13 Going on 30: Musical review

13 Going on 30 review

Review, 13 Going on 30 The Musical 2025.

First impression, a frosted cupcake of a show.

13 Going on 30 The Musical knows exactly what it is. A glossy, nostalgic, early 2000s comfort blanket, shaken with 80s glitter and teenage heartbreak. The result feels like a sleepover after too much soda, loud and giddy, sometimes cloying, often irresistible.

The tone leans hard into romantic fantasy. It rarely tries to reinvent the story. Instead, it invites you to surrender to your younger self, then stay there for two and a half hours.

Lucie Jones as Jenna, the heart of the evening.

Lucie Jones anchors the show with an almost unfair combination of skills. Her Jenna is gawky, charming and occasionally infuriating, just like a real thirteen year old trapped in heels. She moves with cartoonish physicality, then plants for a ballad and absolutely rips the roof off.

Her big emotional numbers land with real force. When she realises the damage adult Jenna has done, you can feel the audience tighten. Jones sells the crisis without losing the comedy. It is a star performance, pure and simple.

David Hunter as Matt, warm and quietly bruised.

David Hunter gives Matt an easy, unforced warmth. He is never a bland romantic reward. Instead, he feels like a real person, bruised by history, cautiously hopeful.

Their chemistry is electric but gentle. You feel years of unsent messages between them. When they sing together, the sound feels lived in, like friends who once harmonised in a garage band.

Supporting standouts, especially Grace Mouat.

Grace Mouat steals focus whenever she appears as Lucy. She plays her not as a simple villain, but as a driven, funny survivor of the magazine world. Every exit feels slightly too early.

Dominic Andersen leans into the ridiculous boyfriend role with relish. Suzie McAdam finds surprising tenderness as Jenna's mother. The adult ensemble, stacked with cult musical alumni, keeps the energy tight and clean.

The child ensemble, tiny powerhouses.

The childrens company is one of the production's secret weapons. Their scenes crackle with authenticity and awkward charm. You recognise school corridors instantly, even without lockers around you.

Several young performers are already star material. Their harmonies sit confidently inside the adult sound. Whenever the kids return, the show suddenly feels sharper and more truthful.

The score, catchy but uneven.

Songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner deliver a shiny, radio friendly score. At its best, it absolutely slaps. Numbers like Wanna Be, the title song 13 Going on 30 and empowerment anthem Own It feel built for repeat streaming.

Other songs fade faster. Some rhymes feel predictable, some lines slightly generic. A few ballads blur together in memory, pleasant but not urgent. You leave humming certain choruses, not the whole score.

Several critics suggested a semi jukebox approach might have deepened the nostalgia. The show instead chooses original songs only, which keeps narrative control but sacrifices some instant recognition.

Direction and choreography, big colour, big feeling.

Director Andy Fickman treats the story like heightened comic fantasy. He knows the premise is silly, so he leans in fully. Scenes snap along briskly, rarely lingering in introspection for long.

Choreography by Jennifer Weber blends cheerleader sharpness with music video swagger. The big office numbers thrum with moving desks, spinning chairs and strutting assistants. The birthday party chaos is staged like a tiny disaster movie in a basement.

Some viewers may crave more stillness, more quiet breath between jokes and spins. Yet the relentless momentum keeps the evening feeling shorter than it actually is.

Design, nostalgia packaged like a magazine spread.

The visual world feels instantly legible. Teenage New Jersey glows with posters, Polaroids and cheap fairy lights. Adult New York glitters with glass, screens and curated plants.

The set treats Poise magazine like a living collage. Pages explode onto screens, models strut through meetings, colour palettes shift with editorial moods. Costumes pay homage to the film, while tweaking silhouettes for 2025 eyes.

It all looks expensive but playful. You can almost smell old perfume samples and fresh copier ink.

Does it honour the film.

Fans of the 2004 movie will feel very safe here. Iconic moments return, sometimes almost frame accurate. The Thriller style party sequence, the dollhouse, the wish, all appear, now wrapped in choreography and extra harmonies.

The musical rarely digs deeper than the film. It nudges themes of body image, click culture and media pressure, but quickly returns to romance and comedy. For some, that restraint feels respectful. For others, it feels like a missed opportunity.

Critical response, from sugar rush to cautious praise.

Early reviews in Manchester varied. Several outlets handed over glowing, near rapturous notices. They called the musical a sparkling new crowd pleaser, praising direction and cast without reservation.

Others were more measured. Some critics pointed to soft lyrics and underpowered ballads. A few wished the show had embraced the film's original soundtrack, or pushed harder emotionally.

Star ratings broadly landed between three and five. Almost everyone agreed on one thing, though, the cast is phenomenal, especially Jones, Hunter and Mouat.

Audience reaction, the real test.

Inside the theatre, the reception feels almost like a fan convention. The audience skews heavily female, many wearing low rise jeans and butterfly clips for fun. You hear whispered recitation of film lines before they happen.

By the finale, the room usually buzzes like a teenage sleepover. People clap on the beat, cheer character entrances and squeal softly when the dollhouse appears. It is not a cool reaction, it is a sincere one.

Strengths of 13 Going on 30 The Musical.

• Lucie Jones, delivering one of her strongest leading performances to date.
• Genuine chemistry between Jones and David Hunter, deepened by previous collaborations.
• Vibrant staging that keeps transitions clear and visually satisfying.
• Showcase moments for the child ensemble, giving the story emotional honesty.
• Certain songs that feel instantly replayable, especially Wanna Be and Own It.

Weaknesses and sticking points.

• Several songs that sound interchangeable, especially mid tempo pop ballads.
• Lyrics that occasionally rely on easy rhymes and familiar phrases.
• Limited interrogation of the magazine industry's darker edges.
• Some secondary characters sketched in affectionate clichés.
• An overall sense of safety, rather than daring reinvention.

Overall verdict, is it worth seeing.

If you love the film, the answer is simple. Yes, absolutely. The musical is like meeting an old friend in better lighting, wearing a new outfit, still telling the same stories.

If you have never seen the movie, you may still enjoy the ride. The show functions as a straightforward, funny coming of age fantasy. You might even appreciate it more without comparison baggage.

This is not a radical new musical. It is a polished, heartfelt, commercially savvy one. For many theatre fans in 2025, that is exactly enough.

Questions and Answers.

Is 13 Going on 30 The Musical good.

Yes, especially if you enjoy romcom style stories. The show offers strong performances, high energy staging and several memorable songs, even if the score overall feels uneven.

Do you need to know the film to enjoy the musical.

No, you can follow the story without it. However, film fans will catch extra jokes, visual echoes and emotional callbacks that deepen the experience.

How does the music compare to other modern stage scores.

It sits comfortably beside other pop leaning scores. Some numbers feel instantly catchy, while others fade quickly, but the overall sound is accessible and audience friendly.

Is the musical family friendly.

Mostly, yes. There are themes of sexuality, partying and workplace politics, but they are handled with humour and restraint, making it suitable for teens and many older children.

Could 13 Going on 30 The Musical work in the West End or Broadway.

It has clear commercial potential. With some tightening and maybe a stronger marketing push around nostalgia, it could attract steady audiences in larger markets.

13 Going on 30 Lyrics: Song List

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