★★★★★
It is Brisbane’s turn to experience the explosive power of MJ the Musical, celebrating the music of one of the greatest artists of all time, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Last night’s Brisbane opening night crowd was electric, and The Scoop had the privilege of experiencing it all from a front-row seat. I don’t recall ever being in an audience this hyped.
And that is the power MJ still holds. His music continues to unite and resonate across generations and cultures.
When Ilario Grant first stepped onto the stage, wearing the hat that hides his eyes over that unmistakable low ponytail, my stomach flipped. For a split second, I had a sense of what it would have been like to be in Michael Jackson’s presence.
MJ the Musical offers a fly-on-the-wall experience, using a documentary film crew as the framing device. The show opens in an LA rehearsal room in 1992, just before the Dangerous tour. Penny McNamee plays journalist Rachel. A lingering presence, she is accompanied by her cameraman Alejandro (Yashith Fernando). They are positioned at the edge of the stage, observing rehearsals, circling in for that juicy angle.
This narrative device allows fluid shifts through time, charting key moments in MJ’s artistic evolution while gliding into sequences of fantasy. More importantly, it gives the production real substance. As director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon notes, the work explores how we as a culture “exult and infringe” on those with extraordinary talent.
In doing so, MJ the Musical is both a celebration and a reflection. It honours Jackson’s artistry while inviting the audience to sit with the tension between admiration and intrusion. While the production celebrates his talent, it does not shy away from hinting at the pressures and scrutiny that shadowed his extraordinary life.
As MJ, Ilario Grant captures the contradictions that defined the star. There is a striking contrast between his stillness and the explosive energy of his movement, between a gentle demeanour and a fierce drive for perfection.
It’s in these shifts that the performance feels most authentic. That authenticity lands with surprising tenderness in numbers like Human Nature, performed alongside Penny McNamee, who delivers a quietly restrained but entirely memorable performance as Rachel.
Liam Damons, beaming on his hometown stage, reflects the same contradiction as young adult Michael. He shines in emotive numbers like I Can’t Help It before pivoting to some of the night’s most powerful moments, including the high-energy Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.
The supporting cast is terrific throughout. Oyoyo Joi and Blaiyze Barksdale deliver a touching rendition of I’ll Be There, capturing the bond between Little Michael and his mother, Katherine, with warmth and sincerity.
J. Daughtry morphs seamlessly between the stern patriarch Joseph and present-day tour manager Rob. He executes a physically precise and demanding performance with remarkable control.
The dancers are a powerhouse, sustaining non-stop energy across the full three-hour show. They elevate Wheeldon’s choreography with style and sheer athleticism while also moving set pieces on and off the stage as if part of the performance itself.
They oscillate between the disciplined intensity of studio rehearsals and the full-blown spectacle of fantasy, most memorably in the ghoulishly electrifying Thriller sequence.
Derek McLane’s scenic design draws from the Dangerous album cover here, and while the iconic Thriller music video choreography is reserved as a once a year encore performance on Halloween, the scene still delivers a nightmarish vision of Jackson’s memories and self-doubt.
The production pushes beyond traditional musical theatre into stadium concert territory. Gareth Owen’s sound design team, alongside musical supervisor David Holcenberg, brings every musical moment to life.
Advanced live sound reinforcement gives the music a depth and immediacy rarely heard on stage, particularly in the explosive Act Two showstopper Smooth Criminal. A small section of the live band appears at key moments via a sliding platform, adding even more energy to the spectacle.
Some of Jackson’s biggest hits appear in snippets or medleys, serving the narrative rather than playing out in full. Fans hoping for back-to-back full-length performances of every favourite may feel that is a limitation, but it keeps the story central. And there are still plenty of iconic moments. The sequined glove, the red jacket. The moonwalk. Even the toaster pop move becomes part of the story arc.
MJ the Musical ultimately walks a careful line between concert spectacle and character study. While it may not deliver every hit in full, it captures something more elusive: the essence of what made Michael Jackson extraordinary. It reminds us not just of the scale of his talent but of the humanity behind it. For those who never saw him live, it offers something rare: the closest we may ever come to experiencing the King of Pop in the flesh.
MJ the Musical is presented by Michael Cassel Group and runs in Brisbane to 24 May at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC.
It then runs in Perth from 7 June 2026.
Tickets: https://qpac.com.au/whats-on/2026/mj-the-musical
Website: https://mjthemusical.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/mjthemusicalau/
Photo credits: Daniel Boud
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One response to “Review: MJ Cranks It To Eleven In A Roof Raising Brisbane Triumph”
I saw this show at Qpac in Brisbane today. The 1pm session. Not only was there 2400 people in attendance, most of them were over 70.
I had goosebumps and a silly smile stuck on my face through the whole show. The dancing, singing, costumes, music, just everything, was absolutely brilliant.
If I can see it at home digitally, I’ll be watching it again tomorrow 💓