Review: Fun Home, at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

This summer in Manchester, there have been three big musical adventures for audiences to get sucked into. Two of them, Something Rotten and Thespians, have been ironically similar and silly, providing plenty of laughs, and a rant or two about generative technology taking away from creativity. 

But now I am back in a space which is full of creativity, The Royal Exchange Theatre, with no generative AI in sight - happy days! Here, they are hosting the regional premiere of Fun Home, one of the productions I have been most looking forward to all year. Fun fact for you: it is the first female-created musical to win Best Musical, Original Score and Book at the Tonys. Also known as The Triple Crown. 

See, I had a hunch that the Royal Exchange's in-the-round space would suit this piece so well

In 2018, I was lucky enough to see the London premiere at the Young Vic in 2018. But Fun Home had sadly been absent from the UK (bar a production in Dublin) since. Until now - as part of the Royal Exchange's 50th Anniversary, we get this modern musical gem. And I hadn't realised how much I had missed it until the announcement came through.  

If you have never heard of this musical, it is based on Alison Bechdel's graphic memoirs, following her childhood and her coming out whilst she is at college, exploring her relationships with herself and her family. Particularly her father, who has been holding a secret of his own. 

I have to be honest here: I had almost forgotten how good of a musical Fun Home is, particularly how good Jeanine Tesori's music is, and how it seamlessly ties in with Lisa Kron's heart-warming, funny and devastating book. 

Despite the 140 minute run time with no interval, Fun Home does not feel overtly long or dragged out. In fact, the opposite is true. Kron's book and Sarah Frankcom's direction draws you into Alison's story, particularly with fascinating directing choices. You cannot help but be leaning forward in your seat, and be in grown-up Alison's shoes, chopping and changing in between timelines. 

As Alison and Bruce both sing in the opening number: "I want to know what's true, Dig deep into who, And what, and why and when, Until now gives way to then"

You also get to see so much turmoil from the book and from the performances the stunning company give

Small glances and flickers of pain before switching back to happy family poker face offer little titbits of much more behind the curtain. 

Each flash across the face, each moment which makes you feel a little uncomfortable, and each crack that starts to show as Alison delves deeper, means that when the tension releases and everything explodes, you cannot help but be taken aback. 

As I said, we see Alison at three different stages of her life: and we have a fantastic actress for each of her three stages

Jodie McNee as the adult Alison never leaves the stage, as she rewatches her life unfold before her from behind her trusty writing desk, bravely delving deeper to better understand the grief she holds onto and drawing her memoirs. 

The reactions she has to events happening around her can range: devastating as she spots more pain in her parents lives as she flits back and forth the different stages in her life, as well as the guilt she has at not handling certain moments in the way she thinks she should have. 

On top of that though, there are also hilarious reactions of embarrassment at her reading out childhood diary entries, and adolescent awkwardness. Speaking of adolescent awkwardness, Alice Audrey O'Hanlon was just as fantastic as Medium Alison, her version of Changing My Major, Alison's solo of joyful sexual awakening, being a true highlight. 

The biggest cheers however, were for Lillie Babb, who was on for Small Alison, stealing every single scene she was in, with so much innocence and sincerity. Especially during Ring of Keys. We could also see a lot of sarcastic wit we see in older versions of Alison start to come through. The title song, which she performed with Finley Litchfield and Arthur Lyons as Alison's brothers John and Christian was another fun highlight. 

The ones though holding so much in and then letting out an explosion in equal measure, are Nigel Harmon as Bruce and Alex Young (Stranger Things: The First Shadow) as Helen, Alison's parents

When the casting got released, I knew that Young was going to be amazing, and that her Days and Days was going to be something special. And oh it was. The moment when Helen finally gets to let loose her shame and the pain of feeling trapped in her circumstance was absolutely devastating. You could tell in her voice that Helen was crumbling. 

Harmon as Bruce has arguably the hardest part of the show; because he has to get the audience to understand why he makes the decision that he does. There are so many nuances and expressions in his face that hint to his inner turmoil. He can go from charismatic to cruel in a matter of moments. But let me tell you he pulls it off masterfully. Harmon won an Olivier award for another Jeanine Tesori musical, Shrek (playing Lord Farquuad). If this production was London bound, he would definitely have been in my totally non-official nominations list. 

Fun Home, for me, is Manchester's musical of the Summer

Ending 1st August 2026 (so this Saturday), I cannot recommend you getting tickets to this enough. It is not only a story which takes itself seriously while also brimming with creativity, but it is a story which I believe is so important for today's time. Yes there is no interval, so you will need to plan and get drink-ed up and go to the loo with plenty of time beforehand. But you get so invested into this story that you will not miss it. 

What else to say other than, well, as Alison and her siblings say, "Come to the Fun Home".