Barnum – Bradford Alhambra

IF ANY musical is a star vehicle for a charismatic multi-talented actor then Barnum is it.

Not only does the leading man have to hold the audience in the palm of his hand, he's also got to swallow fire, juggle and walk a tightrope.

All in a night's work for Brian Conley, hypnotic as PT Barnum, America's leading showman who went from flim-flam man and freak-show impresario to ringmaster in The Greatest Show On Earth.

His life story is cleverly portrayed as the three-ring circus he pioneered, with constant circus tricks punctuating the story of his marriage to a woman his opposite in temperament and interests.

Barnum isn’t very substantial and with a handful of exceptions the songs are forgettable. Some productions are quite tedious.

But two things, in addition to Conley’s performance, make this version worth your while.

One, Linzi Hateley who makes the seemingly-impossible romance credibly, sparklingly and movingly believable.

And two, the production team imaginatively uses the circus trickery and makes the songs a central part of the story rather than just 'musical numbers'.

• Until Saturday. Visit bradford-theatres.co.uk or call 01274 432000 to book tickets.

David Knights