Review: BARBIE: THE MOVIE, Royal Albert Hall

It may have lacked the star power seen in previous shows but the Royal Albert Hall’s latest entry in their Films In Concert events was a night punctuated by laughter, tears and raw emotion. 

Barbie: The Movie was something of a cultural phenomenon which caught many off guard when it first came out in 2023. Away from the huge buzz that accompanied its launch, it still holds up both as a piece of entertainment and as a socio-political statement. Packed with more Hollywood celebrities than an Oscar afterparty, it quickly became a feminist platform. Director Greta Gerwig raised eyebrows when she took on what in previous decades would have been a slice of animated fluff designed to shift ever more merchandise. Her two previous films Lady Bird and Little Women had both been a critical and popular success with ten Oscar nominations between them. They were, though, relatively minor affairs in Hollywood terms so how would she handle a project with a nine-figure budget, leads including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Will Ferrell and an seemingly neverending raft of cameos? Spoiler: superbly.

A testament to its power is in the fact that this is the most recent movie picked to be part of this venue’s much-acclaimed series in which they show the original cinema cut while a live orchestra and chorus bring the score and key musical elements to life. Usually, The Royal Albert Hall tend to pick on much older films: recent and future films include the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Gladiator and Back To The Future with their huge fan bases coming together to communally experience these classics. In an auditorium the size and scale of this one, it’s a genuinely special event for anyone lucky enough to bag a ticket.

Another factor in this series’ ongoing success is the unique staging and personal appearances for each event. Ghostbusters had a replica of the ECTO-1 parked up outside with Peter Bernstein (conductor and son of the original score composer Elmer Bernstein) taking charge of the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. James Cameron - the director responsible for three of the top four highest grossing films ever - popped down to South Kensington for a pre-show talk before the original Avatar was shown.

For last year’s screening of Top Gun: Maverick, some little-known actor called (checks notes) Tom Cruise made a surprise entrance then gave a short speech about the historical importance of leitmotifs. He didn’t rappel upside-down from the rafters or ride away aboard a roaring motorcycle but maybe he’s saving that for when the 2022 action flick returns here on 26 May.

For Barbie: The Movie, the Royal Albert Hall pushed the boat out - and the audience responded in kind. On stage were the Barbie Land™ Sinfonietta, an all-female orchestra clad entirely in pink who performed both the score and hit pop songs from the soundtrack. In a touching moment, conductor Macy Schmidt literally passed the baton to a young girl - possibly a nod to Mattel’s much-vaunted “Dream Gap” project which was announced early on from the stage. 

Their musical contributions never over-shadowed the film but brilliantly elevated its key scenes to new heights. During the beach scene, the orchestra took to their feet and tossed out beach balls into the audience. Later on, they rocked out with searing guitar solos performed under pinpoint spotlights. If anything, they looked like they were having as much fun as we were.

The pinkness wasn’t confined to the stage with many in the pews making an effort to dress up and throw themselves into the night’s theme. Those around me responded to the more emotional scenes wholeheartedly. When America Ferrarra gave the “It is literally impossible to be a woman” speech, spontaneous applause broke out across the hall. As the end credits rolled, a trickle then a flood of people turned on their camera lights until the auditorium looked as bright as stars in the night sky. And when the last words had scrolled off the screen, the orchestra were given a raucous and lengthy standing ovation. It was that kind of night.

The Royal Albert Hall’s Film In Concert series continues with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on 25 April, Gladiator In Concert on 26-27 April and RRR Live on 11 May. A full listing can be found here,

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