was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. It was release ...

" as custard is on a steak". Charles Spencer of ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'' commented, "Gary Lloyd, who doubles as director and choreographer, keeps the energy level at fever pitch almost throughout, and his dance routines, featuring daring leaps from an on-stage bridge, break-dancing, and, yes, the moonwalk, are spectacular. There is also a terrific band, ranging with aplomb from funk, soul and disco, through candy-rush pop to guitar-led rock". Malcolm Jack of ''

The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact (newspaper), compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until ...

'' noted that, "Some of Jackson's best numbers - " Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", "

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson recorded for his sixth studio album ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982). It is the opening track of the album and was released as its fourth single on May 9, 1983, by Ep ...

" and "

Beat It "Beat It" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson, produced by Quincy Jones, and co-produced by Jackson. Jones encouraged Jackson to ...

" - were treated rather underwhelmingly, but the faithful(ish) to the video centrepieces - " Smooth Criminal", "

Billie Jean "Billie Jean" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on January 3, 1983, as the second single from his sixth studio album, ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson, produ ...

" and " Thriller" - were fairly spectacular". Amber Windsor of '' This Is Local London'' said of her experience at one show, "The signature high-pitched yee hee' echoed from the foyer and it was endearing to see a young boy recreating Michael's signature moonwalk, proving Jackson's music still appeals to all ages...The stage was vibrantly brought to life by the dancers, easily the strongest element of Thriller Live. Their endless energy and clear passion for the music reflected Jackson's own style". Mel Bradley of ''Dinnington Guardian'' recalled his enthusiasm and enjoyment while observing the musical, despite not being an "ardent fan of the king of pop". Julie Carpenter of ''

Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...

'' stated, "...this is a hugely enjoyable, gloriously upbeat, high-energy show which leaves you chanting '' Annie, are you OK? Are you OK, Annie?'' as you slip out the door". On June 21, 2010, six performers in the

West End of London The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of Central London, Central London, England, in the London Borough of Camden, London Boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster. It is west of the City of London an ...

show '' Thriller – Live'' released "Speechless" as a single with the official name "Speechless – A Tribute to Michael Jackson" to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Jackson's death. All proceeds from the recording were donated to the charity War Child.

"Speechless – A Tribute to Michael Jackson" Personnel

* Written and originally produced by Michael Jackson * Produced, edited and mixed by Dave Loughran * Executive producer: Adrian Grant for Key Concerts & Entertainment * Vocal arrangement by John Maher * Music arranged and performed by Dave Loughran *

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

performed by John Maher * Lead vocals: James Anderson, Jean-Mikhael Baque, Kieran Alleyne, Kuan Frye, Mitchell Zhangazha, MJ Mytton-Sanneh * Choir: Britt Quentin, Hope Lyndsey Plumb, J Rome, Jenessa Qua, Linda John-Pierre, Olamide Oshinowo, Paul Clancy, Terrence Ryan, Wayne Anthony-Cole * Mastered by Steve Kitch

Setlist

Act I *

Overture Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overtures which ...

: "

HIStory History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

" * Opening Mashup: " Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"/"

" * "

Who's Lovin' You "Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence T ...

" * " I'll Be There" * "

I Want You Back "I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 7, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...

" * " ABC" * " Rockin' Robin" * " Blame It on the Boogie" * " Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" * " Remember the Time" * "

Human Nature Human nature comprises the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of Thought, thinking, feeling, and agency (philosophy), acting—that humans are said to have nature (philosophy), naturally. The term is often used to denote ...

" * "

This Place Hotel "This Place Hotel" (originally named "Heartbreak Hotel") is a 1980 song by the Jacksons, written by Michael Jackson. While his brothers did not sing background vocals, they were credited with playing percussion on the album while brother Tito co ...

" * " Dangerous" * "

She's Out of My Life "She's Out of My Life" is a song written by American songwriter Tom Bahler and performed by American singer Michael Jackson. The song was released April 1, 1980 as the fourth single from Jackson's 1979 album '' Off the Wall''. In 2004, the son ...

