The sequins are out and the hits are playing! Burlesque The Musical is back on tour after taking the West End by storm and becoming one of 2025's biggest smash-hit shows. Based on the hit movie and featuring songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren, alongside new numbers from Todrick Hall and Jess Folley, Burlesque follows Ali as she arrives in New York searching for the mother she never knew. She soon discovers a dazzling underground world of performers, dreamers and misfits, where she finds her voice, an unexpected family and a chance to change her life.

With Faye Brookes leading the cast as Tess, alongside Ryan Carter, Gracie O'Brien, Davide Fienauri, Tyler Davis and Vanessa Ela Young, there's plenty to get excited about. But what did the critics make of this current tour?

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Burlesque UK Tour Reviews

"Burlesque The Musical is brilliant from about 10 minutes before it starts (you'll see) and all the way to the end where you'll be part of the standing ovation, just like I was. The quality of every aspect of this production is rare. If you even have the vaguest inkling that you'll like any one part of this, I think you'll like it all. It's campy and retro and, for a show with more than its fair share of behind-the-scenes problems, it is polished so well you'd never know. You don't have to be familiar with the film to enjoy it, and my plus one informs me that there are some different songs to enjoy. If you're a bit of a prude and not a fan of attractive people in skimpy outfits, I still think you should give this a try. It might convert you. wink" Northern Arts Review, Sunderland

"Burlesque is advertised as a BIG musical and there is definitely no reason to report the production company to the Advertising Standards Agency. Make no bones about it this is a massive production that sweeps its audience along in thunderous style." Moorlands Radio, Stoke-on-Trent

"Musically, the production sounds magnificent. The score combining famous film hits with new material is elevated by rich, punchy orchestrations that fill the auditorium with concert-level energy. It demands huge vocals, which this cast delivers with complete ease and authority. Gracie O'Brien gives a star performance as Ali, pairing a soaring vocal range with a grounded, determined stage presence. Opposite her, Faye Brookes brings an icy authority to club owner Tess, creating a tense dynamic that drives the first act toward Ali's eventual breakout performance." The Reviews Hub, Glasgow

"This show is sexy, fabulous and fierce. Welcome to Burlesque If you have seen the movie, you will know exactly what kind of night you are signing up for. There is glamour. There is drama. There are sequins. There are big personalities. And, of course, there are some seriously big musical numbers." Stage Side UK, Sunderland

"Would I still choose the film over the musical? Reaffirming my diehard fan' status yes, probably. Nevertheless, I left the Wales Millennium Centre genuinely entertained, and pleasantly surprised. This Burlesque isn't the film, nor does it try to be; it's a fresh, fun and fabulous take on its own terms." BuzzMag, Cardiff

"For all of that, this remains a fun and entertaining night out, buoyed by a hard-working company and a handful of genuinely impressive voices, Gracie O'Brien's chief among them." All Things Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent