Jo – The Little Women Musical
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Sunday 25th January 2026
Jo: the Little Women Musical breathes new life into a beloved classic
Theatre Royal Drury Lane was filled with the joy and laughter of the iconic March sisters on Sunday night at the world premiere concert production of Jo: The Little Women Musical. The beloved classic by Louisa May Alcott, adapted for the stage by Dan Redfeld, Christina Harding, and John Gabriel Koladziej, remains an incredible testament to the challenges of womanhood and the importance of family.
Managing to capture the heart of Alcott’s timeless novel in under three hours is no small feat, but Harding and Koladziej’s book, along with Redfeld’s sweeping score, rose to the challenge. Performed by a remarkable onstage orchestra, the score is lush, emotive, and dynamic. The orchestration is the backbone of this production, guiding the performers through moments of triumph and tragedy.
From the moment Jo (Christine Allado), Meg (Kelly Matheson), Amy (Sophie Pollano), and Beth (Eleanor Grant) stumbled onto the stage, I was hooked. Each sister was a fully developed character, their personalities distinct but complementary. Redfeld captured the soul of each March sister through his music, with Amy’s healthy blend of belting and upper register highlighting her measured ambition and Meg’s classic soprano embodying her nurturing spirit.
Pollano made an impressive West End debut, capturing Amy’s complex character development with poise. Matheson and Grant delivered similarly strong performances, smartly juxtaposing the more fiery dispositions of their counterparts. Interestingly, it was the title role, Jo, who felt the least true to the original book. Allado’s princess-like take on the role was charming, and her vocals soared, but she lacked some of the rebellious nature so integral to Jo’s constitution. Rising star Tobias Turley joined the sisters onstage as Jo’s loyal companion, Laurie. His boyish charm and gripping sincerity offered a refreshing perspective on the character. This, alongside his effortless onstage chemistry with Pollano and Allado, created genuine moments of connection, reflection, and growth.
Rounding out the March women were the incomparable Kerry Ellis as Marmee March and Tracy Bennett as Aunt March. Ellis’s Marmee offered a grounding presence alongside a rich vocal performance (as you’d expect from West End royalty!). Meanwhile, Bennett’s Aunt March provided much-needed comic relief. Her delivery of quippy one-liners was scene-stealing; playful disapproval about her family’s lack of monetary interest earned her uproarious laughter each time she was onstage.
Some of the momentum gained in the first act lost steam ever so slightly in the second, but I have the unwavering sense that Renfeld, Harding, and Koladziej have struck gold here. If the material was this compelling as a one-night-only concert, one can only imagine its potential as a fully realized production. I suspect this is only the first chapter in a long and successful theatrical life for Jo: The Little Women Musical.
You can listen to the Jo: The Little Women Musical soundtrack here: Jo – The Little Women Musical – Album by Dan Redfeld, Christina Harding, John Gabriel Koladziej | Spotify
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Reviewer: Jordyn Murray
Photo: Roger Alacorn
Cast Includes
Christine Allado as Jo March.
Kerry Ellis as Marmee March
Eleanor Grant as Beth March.
Chris Mann as Professor Bhaer.
Kelly Mathieson as Meg March.
Miyuki Miyagi as Sallie Gardner.
Julian Ovenden as Father.
Sophie Pollono as Amy March.
Yazdan Qafouri as Fred Vaughn.
Tobias Turley as Theodore ‘Laurie’ Laurence.
Tracie Bennett as Aunt March
Barry James as Grandfather/Mr. Laurence
Liam Tamne as John Brooke