Review by Pip Gorringe
Pip is an independent reviewer with no affiliation to the theatre company and received complimentary tickets in exchange for this review. The opinions and rating below are Pip’s own.
Sutton Coldfield Musical Youth Theatre | Sutton Coldfield Town Hall | 3–7 November 2026
★★★★★ – 10/10
For a musical about how one decision can change everything, Our House makes your next evening out a remarkably easy choice. Sutton Coldfield Musical Youth Theatre has brought a glorious burst of energy, humour and heart to the Town Hall, with fantastic dancing, an impressive young company and a leading performance worth the ticket price alone.
Built around the songs of Madness, Tim Firth’s musical follows Camden teenager Joe Casey, whose sixteenth birthday takes an eventful turn. When the police interrupt his attempt to impress girlfriend Sarah, his life splits into two possible futures. We follow both, discovering how differently love, loyalty and ambition can unfold depending on whether you stay to face the consequences or make a run for it.
Holding those two worlds together is Jamie Wilson as Joe Casey, and what a talent he is.
Wilson is the definition of a triple threat: a compelling actor, confident singer and excellent dancer, with the charisma to make a demanding central role look deceptively effortless. He moves between Joe’s contrasting lives with assurance, keeping the character engaging through both his better instincts and his spectacularly questionable choices.
There is already a solid 8/10 production here, thanks to the strength of the company around him. Wilson supplies the extra star quality that lifts it into a 10/10, must-see show. Remember the name, you’ll be seeing it in lights one day.
His partnership with Elliott Winnall as Emmo and George Hayes as Lewis is another highlight. Winnall brings bags of cheeky charm, while Hayes has a lovely instinct for landing a comic moment. Both demonstrate excellent timing, and the chemistry between all three makes their friendship feel easy and believable. They have the energy of the boys at the back of the classroom who absolutely should have been separated, but whom everyone secretly hopes will keep talking.
Louise Heard brings warmth and conviction to Sarah, giving the romance an emotional centre and ensuring that Joe’s decisions carry real weight. She makes Sarah someone worth rooting for in her own right.
Euan Barnby lends Joe’s Dad a thoughtful presence, handling the character’s influence over the story with maturity. Alongside him, Holly Masefield gives Kath Casey warmth and backbone. Playing a convincing parent in a youth production presents its own challenges, and both help ground the show’s more emotional moments.
There is plenty of personality elsewhere in the principal cast. Lola Hinsley brings spirited confidence to Billie, while Elsie Hood gives Angie an appealing spark. Together, they contribute generously to the production’s humour and lively character work.
Faris Harlow-Makin gives Reecey the necessary edge, bringing a sense of danger to Joe’s world, while Bobby Benson makes an assured Mr Pressman, supplying the polished self-interest of a man whose property ambitions come with very little concern for the people affected. Billy Wells deserves credit for his versatility as Callum and Mr Jesmond, helping populate the story’s contrasting worlds.
Emily Slassor adds sparkle as Julie, and Daisy Moore makes a lively contribution as Heather. Both also feature among the principal dancers, contributing to one of the evening’s greatest strengths: its movement.
The dancing is fantastic. Charlotte Jervis’s choreography captures that unmistakable Madness character: exuberant, cheeky and full of personality, with a style that fits the show’s 1980s setting beautifully. The company attacks it with tremendous commitment. Principal dancers and ensemble alike give the big numbers their scale and excitement, with dance captain Erin Freeman also deserving recognition. There is enough energy on that stage to make sitting still feel faintly antisocial.
The accents are another impressive achievement. Across such a young cast, the confident character voices help establish the Camden setting and sustain the world of the show. The attention to detail pays off.
Behind the scenes, director Paul Lumsden brings together the comedy, romance and more serious consequences of Joe’s choices, keeping a complicated narrative moving clearly. Musical director and conductor Tom Wells, together with the orchestra, gives the familiar score the drive and character it deserves. These songs are central to the storytelling, and the musical team provides a strong foundation for the cast.
The sliding doors are a particularly effective staging choice, making it easy to follow which version of Joe’s life we are watching. Whether they are a knowing wink to the film Sliding Doors or simply an ingenious solution to the show’s parallel timelines, the connection is a pleasing one.
Then there are Wilson’s quick changes, which are superbly executed. He switches costumes with the sort of speed most of us reserve for shutting a laptop when someone mentions another meeting. Credit belongs both to him and to the backstage team making those transformations possible, including Suzanne Harris and Liv Lawton on costumes.
Stage manager Finley Waldron and the stage crew deserve their share of applause for the coordination this production demands. Theatre House’s scenery and props, Jervis’s visual design and Going Dark Theatrical Services’ lighting and visuals operation all contribute to bringing its two worlds to the stage.
The only noticeable drawback was a handful of late microphone cues, which meant the beginnings of some one-liners and occasional pieces of dialogue were lost. It was a small frustration, particularly with comic timing this good, and deserves attention so that every line gets its chance to land.
What stays with you, though, is the talent, the chemistry and the sheer pleasure of watching this company perform. There is so much to enjoy across the cast, crowned by a leading man with exceptional presence.
Our House is funny, energetic and full of heart. Take one step beyond your usual evening plans and get yourself to Sutton Coldfield Town Hall. This House deserves a full house.
Our House at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall: production information.