Review Roundup: Hugh Jackman's THE MAN. THE MUSIC. THE SHOW. - What Did The Critics Think?

Hugh Jackman is touring the world with his new concert, The Man. The Music. The Show - and it's now making its way across the USA!

In 2018 Jackman was Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe and Tony Awarded for being a winning performer and announced his first world tour. You will see Jackman performing hit songs from The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables and a lot more from Broadway and film, accompanied by a live orchestra.

For more information, a complete tour schedule and tickets to The Man. The Music. The Show., tap here.

Let's see what the critics have to say!

St. Paul Reviews

Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press: Backed by an orchestra, an army of dancers and St. Paul's One Voice Mixed Chorus, Jackman delivered the sort of old-fashioned, high-glamour evening of Hollywood spectacle that was once common on stage and screen, but is rarely produced at this level today. Clad in custom Tom Ford outfits, Jackman fully embraced the inherent campiness of it all, whether he was tap dancing to AC/DC, playfully interacting with members of the crowd or sharing funny, often self-deprecating, anecdotes about his life.

Jon Bream, Star Tribune: We've long known that he's handsome and hunky and a dazzling song-and-dance man. But he's really funny, too. All those traits made Jackman's "The Man. The Music. The Show" one of the more uncompromisingly ambitious, flashily entertaining and consistently uplifting tours undertaken by a performer you never expected to see in a sports arena.

Adam Uren, Bring Me The News: He can sing, he can dance, he can scratch your face off with adamantium claws. Hugh Jackman proved he can do pretty much anything he sets his mind to with a rip-roaring performance at the Xcel Energy Center Saturday evening. [...] Among the highlights of the evening was Jackman helping an audience member propose to his girlfriend on stage, while another a doctor was pulled from the crowd to sing "Sweet Caroline," though he received a few jeers when he revealed it was from Wisconsin.

Houston Review

Joey Guerra, Chron: The Aussie entertainer's spirit, however, is steeped in stage musicals. He's been doing them for more than two decades and won a Tony for 2004's "The Boy from Oz." Jackman can sing and dance marvelously, to be sure. But he's also gifted with the ability to fully inhabit a character. It turned every song into a real moment, backed by a lush symphony and an exuberant array of dancers and singers.

London Reviews

Andre Paine, Go London: Jackman seemed to relish the chance to revisit other stage and screen roles. "I hope you're not only Wolverine fans, it could be a long night," said the 50-year-old. While a few empty anecdotes were a reminder that actors generally need lines, Jackman was an affable Aussie who kissed fans loitering by his ego ramp. A good singer rather than a great one, he seemed happy to be upstaged vocally by Settle and surprise guest Robbie Williamson an under-rehearsed duet of Angels.

Francesca Steele, The Times: How do you make the greatest showman look even showier? Bring out another great showman. Audiences at the opening London concert of the Hugh Jackman world tour were treated to a surprise double act when Robbie Williams - the real "greatest showman", Jackman quipped - joined the Australian star briefly for a rendition of the Contours' Do You Love Me, mashed potato dance and all, followed by an Angels duet that raised the roof. They goofed around and bantered like best buds until it felt as if we were watching mates do (rather impressive) karaoke. The two greatest showmen had the audience in the palms of their hands.

Ireland Reviews

Ciara O'Brien, Irish Times: It seems there is little Jackman can't turn his hand to. From Luck Be a Lady and Singin' in The Rain, he segues into a tap dancing medley that includes the aforementioned AC/DC number and another nod to Wolverine at the end.

"Let's see Ryan Reynolds do THAT," he quips. "I'm going to get a middle of the night tweet from Ryan Reynolds. It's coming."

Frances Winston, EILE: Throughout, Jackman proves completely engaging, chatting with the audience, popping off the stage to high-five children in the front row, signing autographs while in full flow with an anecdote (I kid you not) and even bringing one delighted Dubliner called - of all things - Tom Jones up on the stage, where he dad-danced to his heart's content. I appreciate that I went in to this as a fan anyway, but there is honestly very little I can find fault with in this show. He may have hit a bum note or missed a step somewhere, but I truly didn't notice. My biggest complaint is actually the disgraceful queue for the ladies in the 3 Arena, which has been a problem at every show I have attended there recently!

