It’s the greatest show on Earth – and it just so happens to be at Hatbox Theatre.
Well, technically Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus was the greatest show on Earth, but that came to an end in May, so we saw the next best thing – Barnum.
Barnum first debuted on Broadway in 1980 and follows the life of showman P.T. Barnum as he goes from one sideshow to the next, using “humbug” to get people to take in his shows.
There’s Joice Heth, the oldest woman in the world, who Barnum claims is 160 years old and was George Washington’s nurse. General Tom Thumb, a very small man standing at about 2-feet-tall who isn’t even a general.
There was the living whale at his museum and the very successful tour of Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind.
It’s one scheme and bent truth after another for Barnum, who eventually gets into politics and then joins James Bailey to create the first iteration of the famous circus.
But enough about the story line because we’ve only just scratched the surface of what you’ll see and here about. You really need to see this show to truly understand just how great it is.
Since we caught a quick glimpse of what this show was all about when we stopped by a rehearsal, we had to go see the opening night performance.
And it did not disappoint. As part of an almost capacity crowd, we were captivated by the show that was actually the first musical we had ever seen at Hatbox.
Since it’s such an intimate setting to see a show, we felt as though Barnum, played by Marc Murai, was talking to us – which he probably was.
The set design was simple, but perfect for the space, as you traveled along with Barnum and his wife Charity (Sheree Owens) and their life filled with humbug.
The thing that stood out to us the most was the energy of the cast. The dance numbers were quite a sight, and if you go, make sure you pay close attention to the number that includes some knee slapping. It was one of our favorites.
The voices of cast members were incredible, and left us a little in awe of what this group was able to accomplish.
The songs included live music that was a nice added touch to the production.
The show is a little over two hours with an intermission, but it doesn’t feel like you’re sitting there for too long. You almost want it to keep going.
Barnum is a two-week run so you only have four more chances to see it. Shows this week will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $16.50, and $13.50 for students, seniors and members. For more, visit hatboxnh.com.
