A Practically Perfect Con In Every Way - Musical Con 2023 Review

 To a casual observer and, indeed, on paper, a musical theatre convention does not sound like it would work, and I will be the first to admit that was my initial thought when I first heard about it. 

It seemed unfathomable to me that an event I'd normally associate with comic books and celebrating the works of shows and films, as well as the actors, artists and staff involved in the making of said shows and films, would be able to work in celebrating musical theatre. Now that I have been to one, I have come to one conclusion:

This is a phenomenon that needs to start catching on. 

Musical theatre is something almost everyone has experienced in one form or another, whether you have gone to the theatre on a special evening out, or whether you have forged your career in helping one come to life on stage. To some, it may seem like an art form that is best left forgotten about, but to the vast majority of people, it's an art form that I feel is still vastly underappreciated. 

Musical Con was an event that from the very start, went off very smoothly which, if you know anything about comic cons in general, is a very rare thing for any event to achieve. It was based at London Excel, and on a weekend where there were at least two other events happening simultaneously, so it was clear we were all in for a busy and crowded weekend. Saying this, however, I found the queuing system was not at all as bad as I had imagined, with there being three separate and distinct queues for VIP ticket holders, standard ticket holders, and access pass holders, and the queuing time was made easier by the fact there were dance troupes and choirs singing and dancing to ensure our energy levels and excitement were all up by the time we were allowed in. 

Once inside, it was a well spread out event, with stalls selling different musical theatre branded merchandise, and colleges there to promote their musical theatre programs all scattered out so you could meander through at your own pace and see what everyone was offering. There was a giant Aladdin lamp as well, which whilst promoting the "Aladdin" musical production about to tour in the UK also served as a unique feature, where you could rub it and the television screens above it would tell you if you'd won a prize. 

Just like normal conventions, there were poster boards and props where you could take photos in front of. My particular favourites were the "Newsies" themed board, and the "Everybody's Talking About Jamie" area, which came complete with a pair of stunning red heels and a mirror you could pose in front of. I also couldn't resist grabbing a microphone and busting a pose in front of the giant "Six" poster that 

There were also showcases of new and upcoming musicals. If you have seen my other posts, you'll know I was very hyped about "Ride" so I was thrilled that got a mention, and also "The Book Thief" which, particularly in these unsettling times, has a message that we need now more than ever about choosing love over hate. I also had some new musicals to add to my list, which I think is perhaps the best thing to have come out of this exciting event, even if I know my bank account will suffer down the line.
 

There were autograph and photo opportunities with some of the stars of the musical theatre productions we know and well, as well as master classes and workshops to hone and learn some vital skills for any budding actors. I enjoyed the Acting Through Song workshop with "Newsies" star, Ryan Kopel, which was all about learning how to take a performative song, and enhancing how you told the story within that song to your audience. 

There were also interesting panel talks, detailing about some behind the scenes processes, and how the theatre dealt with important and real life issues, such as accessibility needs, and helping support and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. This was particularly interesting because for a lot of audiences, you take the show that's produced at face value, you don't think about everything that goes into making the show, or the issues that can help or hinder a show's creation, so this made me sit up a little bit and learn to appreciate the people who worked behind the scenes and backstage on a new level. After all, you need just as much, if not more, magic off stage as you do on stage, to make the final product work and shine. 

Finally, there were performances by some west end legends, such as Erin Caldwell, who some people may know from "Heathers", whilst some may know her as Jane Seymour in the UK tour of "Six", or Jon Robyns, who wsas in "Les Mis" and, more recently, "Phantom of the Opera", Alice Fearn from "Come From Away" and "Wicked", and many more. Each dazzled the stage and took everyone's breath away with some powerful performances that just made me love the theatre even more than I already do. 

This was a collaborative effort from so many people, and I cannot thank all those who were involved enough because it heightened my love of the theatre. I could gush on and on about why this was so special, but I think the simplest way to put it is that it was a home for the weekend for musical theatre fans, and made us all unite to celebrate who we all are and who we could be in the future. 

Long may the love and celebration of musicals continue.