Manchester Reviews

Kate Goerner, TheatreReviewsNorth: Indeed you only have to look at the audience to see that here is a performer who appeals to all demographics. From girls' nights out to middle-aged couples to small children dressed up in ringmaster garb, it's rare to see such a mixed bunch making up a 17,000 strong sell-out Manchester Arena audience. To call Jackman a true showman feels cliched now, but that's exactly what he is. An old-fashioned hoofer/crooner/matinee idol.

Emily Heward, Manchester Evening News: Jackman commands the crowds like a ringmaster as he struts down a catwalk stage into the crowd to the triumphant chorus of Come Alive. Evolving from his 2015 concert tour From Broadway to Oz, the setlist dances, jazz hands outstretched, through show tunes from some of Jackman's favourite musicals and films, from Guys and Dolls to Singin' in the Rain.

Sophia Dellapina, Manchester's Finest: My favourite moment, and everyone else's by the sounds of things, was Keala Settle's surprise performance of 'This Is Me'. After a really heartfelt introduction from Hugh- who spoke about the moment when she deservedly won the role of Lettie Lutz - I don't think there was a dry eye in the house after her empowering and spectacular performance. Soppiness aside, it wasn't all wobbly lips and lumps in throats- he was actually really funny and charismatic too which shone through his dialogue with the crowd. Yeah some of his one-liners may have been scripted, but so what?

Glasgow Reviews

Natalie O'Donoghue, BroadwayWorld: Something I found particularly remarkable about the show was how unique it felt to the city it was being performed in. The choir featured in the show were from Glasgow, as was musical theatre performer Jenna Lee James who sang a stunning "I Dreamed A Dream" during the Les Miserables segment of the performance. Jackman was keen to involve the audience and have playful banter with audience members throughout.

Lisa-Marie Ferla, The Arts Desk: A two-act structure allows Jackman to play for both drama ("Valjean's Soliloquy", from Les Miserables), and laughs (a lengthy segment inspired by his Tony award-winning role as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz, in which Jackman manages to stay in character for three costume changes and a dance with a member of the audience). But like any great showman, he also knows when to step back, giving Glaswegian singer Jenna Lee-James a chance to shine during "I Dreamed A Dream" and introducing Aboriginal musicians including tribal elder Olive Knight who join him for a stunning rendition of "Over The Rainbow."

David Pollack, Telegraph: "Congratulations, you've all passed Musical Theatre 101," purred Hugh Jackman, after an affecting rendition of My Boy Bill from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. Carousel is hardly esoteric, but it was about as niche as the set list got at this first night of Jackman's debut European musical tour. Subtitled "The Man. The Music. The Show", Jackman's new live set with orchestra and a troupe of dancers is a version of previous one-man shows that had brief runs on Broadway and in his native Australia.

Paul Little, The Times: A chameleon-like versatility is not often a prerequisite for a male Hollywood star, as long as they can look good and turn on the charisma, yet for Hugh Jackman, the Australian actor, a combination of charm, being multi-talented and possessing leading man looks defines him. Here, in The Man, The Music, The Show world tour at the Hydro in Glasgow, Jackman, 50, completed his accidental transformation into a bona fide arena pop star.

Mark Fisher, The Guardian: Such self-awareness is part of his charm, as is his willingness to engage directly with the audience, making a 13,000-capacity venue seem intimate. If he is acting that smile at the end of his first number, it is acting of the highest order. He looks to be genuinely delighted. Of course, he can turn on the celebrity pizzazz, but he remembers to turn it off again too. "It's so good to be in a place where you're finally called Shuggie," he tells the Glasgow crowd with a winning grin.

Graeme Thomson, Daily Mail: A soliloquy from Carousel. A mini Les Mis set-piece. A glitzy homage to the golden age of screen. Tap dancing. Mack The Knife. A rhythmic mash-up of rock songs. It's all here, executed impeccably, though a section where Jackman camps it up as late Australian songwriter Peter Allen settles too readily for the broad comedy of arched eyebrows and persistent bum-wiggling. The mood never settles but Jackman provides a charismatic fixed point. He acknow-ledges his sex-symbol status with humour, balances the schmaltz with blokey directness and projects carefully choreographed intimacy, linking songs to key moments in his life.

Steven MacKenzie, The Big Issue: Moments like this walk the tightrope of over-the-top sentimentality but balance is kept by Jackman's natural charisma and authenticity, which he has brought to every film role, whether adamantium-endowed mutant, French bread thief, grizzled ski jump instructor, prestigious magician, robot boxing coach or Van Helsing.

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