" * "

Off the Wall ''Off the Wall'' is the fifth studio album by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on August 10, 1979, by Epic Records. It was Jackson's first album released through Epic Records, and the first produced by Quincy Jones, whom he met ...

" * " Get on the Floor" * "

" * " Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (

Reprise In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any re ...

) * "

Can You Feel It Can You Feel It may refer to: Albums * ''Can You Feel It'', a 1989 album by Angel (American band), Angel * Can You Feel It? (EP), ''Can You Feel It?'' (EP) by Highlight, 2017 * ''Can You Feel It'', a 1972 album by S.O.U.L. * ''Can You Feel It'', a 1 ...

" Act II *

Entr'acte (or , ;Since 1932–35 the recommends this spelling, with no apostrophe, so historical, ceremonial and traditional uses (such as the 1924 René Clair film title) are still spelled . and ', , and ) means 'between the acts'. It can mean a pau ...

Mashup: "

"/" Workin' Day and Night" * " Dancing Machine" * " P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" * "

" * " The Way You Make Me Feel" * "

I Just Can't Stop Loving You "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a 1987 duet ballad by American singer Michael Jackson featuring singer and songwriter Siedah Garrett, and was released as the first single on July 20, 1987, by Epic Records from his seventh album, ''Bad''. The ...

" * " Smooth Criminal" * "

Dirty Diana "Dirty Diana" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It is the ninth track on Jackson's seventh studio album, '' Bad'' (1987). The song was released by Epic Records on April 18, 1988, as the fifth single from the album. It pre ...

" * " Man in the Mirror" * " They Don't Care About Us" * "

Earth Song "Earth Song" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was written and produced by Michael Jackson, David Foster and Bill Bottrell. It was released by Epic Records on November 13, 1995, as the third single from Jackson's n ...

" * "

" (

Instrumental An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through Semantic change, semantic widening, a broader sense of the word s ...

) * "

" * " Thriller" * "

Bad Bad or BAD may refer to: Common meanings *Evil, the opposite of moral good * Erroneous, inaccurate or incorrect * Unhealthy, or counter to well-being *Antagonist, the threat or obstacle of moral good Acronyms * BAD-2, a Soviet armored trolley ...

" * "

Black or White "Black or White" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on November 11, 1991, as the first single from Jackson's eighth studio album, '' Dangerous'' (1991). Jackson wrote, composed, and produced the track with rec ...

" * Finale: " Smooth Criminal"/" Thriller" (Reprise) Performances in Brazil featured "

" after "

" The international tour sometimes replaces "Human Nature" with "

Never Can Say Goodbye "Never Can Say Goodbye" is a song written by Clifton Davis and originally recorded by the Jackson 5. The song was originally written and intended for the Supremes; however, Motown decided it would be better for the Jackson 5. It was the first ...

Cast

London West End 2018

Cast Changeover: 29 May 2018 * Vocalist: Kieran Alleyne * Vocalist: Charlotte Berry * Vocalist: Wayne Anthony-Cole * Vocalist: Vivienne Ekwulugo * Vocalist: Haydon Eshun * Vocalist: David Julien * Vocalist: Jonah Mayor * Vocalist: John Moabi * Vocalist: Florivaldo Mossi * Swing Dancer and Resident Director: Aisling Duffy * Swing Dancer and Dance Captain: Ebony Clarke * Swing Dancer: Vivian Gayle * Swing Dancer: Simone Moncada * Dancer and Vocalist Cover: David Devyne * Dancer: Daniel Blessing * Dancer: Filippo Coffano * Dancer: Joel Ekperigin * Dancer: Eliza Hart * Dancer: Leona Lawrenson * Dancer: Mari Macleod * Dancer: Oskarina O’Sullivan * Dancer: Zinzile Tshuma * Dancer: Matt Vjestica * Vocalist: Triple Calz * Vocalist: Isaiah Mason * Vocalist: Xhanti Mbonzongwana * Vocalist: Christian Posso * Vocalist: Jay-Jay Prince

Notes

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thriller - Live The Jackson 5 West End musicals Michael Jackson 2009 musicals Jukebox musicals Revues