The 2025 Royal Variety Performance – review

It is a curious thing to sit in the Royal Albert Hall, beneath the gaze of a future monarch, and watch the tricolour of the French Republic flutter defiantly alongside the Union Jack. As the stirring, revolutionary chords of Les Misérables swelled to fill the iconic space, one couldn’t help but wonder what the Royal Box made of that finale. But such is the power of Cameron Mackintosh’s juggernaut: it transcends politics to become an international religion in its own right.

Following a first act that appeared, at times, like it was wading through slightly sluggish waters, this year’s Royal Variety evening eventually found its rhythm, providing both traditional variety turns and a high-octane celebration of the West End’s enduring muscle.

The aforementioned Les Mis finale was, quite simply, a moment of theatrical history that I suspect will stay with those in the room for a while. Marking the 40th anniversary, the stage played host to the show’s past, present, and future. We had the seasoned veterans of the anniversary casts, your Bradley Jadens, Katy Secombes, Matt Lucases or Killian Donnellys, led by the inevitable (and predictably excellent) Michael Ball, whose presence at these celebrations is now as certain as the national anthem.

However, the real magic lay in the scale. Mackintosh brought together amateur casts from across the country, though to call them “amateur” felt like a disservice. These performers were simply sublime, delivering the score with a precision and vocal heft that would put many a professional touring company to shame. Adding a layer of poignant authenticity, the new French cast joined the fray, their native delivery of the lyrics adding a grounded, gritty texture to the familiar melodies. It was a wall of sound that didn’t just fill the hall; it shook it.

Earlier in the evening, the theatre highlights provided the necessary “wow” factor that the comedy and magician sets occasionally lacked. The arrival of Paddington The Musical was a genuine coup – there was an audible gasp from the audience when the titular bear first appeared. Equally vibrant was Johannes Radebe, who gave us a glittering preview of Kinky Boots ahead of its highly anticipated run at the London Coliseum.

There were moments of intense poignancy. A significant segment was dedicated to Just for One Day, the musical based on the Live Aid charity’s tireless efforts to prevent humanitarian disaster across the world and Bob Geldof’s unorthodox yet utterly effective approach to international fundraising. The delivery of “Blowin’ in the Wind” was the standout vocal chapter of the night’s first half; it was raw, urgent, and almost literally blew the roof off the venue. It served as a potent reminder of why that show’s blend of nostalgia and social history is proving so successful at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Stephen Fry, in his Lady Bracknell attire, delivered a bespoke text in the vein of his The Importance of Being Earnest character that felt slightly awkward in the context of a variety bill. While Fry’s wit is undisputed, the transition from high-energy musical theatre to clipped witticism felt like a gear change that didn’t quite take, leaving the momentum momentarily stalled.

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Host Jason Manford kept spirits high regardless, steering the ship with a solid, affable charm, never letting the pace sag too far.

A particularly “lovely” highlight – and one that felt deeply rooted in the DNA of this event – was the tribute to the great institution of the British Pantomime. Seeing legends like Christopher Biggins and Su Pollard on stage together was a joyful reminder that variety and panto are essentially two sides of the same coin. It was camp, it was chaotic, and it was quintessentially British.

But ultimately, we return to that barricade. As the masses stood, the flags waved, and the amateur and professional casts merged into one gargantuan vocal force, the Royal Variety Performance hit a transcendent high.

The show broadcasts on ITV One.