Review: MJ: THE MUSICAL at National Theatre

The myriad music, moods, and motifs of the “king of pop” (not to mention generic mastery of soul, rhythm and blues, funk, rock, disco, and dance-pop) Michael Jackson, are electrifyingly on display in the ingeniously cutting -edge musical MJ: The Musical now playing at The National Theatre. Not at all the expected “jukebox musical”, I was surprised to witness the finesse and craftsmanship of an extremely ambitious theatrical offering that was truly intelligent.

Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage’s book and a lead performance that thrills are the locks that hold this ingeniously conceived project together. From the razor-sharp opening song “Beat It” to a finale that has the ensemble of the show approaching the apron of the stage to implicate the audience with the challenge from Jackson’s transformative song “Man in the Mirror”: “…If you wanna make the world a better place, Take a look at yourself and make that Change”, this is a musical that is truly transformative.

Director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s perceptive feel for the material is intertwined tightly with the intentions of Ms. Nottage’s book. This production (with integral assistance from global associate director Dontee Kiehn), is a veritable feast of raw, propulsive energy, --- and eye-catching (superlative scenic design by Derek McLane) visuals that emanate from the womb of a stark rehearsal room. As the superstar Michael Jackson rehearses with his cast in preparation for his Dangerous tour, this production embodies the family dynamics, the Motown scene, the Apollo Theater, the Soul Train set, Studio 54, and other significant signposts from the timeline of Jackson’s life.

No less than twenty-seven musical set pieces are interspersed throughout this musical and they all seemingly erupt to mirror the psychological, interior world of the complex figure that is Michael Jackson. The songs from Jackson’s catalogue establish immediacy and explicate the nuances of Ms. Nottage’s book with a spontaneous synergy. I occasionally wished that so many high -octane numbers could have been prolonged as they reached greater crescendos but, indeed, the strength of Ms. Nottage’s book is that MJ (the perfectionist superstar) must interrupt the flashy proceedings at some point to---realistically--- express his creative desires.

Jackson’s personal demons are exposed only as far as I sensed the strained tension with his father and a justified distrust of the fame and media circus surrounding him. Though this show is not hagiographic, there is a tendency to portray Jackson a bit as the wise, philosophical sage of all wisdom but I equated that tendency with the natural defenses that would arise from a perfectionist and idealist in the perpetual spotlight.

Alternately ---all the layers of this musical ----such as the continual breaking of the fourth wall, implications of the audience’s involvement, concerts and rehearsal sessions, and family scenarios are sometimes played out as full ensemble pieces while, on the stage left area, the persona of the iconic MJ is portrayed as the idealist and perfectionist struggling to keep too much reality at bay. (I often felt as if I was looking through the interior gaze of Michael Jackson’s mind --).

Jamaal Fields-Green as Michael Jackson (the MJ of the title of the show—and as distinct from the little and the young adult Michael who are viewed and portrayed by other actors to establish the evolving personas of Jackson), is a true “triple threat” presence and his expansive talents are to be reckoned with. Mr. Fields-Green’s talent is immense and akin to that of Hugh Jackman in The Boy From Oz. This is a performer who can evoke tears, laughter, or contemplation from an audience. An endless ability to move through pensive numbers like the haunting “Stranger from Moscow” to an edgy number like “Billie Jean” (with Jackson’s justly celebrated moonwalk) was a distinct pleasure to this critic.

The teen-aged, young adult Michael was winningly played by Erik Hamilton who sang and danced up a storm. Mr. Hamilton shone in the numbers “I Can’t Help It” and “Keep the Faith”.

The persona of Little Michael was listed in the program as being portrayed by both Josiah Benson and Bane Griffith. The young child “growing up” period is well-known especially since the young Jackson was the integral member of the group –The Jackson 5. This production is fortunate to have young actors who can portray the young Jackson with sensitivity and pluck.

Devin Bowles as Jackson’s Father and Manager was particularly effective in his acting ---conveying earthy stolidity and parental anger towards a child he does not understand.

As Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, Anastasia Talley acted with the requite maternal warmth needed for her character and she sang beautifully with little Michael and MJ in the beloved Jackson 5 standard “I’ll Be There.”

A framing device of two documentary film crew members filming the rehearsals for the tour, was fulfilled with the two characters of Rachel and Alejandro. Portrayed by Cecilia Petrush and Anthony J. Garcia respectively-- they acquitted themselves with professional aplomb.

