Review: JOHN BARROWMAN, Leicester Square Theatre

The term "all-round entertainer" is often used to describe John Barrowman. Having been hugely successful in theatre, television, writing and recording, there really isn't much he hasn't covered.

Although Barrowman has toured the UK many times, this is something of a unique show. Accompanied by Seth Rudetsky, the pair discuss his career so far, and Rudetsky selects which songs should be performed during the evening - with no script or rehearsal.

The result is delightfully silly. Although they've only recently met, Barrowman and Rudetsky gel very well together and have an excellent rapport. Barrowman tells funny stories about growing up in Glasgow and how proud he is of his heritage, explaining certain traditions to Rudetsky - "It's like a sausage but it's square!".

Things take a slightly more serious turn as he elaborates on how he changed his accent to avoid being bullied when he moved to America, and that his loyalty to Scotland was called into question by Twitter trolls during the Scottish Referendum. Barrowman is visibly hurt that anybody would imply he wasn't a true Scot.

The song selection by Rudetsky included a surprisingly emotional rendition of "Loch Lomond". There were a couple of nods to Barrowman's big break in Anything Goes in 1989, plus songs from Sunset Boulevard and the Barry Manilow classic "I Made It Through The Rain".

Another interesting subject that came up was that Barrowman was advised not to come out by multiple people in the industry, as they felt it would damage his career.

Although (as it should be) there was a strict no phones policy, Barrowman said at the end they would do one track that they were happy for people to record. The format of the show ensures that it will be different for each audience.

There is absolutely no doubt that John Barrowman is a superb entertainer who knows his audience well and it was a joy to see him perform in such an intimate setting.

John Barrowman and Seth Rudetsky at Leicester Square Theatre 13 and 14 April

Read our interview with John Barrowman

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