Hugh Jackman

Just got home from the concert, it was quite stunning. Hugh is a talker....he likes his stories, not that I'm complaining as it meant that he stood still for more than two mins and I got some fantastic photos and videos. The show is a real mix of old and new and there is something in it for everyone. Although I will say that the shed load of kids that were there in their top hats thinking it was a Greatest Showman concert were bored out of their brain. We had loads of them sleeping under coats next to us.

Saw the concert in Cologne, too. I loved it. My highlight was the Boy from Oz section (including the final number). I never got to see the show on Broadway so this was about as close to watching Hugh Jackman as Peter Allen as I will ever get I suppose.
Wasn't too keen on the Les Mis bits but hugely enjoyed the swing songs. Everything Greatest Showman related went down a storm with the audience, of course.

Special mention for Jenna Lee James. Hearing her sing This is me made my evening.

Hugely enjoyable evening. Can't wait for The Music Man next year.

Just seen him in Amsterdam with ruby and it was utterly amazing!

One of the best shows I've ever been to!

Jenna Lee James was our special guest on 'This is Me', but personally I don't think her voice had the right oomph for it. I wonder if backing singer Kayleigh McKnight would have made a better job of it, she has a very strong beautiful voice.

The show is mostly songs from shows/movies, and inbetween Hugh reminisces with funny tales. Also great interaction with the audience.

It's a very energetic show, and Hugh's voice is fantastic!

EDIT:I've just realised Jenna Lee James is actually listed as his other backing singer, so we had no special guests.

I didn't mind at all tbh, I like The Greatest Showman and thought Jenna-Lee James sang it well but it wasn't the main reason I went.

Hugh Jackman has confirmed on Facebook that Keala will perform at all remaining European dates.

Sounds like a fab evening.  I'm going tonight.  Can you tell me what time the show actually starts?  Did it start at the stated time?

Thank you - additional information much appreciated. If only the wine wasn't so undrinkable at the o2!

Started at half seven tonight. Huge queues at security.

I wasn't a huge fan before the show tonight but... wow. Definitely one of the best concerts I have ever seen. Such a spectacular! He is such a likeable and fun guy you can't help but warm to him.

And when Keala Settle sang "This is Me".... well, I can only think there was smoke machine affecting my eyes as I blubbed my eyes out.

Absolutely brilliant evening.

I think I left with mostly an underwhelmed feeling. I suppose I hadn't given a huge amount of thought as to what this concert would consist of. Certainly I thought he'd sing his Showman numbers but as for the rest, it was a bit up in the air. I think my main issue with it is that he just doesn't have the voice to do a show like this justice. Or at least, he doesn't sing enough or train enough to get it there. The numbers where he obviously trained for a role previously were clearly much much better than the numbers he hadn't. I'd even go so far as to say that some of them were downright poor. He has a rather strange voice - with a nice full bottom range and good 'belter' range but anything in the middle he starts to sound rather nasal and I don't think he's actually singing correctly (as in from the right place - I think a lot of it is coming just from his throat).
He talked WAY too much for my taste - especially in the first half. He is very charming but when he starts telling stories about how he waited for the bus to take him to his cricket game as a kid and then afterwards says, 'That may have happened, maybe it didn't' you kind of scratch your head as to the point.
The Peter Allen section (The Boy from Oz)was fun - but again - listening to him give 'Don't Cry Out Loud' a try was slightly painful. The medley nature of it all and the sheer fun campiness of it saved it from true badness. I do wish he'd stay in character a bit more thought - I got the sense the audience was a little confused as to who he was and what he was doing as The Boy From Oz never came to the UK and those songs were not really hits in the UK either.
My favourite part was probably the Les Mis section - admittedly it involved other people singing but still - what Hugh does sing is within his wheelhouse for his voice and those songs are so good and emotional.
I was quite excited when he started the dance and tap section - only to see him tap for about a minute and then just start banging drums instead. I know tap is exhausting but I would have liked to see a bigger true tap number there - he didn't even sing during this section, relying instead of a tenuous 'my life story' as an excuse to play some rock music.
The aboriginal people of Australia section was ... just weird. And his version of Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's Somewhere Over the Rainbow was not good. Again - it just sounded like a lack of proper vocal talent and training.
It just seems obvious that what prompted his ability to do this show and what the audience is CLEARLY there for is the stuff from the Greatest Showman. Those numbers are entertaining, they make you smile and emote and all that good concert stuff. In some ways they 'hide' Hugh - but that was the nature of them to begin with - they become ensemble pieces in the end. I don't quite think Hugh on his own has earned this trip through his own musical history - it would have made much more sense to me to tour an actual Greatest Showman concert but I guess Hugh is too big a star to have that make sense for him.
Sorry to be so negative - I do understand the charm of the man - and that does in the end count for a lot and hides a multitude of sins , but I needed better singing from the man himself.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, he changes for America. The Boy from Oz stuff will certainly play better on the coasts there- not sure about the other states. The native people section? In America? in the current climate there? That should be interesting. I wonder if he'll get the same kind of reviews though. They tend to be much tougher there- especially in NY. I just get the sense no one wants to review it badly because everyone likes Hugh.

In Amsterdam the book was EUR 30 - they must just change the currency in front of the number and see if they can get away with it. I was dithering for a little bit, but as this was a one off-experience for me I bought it.

'The Boy from Oz' confused many people in Amsterdam, they had no idea what that was all about. The guy he pulled up on stage ('Peter Griffin') started praising Hugh, and he went 'I have no idea who you are talking about, my name is Peter Allen', and it didn't make much sense unless you know his career very well. Many people still think he only started singing in 'Les Mis'.

I was hoping for the same but then I saw that drinks were seven pound. Madness. Didn't stop people near continually disrupting us to get out to buy more overpriced drinks though.

There is a clip of them all singing on Instagram