Fans of epic vocals, slick production, and hilarious banter are in for a treat with this hugely entertaining evening from The Barricade Boys. The title promised a party and the boys delivered, with a 7-piece band, and some of the biggest guest artists in London’s glittering West End.

Co-creators Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield are joined by Kieran Brown and Craig Mather, with all four having one thing in common – they all cut their teeth performing on the barricades of the world’s longest-running musical – Les Misérables.

Each performer brings something unique to proceedings, whether its Brown’s classically-tinged sound (on full display in his rendition of “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera), Mather’s indie pop vibe (with “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” receiving a self-accompanied acoustic guitar twist), Garnham’s rich jazz tone (in a hilarious rework of “Master of the House”) or Schofield’s triple-threat tap solo in the second act.

All four have warm personalities, with their cheeky chappy approach giving the linking sections a light, entertaining feel, and the audience wanting to get to know the men beyond the barricade. There were personal stories of starting out as performers, and a medley of songs from childhood performances. Ultimately, the boys seem to genuinely enjoy being onstage together, and this lent an intimacy to proceedings – something often lost in other shows of a similar nature.

Recently of Marvel’s Hawkeye and Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Fra Fee is no stranger to the West End. Having earned his stripes in Les Misérables at the then Queen’s Theatre, he’s a long time friend of the Barricade Boys. His duet with Craig Mather was a highlight of the evening, and it’s because of this that an additional number from him would have been welcomed. Two numbers were had from Matt Henry OBE, who joined the boys for a rendition of “Stars”, and then brought his Olivier award-winning performance in Kinky Boots home to the Adelphi, where he wowed with “Not My Father’s Son”

Courtney Bowman, winner of the 2022 WhatsOnStage award for her performance in Legally Blonde at Regent’s Park Open Air theatre, gave a stunning rendition of the eleven o’clock number from The Wiz – “Home”. Surely if that show ever receives its long overdue West End bow, Bowman would be an obvious choice for the role of Dorothy.

All of this was brought together by Musical Director/Arranger James Doughty who conducted the 7-piece band with style and verve from the keyboard, and a simple but effective set design. Although at times the sound and lighting felt a little overpowering for a theatre setting, they did serve the purpose of dialling the excitement up to the max.

If you want to see and hear genuine top-tier West End talent singing a wide range of some of the best musical theatre and popular music of the last half-century, The Barricade Boys will give you a night at the theatre you’ll wish you could attend again and again.