Midnight Cowboy

Southwark Playhouse Elephant

New musical with huge potential. Midnight Cowboy has a unique plot that introduces suspicious and intriguing characters. The show is Captivating and a growing flame.

This show has an authentic stamp and stands out with its quirky, creative plot and performance elements. Based on the novel by James Leo Herlihy, Midnight Cowboy is a musical that feels like a suspicious motel, that makes you wonder what is going on and feels like it isn't exactly what it seems. It's very raunchy and fascinating.

The book is written by Bryony Lavery and lyrics/music by Francis EG White. The audience follow a Texan man moving to New York, creating a new identity as a cowboy and running away from his past. Paul Jacob French plays the lead Joe Buck, his closed character only gives the audience so much and is alluring, because you want to know more about him. The plan is for him to become a prostitute, and he thinks in the big city this could bring him money, status and a lot of fun. This does not go as expected and desperation to keep afloat gets him into dark situations that could lead to consequences. He meets Ratso, a peculiar man, who tricks him at the start and the two eventually join forces to find their way and place in New York. The actor's performances are emotive, gripping and present idea that you can never truly trust anyone, but how you should appreciate those around you that support you.

Nick Winston has choreographed and directed the show, he previously worked on Burlesque the Musical (2024), Your Lie in April (2024), Calamity Jane UK tour (2025) and so much more. Winston has done a lot of creative work in the theatre industry and has given audiences a treat with the amount of fantastic work he creates. His choreography in Midnight Cowboy has many styles, seductive, characterised and there are even moments of a more lyrical/contemporary style. The range of choreography and the attention to detail with movement throughout the piece is one of the strongest elements of the show. The direction for the actors clearly shows Winston's intricate work with characterisation through movement, each character has their own clear style of moving across the stage and the way they stand. For instance, Joe Buck trying to create this cowboy image throws himself into walking with a western swagger and charms women with his Texan charm. His character almost seems over exaggerated and this is intriguing, because it shows he's trying hard to hide his past and make it believable not only to his peers, but also himself.

Set almost feels like it lacks its power in the design of the Southwark Elephant Theatre. Throughout the show, Joe Buck is reminded of the ghosts of his past and the judgements that overwhelm him. This is shown through a transparent backdrop that in moments of flashback will spotlight characters behind the backdrop to give the idea of them plaguing his mind and to remind the audience this is in his head. Set and lighting, designed by Andrew Exeter, work together for these moments. Whilst the intention is clear, if you are an audience member sat at the sides of the stage and in my case on the top level it's hard to see these moments. This makes these moments weaker and lacking, because you can't see the actors well to get the non-verbal connotations from these moments. Alterations to make these scenes clearer for audience members from all areas would make these moments stronger.

There are some stunning performances from the actors. Tori Allen-Martin plays an array of characters: Cass, Orange and Juanita, her voice and comic acting adds light to a dark plot line and she's a hidden gem in the show! Paul Jacob French as Joe Buck closes the show with a heart wrenching solo that gushes out his character's emotion and loss. A great casting for the role, he plays the charming, ambitious and complex character with a mass of great effort. In comparison, his seedy side character 'Rizzo' played by Eastenders star Max Bowden is also played with detail. He plays his character's deteriorating health with attention to detail and his dim spark clearly decreases tenfold as the show goes on. Bowden sustains the limp throughout the show, he considers how his voice and movements present his health, and his performance ends with a sad, poignant moment and it tugs at heart strings.

It is important to note that this review has been written with no previous knowledge of the novel or 1969 film. This musical has so much potential and whilst it isn't perfect yet, there is so much room for this to be very strong. The strength of the show comes from its unique writing, creative elements and range of styles. It's one to watch, along with the talented cast. The attention to movement is something truly admirable in this piece and the dedication to the aesthetic of the piece is well executed. It will be interesting to see how this show develops over the run and how it progresses after it's run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant.