When you see a Phantom mask at Canary Wharf station, it can only mean one thing: Musical Con is back! Now in its third year, this fan-fueled celebration of all things musical theatre takes over the Excel Centre once again. Packed with costumes, performances, and backstage insights, it’s an immersive experience for theatre lovers. But has the event ironed out the kinks from previous years? With some big improvements and a few lingering challenges, this year’s Con offers the usual mix of excitement, chaos, and unforgettable moments.
Third time lucky?
This is Musical Con’s third year, but was it third time lucky after the teething issues I witnessed in year one? Well, there are definite improvements, the biggest being the fact that they’ve moved the dance workshops to a separate area, so you can listen to a talk without hearing instructions being shouted at Lycra-clad hopefuls. The talks were much more accessible generally, with more seating and better amplification (although this teetered on too loud if you were near the front).
Another great improvement was a much larger area to showcase costumes, models of sets, wigs and what goes on behind the scenes. I had a brilliant chat with Ed Paget who works on the Stage Management team at The Phantom of the Opera. Whilst he wouldn’t reveal some of the tricks from the show, despite my best efforts, he did say that if you never see him, he’s doing his job well!
The area in front of the main stage felt larger, but still distinctly lacking in chairs if you’re not in the VIP or accessible areas. Racked seating with a standing area at the front feels like a no brainer (to someone not controlling the budgets!). The VIP area gives you access to the front of the stage, and by the looks of it a goodie bag, but again it has a remarkable lack of chairs. They must be hot-property at Excel. I would also expect some kind of free refreshments, with the hefty price tag of £219 for a VIP weekend ticket.
Given the nature of the venue, you can’t avoid the intensity of the space. It’s loud, it’s busy, there are queues and crunch points. It feels a relief to step onto the Jubilee line – and that’s saying something. Yet, once again, Musical Con has some absolutely magical moments you just can’t get anywhere else, which make the headache and exhaustion worth it.
This is for the fans
There’s no denying that this is an event curated for the fans, and they love it. I wondered if any that I spoke to would also mention the noise, the slightly chaotic nature of the event, the lack of chairs – but no.
It’s filled with young musical theatre students, here to meet their idols and share their ambitions; to learn from those in the roles they dream of. A pair of first-year musical theatre students loved how broad the event is, with so many musicals covered. I was curious if they felt it was value for money, especially as they are students, but they said yes without a pause for thought.
An exceptional pair of Christines from The Phantom of the Opera had travelled from the Netherlands for the show, saying that there was nothing like this in their country. Their exquisite, handmade costumes would not have looked out of place on the West End stage. Their only criticism was they expected it to be bigger.
A first time visitor, who had come alone, was almost giddy with excitement. And with regular fan meets throughout the day, there’s plenty of opportunities to engage with like-minded people. It really is a safe space to indulge in a shared passion with strangers.
Meeting your heroes
A huge selling point of the show is the chance to hear from stars in the industry and to get the chance to meet them at the Stage Door (although this is a paid for addition). I attended a talk at the improved Backstage theatre, featuring a panel of ex-wives from Six, who shared their experiences to a crowd filled with young girls dressed as their favourite Queen. It was a treat to hear stories you’re not likely to hear anywhere else, like the time they forgot the lyrics, or came on stage with a trail of loo roll behind them.
‘Show Spotlights’ on the main stage allows fans to hear a range of cast members share their experiences, whether that be how they got the part in the first place, or their favourite song to perform. I caught the discussion between cast members of Les Mis, and we were also treated to a performance of ‘Bring Him Home’ by Milan Van Waardenburg, who was challenged with singing a bit of it in Dutch. At moments like this, you forget you’re in a cavernous conference space, and find yourself transported and moved.
Celebrating stars of the future
One of the highlights of the day was, slightly unexpectedly, the ‘Star of Musical Con’ competition. Having already gone through heats, we were treated to performances from the final selection. A spectacular performance of ‘I’m Alive’ from Next to Normal resulted in a promise of a conversation about representation for the lucky, talented young man on stage. And the winner of the competition gets the chance to perform on the West End stage later this year.
There were also regular showcases from performance art schools throughout the day, and their energy was palpable. This was their chance to shine! With so many successful stars and industry experts in the room, this is certainly the place to do it. Whilst as a fan you get a lot from this event, as a student or future West End star it could really prove to be invaluable to your career.
Although it still has its issues, and as much as Excel is a soulless and intense venue, you can’t deny Musical Con’s appeal. Despite my frustrations at the chaotic queue at the show’s opening, the lack of seating and the noise, this event still won me over. As I sat on the train with my Wicked embroidery kit, the latest issue of Musicals magazine, and the beginnings of a headache, I felt fulfilled and excited by this world I love so much.
Musical Con 2024 was at the Excel Centre from the 19th-20th October.
