‘Scissorhandz: A Musical Reinvented’ is currently running at Southwark Playhouse: Elephant in London from January 23 to March 29, 2025. Last night was press night, with critics all reporting unanimously similar reviews.

This pop-musical parody of Tim Burton’s ‘Edward Scissorhands’ features songs by artists such as Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Alanis Morissette. The production is co-produced by Lance Bass and Michelle Visage.

Hot on the heels of the fabulously camp production of ‘Titanique‘ (another musical spoof of a Hollywood movie), that recently premiered in London to rave reviews, the show had much to do in order to compete.

1. The Stage: According to The Stage, the show is an ‘Uplifting night out’. They commented on the musical’s central message, as well as the musical arrangements, by saying that ‘Bredeweg’s affectionate reworking of the plot toys with gender roles, amplifying its central message of acceptance and individuality, while making it pertinent to modern audiences. It is further enhanced by Gregory Nabours’ sensitive musical arrangements, which cannily shape familiar hits as diverse as ‘I’m Every Woman’, ‘Best Day of My Life’ and ‘Bleeding Love’ into narrative musical numbers.’ They did comment however that the ‘storytelling is a little foggy’ in places, a common theme from most reviews we’ve seen.
2. The Guardian: infers that the show lives in the shadow of its film-version, and says it is ‘generally too reverential to succeed as parody and never embraces zaniness to the extent of Titanic spoof ‘Titanique‘. Adult panto-style gags sit alongside earnest sincerity. Humour and pathos are never blended as delicately as by Burton. The film was about a boy built by a man; the musical has a female inventor creating a child and focuses on gender identity as part of self-discovery.’
3. What’s On Stage: Similar to The Guardian, Alun Hood from What’s On Stage compares with the film, stating that ‘the passivity of the central figure is easier to convey on film with close-ups etc. but onstage the titular character is upstaged by more flamboyant performances’. He also says that it’s easy to become lost as an audience member, reporting that ‘If you’ve never seen the film, you may wonder what the heck is going on.’ However, he does praise the blending of genres, calling it ‘a bold, boisterous, sometimes beautiful amalgam of rock cabaret and elaborate queer fantasia’.
4. Broadway World: Mica Blackwell can understand the decision behind the LGBTQ+ angle; ‘Tim Burton’s gothic fairytale has an enduring legacy for ‘beautiful weirdos’, and it’s easy to see why writer-director Bradley Bredeweg would approach the material from an LGBTQIA+ lens’. That being said, Mica felt that it wasn’t fully realised; ‘While sincere in its message and delightfully camp, the execution of Scissorhandz’s non-binary identity doesn’t feel fully realised and as a result comes across as shoehorned.’ They do praise the show’s production design, saying ‘One thing you can’t doubt is the effort put into the visuals. James Connelly’s set adorned with amplifiers and Alex Jansen’s projected animations..’

Links to the full reviews below:

The Stage – 3 out of 5 stars

The Guardian – 3 out of 5 stars

What’s On Stage – 3 out of 5 stars

Broadway World – 3 out of 5 stars