On an October Sunday, I found myself in a magical place. A place where witches good and Wicked roam, where you might meet an ogre, a showman, a queen, a murderous high school kid, a load of really flashy – or rusty – trains, and a lot of young female singers being pursued by a man in a mask who lives under an opera house. That’s right, I was at Musical Con 2025.
From the moment we arrived, until the moment we left, my family and I spent most of our time oohing and ahhhing at people’s incredible costumes. Musical Con, as you may have guessed from the name, is the biggest annual gathering of musical theatre fans since West End Live, and it was a joy fest from start to finish. Sadly, we were unable to make Day 1, missing iconic performances from theatre royalty like Kerry Ellis, workshops with legends such as Thao Therese Nguyen (our favourite Ann Boleyn from SIX), and Layton Williams (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie). However, Day 2 had sooo much to offer, and we were excited to take it all in.
The celebration of legendary producer Paul Taylor-Mills was definitely a highlight, with performances from Heathers (May Tether), Carrie (Evelyn Hoskins), and more. My favourite performance of that segment was by Jordan Luke Gage, singing an incredible song called “Void” from his new musical Redcliffe, about two gay men falling in love in 18th-century Bristol, living in a world where their love was forbidden and feared. It was beautifully performed and incredibly moving – I can’t wait to see the full show when it premieres in 2026.
Another show that had a small preview on the main stage, was Jo: The Little Women Musical. Kelly Mathieson and Tobias Turley performed exclusive excerpts from the show’s sweeping new score – a fresh adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic. With gorgeous vocals and harmonies to melt your heart, it was a preview that left the crowd buzzing. This one’s also firmly on the radar for next year.
The stunning performances came thick and fast; Broadway power couple Eva Noblezada and Reeve Carney, performed a beautiful set together on the main stage. Their voices blended seamlessly, and the emotional depth they brought to the music had the whole hall enraptured. Eva, who currently stars as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, also brought the house down with a powerhouse rendition of “Maybe This Time”. I got genuine chills!
The cosplay competition was so much fun. Standouts included two dazzling Starlight Express entries – one a Greaseball and Dinah duo in a gorgeously realised couples costume, the other a fully kitted-out Rusty – complete with actual steam rising from the engine rig on their back. But it was the Phantom cosplay that took the crown: a jaw-dropping Christine Daaé in her Masquerade gown, recreated with extraordinary precision and talent. She looked like she’d stepped straight out of the West End and into the spotlight.
The lip sync competition followed, and it was epic. From a full-throttle “Born to Lead” (Operation Mincemeat) to a dramatic rendition of “Stars” (Les Misérables), the performers left it all on the stage. One of the most impressive was a technically flawless mostly-spoken-word piece from Death Becomes Her, re-enacting the iconic shotgun scene from the new musical adaptation. But it was Matilda’s “Telly” that stole the show – delivered by a passionately energetic Mr Wormwood, whose on-stage charisma was matched only by the awesome reveal that his “Michael” was played by his own mum. Instant crowd favourite.
As parents of kids with ADHD and limited attention spans, we didn’t manage to attend any of the panels or talks, and we had to skip the closing ceremony because they (and we) were pooped, but the main stage alone kept us grinning all day. Plus, there was loads to see in the exhibitor hall: a Matilda and a Hercules photo op, a wonderful Lion King costume exhibit, stands for The Picture of Dorian Gray, Jo: The Little Women Musical, The BBTAs (Black British Theatre Awards), lots of theatre schools, action figures, pins, and plenty of merch we had to drag the children past repeatedly!
And yes, we were all in costume, of course! Juliette – age 7 – came as Glinda, Charlotte – 11 – was Anna, Elise nailed it as Elphaba, and I embraced the top hat and waxed my moustache as Harold Zidler from Moulin Rouge!
All in all, we had the best day. Musical Con is one of the most joyful, creative, inclusive events on the calendar – a true celebration of West End theatre. You could see that every theatre nerd present felt totally safe and at home in that space. It was definitely giving strong ‘you’ve found your tribe’ vibes. We’ll definitely be back next year. I’d better get to work on my costume, only 11.5 months to go!
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Words by Nick Barr
Photography by Becky Lee Brun and Stephanie Wolff
