(The Unofficial) Bridgerton: The Musical - Review

Dearest Reader,

With all the musical adaptations in the works, Netflix’s regency romance was one I wouldn’t have expected. Yet, here we are.

Inspired by hit Netflix series, The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical is a concept album by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear that won the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The album was the first Grammy winner to be developed on TikTok, while Barlow and Bear were the youngest nominees and winners ever in their Grammy category.

Splitting the roles between them, Barlow and Bear both sing the musical which chronicles the courtship of Daphne and Simon (from season on). I’ll be giving my thoughts on each song in this review. Now before we go further, I’d like to clarify that both Bear and Barlow do a fantastic job in this album - However, I would have liked to hear a variety of voices in the cast (especially in the ensemble pieces, as I initially had characters mixed up in my head on my first listen). That is a minor criticism, because the quality and performances in this album are actually quite splendid.

So, let us begin…

The quality of each song captivates the first season’s arc perfectly - from Daphne’s staged courtship with the Duke which blossomed into love, the Bridgerton family’s respective struggles with duties or their own desires, to Penelope’s invisibility to society and Queen’s curiosity in the mysterious gossip columnist reporting on the latest scandals.

The writing of each song surprisingly finds a strong balance between humorous and dramatic performances. As there are fifteen songs, naturally most of the songs depict the various stages of Simon and Daphne’s relationship. However, some of the supporting cast have their own songs which delve into their respective arcs - Penelope, Eloise, Siena, Queen Charlotte and Lady Violet all have their own standout numbers.

The duo behind this concept album really showed their talent. Bear orchestrated and produced the entirety of the album, with Barlow again singing most of the vocals, and Bear singing the rest. Truthfully, the music, storytelling and depth of character exploration could translate beautifully on a West End or Broadway stage.

This album already made history upon its release last year. The album won the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. It is the first Grammy awarded to a project that originated on TikTok - The musical duo livestreamed their songwriting and recording sessions from Los Angeles, inviting and incorporating viewer suggestions, and posted demos of the songs on TikTok and other social media which would become the basis of the album. Bear and Barlow were the youngest Grammy nominees, and youngest winners, in the musical theatre category.

If Bridgerton: The Musical was to be made for the West End, here would be my casting picks to bring the characters to life on stage. These choices are based on characters that feature in the songs - either in duets, solos or groups performances - and although there would realistically be a large ensemble cast, these are my thoughts on a potential principal casting.

Carrie Hope Fletcher (Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Cinderella) as Daphne Bridgerton, Shaq Taylor (Beauty & the Beast) as Simon Basset, Tom Senior (Beauty & the Beast) as Anthony Bridgerton, Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman, & Juliet) as Lady Violet Bridgerton, Lizzie Bea (Hairspray, Sister Act) as Penelope Featherington, Lucie Jones (Wicked) as Eloise Bridgerton, Sharon D. Clarke (Ghost) as Queen Charlotte and Nick Len (Wicked) as Collin Bridgerton.

In many ways, I actually prefer this adaptation of The Duke & I. In musical form, this allows the story to breathe and the character development to be explored with depth and nuance.

Until a few days ago, I didn’t even know this musical existed let alone that it had won a Grammy for best new musical. However, after listening to the album in its entirety I believe this is a must for any Bridgerton fan and maybe, this show may have the chance to captivate audiences on stage.

There is definitely potential for Lady Whistledown to make her debut on stage, especially with Bear and Barlow with their quills at the ready.