The sheer alchemy of this musical is that each musical number and song further develops Michael Jackson’s psyche and persona; even though the

Nottage book is superb, each choreographed number by the brilliant Christopher Wheeldon crackles with energy and pure entertainment while still filling in autobiographical elements.

The choreographic style of Mr. Wheeldon is obviously tight and tautly measured as befits the Michael Jackson dance style --yet the marvelous ensemble of dancers assembled here are so well-trained that they are spontaneous ambassadors of lithe and limber joy and angst, -- who are organically fulfilling aspects of Michael Jackson’s “autobiographical/musical psyche” through dance.

The medley “Don’t’ Stop ‘Til You Get Enough/ Blame it on the Boogie/Dancing Machine” was a showstopper with non-flagging energy to the max.

The anticipatory verve of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” was an auditory and visual blast and full of excitement and sass. This stimulating number was loaded with rhythm and anticipation of the futuristic and the new.

The plaintive cries of a decaying planet are evoked in the moving “Earth Song” with depth and anguish by Mr. Fields-Green ---this song soon transitions into a very gritty and defiant rendition of “They Don’t Care About Us” in which Mr. Fields held the audience in the palm of his hands. (The projection design by Peter Nigrini of pieces of glass glimmering, splintering, and falling from the skies was appropriately implosive, and mind-numbing).

A salute to MJ’s inspirations and mentors, “Smooth Criminal” was a standout amongst standouts. The tilted hat, the smooth, calibrated hipster pose, and the celebrated gliding steps were all on full view and danced to the max by Mr. Fields- Green. The ensemble of vigorous and entrancing dancers added to the excitement of the piece as MJ’s major artistic influences---Bob Fosse, the Nicholas Brothers and Fred Astaire all made their entrances to make for a quasi-surrealistic yet quasi-nostalgic ambience. Neon lights were ablaze as the performance hit its zenith. This number was a tour de force!

A major performance set piece was an eerie and theatrically gruesome yet epic rendition of Jackson’s eternally popular song “Thriller” (a breakthrough for music video) that had the audience applauding madly. Mr. Fields-Green’s MJ was joined by the personas of Little Michael and Joseph Jackson, as the ensemble prowled around a phenomenally nightmarish “circus- like fever dream” (yet another scenic marvel from Mr. McLane) of a hallucinatory and frightening carnival of horrors. The jolting strains of “Thriller” continued as an unsettling but integral subtext of Michael Jackson’s abusive father haunting the young Michael ---perhaps in the young Michael’s dreams--- occurred.

“Man in the Mirror” was a fitting and inclusive finale to this audacious production as the song clearly is a clarion call to the audience as well as a testament to Michael Jackson’s viewpoint.

The ears were treated throughout to the jaunty, thrilling, and robust sounds of a full orchestra under the musical direction and conducting of Nathanael Wilkerson.

Orchestrations, and arrangements are by David Holcenberg and Jason Michael Webb (with additional music supervision duties by Mr. Holcenberg).

Sound Design by Gareth Owen took full advantage of the sonic themes inherent in this production.

Lighting Design by Natasha Katz was evocative with shafts of light on Jackson as he stands with his arms raised atop a towering structure and neon lights glow in a cityscape.

Costume Design by Paul Tazewell was replete with eye-catching colors and sequins and brio when required ---as well as earth tones and more basic colors when the narrative allowed it.

Whether you are a fanatical fan of Michael Jackson or just a person who is interested in some of his music, this forward-looking musical will reward you with some level of satisfaction. I have not seen a musical about a famous person that was this intelligently conceived since George C. Wolfe’s brilliantly conceived production about the life of Jelly Roll Morton---Jelly’s Last Jam.

The iconic celebrity and, concurrently, the enigmatic conundrum that personifies Michael Jackson is alive and well at The National Theatre. To miss this production of MJ would be criminal.

Running Time: Two Hours and forty-minutes with one intermission

MJ: The Musical runs through September 8, 2024 at The National Theatre located at 1321 Pennsylvania NW, Washington, DC, 20004.

Photo Credit: Jamal Fields-Green as MJ in the National Tour of MJ: The Musical.

Photo by Matthew Murphy.

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