THE WAR OF THE WORLDS – BRIGHTON CENTRE 12.4.25 (EVENING SHOW)
Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds (TWOTW) last toured in 2022 and is back! Returning with a massive 17-date (19 shows) UK and Ireland arena tour. The tour is just in time to mark 130 years since the publication of H.G. Wells’s dystopian Victorian science fiction novel.
Conducted by Jeff Wayne, the musical originally featured Richard Burton as ‘the journalist’ from 2006-2010, with Liam Neeson taking over the role in 2012. 3D holography is utilised to bring Neeson to the stage in the role, narrating his story of survival from the Martian invasion of 1898. This tour again feature’s exciting new cast members, including, Max George, Maisie Smith, Rou Reynolds, Charlie Simpson, Nathan James, Anna-Marie Wayne,
Billed as ‘one of the most trailblazing arena tours of all time’, Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds (TWOTW) is regarded as a musical spectacular like none other. The production is still a favourite to millions worldwide and excites audiences of all ages.
In 2006, TWOTW considered an innovative production with six trucks filled to the brim with equipment to realise the visuals. By 2025, marking 19 years of live touring, the production now requires 12 trucks, and a host of tricks up its sleeve to keep the modern audience engaged in the spectacle. With such a promising new cast and a historically positive reception, I was looking forward to enjoying a musical for the first time in a decade.
While waiting for the spectacle to start I pondered the questions, “What would HG Wells have thought of the many adaptations of his dystopian vision of humanity’s future?” “What is so enduring about the potential demise of humanity?.” It is the humanity at the beating heart of the story that draws the audience in. “What would we do if faced with similar odds?”.
We arrived dead on time for the doors billed as opening at 6:30pm. They did not, and the queue became ridiculously long on several occasions. Luckily, the staff at the Brighton Centre work on huge music and comedy tours. A nineteen-year-old musical was not about to stop them in their tracks. Everyone was in the venue and seated before you had time to blink.
One thing about the Brighton Centre is you cannot get a bad view. I do not have much love for the venue. It is a vast hall without a personality of its own. The exterior is unforgiving and dated. Its proximity to the wedding cake exterior of the Grand Hotel does not help endear it. Say what you will though, it is a well-oiled machine, and its staff are some of the friendliest in Brighton. Then I am hard pressed to think of any venue in Brighton which does not have welcoming front of house staff.
Once seated, we could drink in the visuals, hinting at the spectacular stage show we were about to enjoy. Our seats were comfortable, the view unrestricted, and no other patron was close enough to interrupt our show. Neither would we have to stand should there be any latecomers. To the left and right of the stage were huge video screens which mixed visuals of what was to come with photos sent in by former attendees.
The show went up bang on time and got off to a bang. The 3D hologram of Neeson looks as fresh today as it must have done when Burton was in the same role.
If you are unfamiliar with the storyline, I will try to give you an outline without *spoilers*. The backbone of the show is the character of ‘the journalist’ played by Neeson. He recounts his experiences of the events during a worldwide Alien invasion over the course of the show.
The show’s first half follows the main cast as well as ‘the journalist’ as they recount their plight through the invasion, through spoken work from ‘the journalist’ while the rest of the cast mostly do so in song. At the end of the first half leaves the audience on a cliffhanger, Will they survive? Will humanity?
The second half of the tale is sometimes unremittingly bleak; things must always get worse before they resolve for better or worse. The aliens themselves, having already made an impressive tripod housed appearance towering over the audience, had set most of the fire to the front of the stage repeatedly, but never revealed their true form. There is also a bridge. I will not give you further details about that, you will have to see the show for yourself.
