Big The Musical Tickets

By: John Weidman
Songs by: David Shire and Richard Maltby
Director: Morgan Young
Cast list: Jay McGuiness, Wendi Peters, Kimberley Walsh, Matthew Kelly, Lori Haley Fox, Edward Handoll, Harrison Dadswell, Jamie O’Connor, Jake Simon, Jobe Hart, Austen Phelan, Theo Wilkinson, Charlie Bull, Colin Burnicle, Christie-Lee Crosson, Vicki Davids, Alex Fobbester, Leanne Garretty, Stuart Hickey, Matt Holland, Tash Holway, Ross McLaren, Richard Murphy, Eddie Myles, Katharine Pearson, Anton Fosh, Gemma Fuller, Gary Murphy, Katy Osborne, Olufemi Alaka, Coco Cousin-Brown, Asher Ezeguiel, Ellis Griffiths, Imogen Law Hing Choy, Noah Leggott, Amaya Lucas, Cassia McCarthy, Ophelia Parsons, Bailey Razdan, Lucinda Wicks and Chanel Zinyemba.
Design: Simon Higlett
Lighting: Tim Lutkin
Costume: Simon Higlett
Choreography: Morgan Young
Sound: Terry Jardine and Avgoustos Psillas

The grass always looks greener when you're young and the grownup world is flying by above your head, but the simplicity of youth is spirited away in the new production of “Big” at London's Dominion Theatre. Jay McGuinness of UK boy-band fame stars in this stage version of the 1988 Tom Hanks film of the same name, which captured the hearts of a generation with its mystical wish—“I just want to be big!” Moving from the big screen to the musical theatre stage, this show explores the trials of youth and a universal emotion that has resonated with audience members from Broadway to the UK — the desire for life to change overnight.

After premiering at Broadway's Shubert Theatre in 1996 and earning five Tony Award nominations, the musical went on to two U.S. national tours in 1997 and 1998. Nearly 20 years passed before it made the leap across the pond, where a revised version of the show enjoyed limited runs at the Theatre Royal Plymouth and the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin back in 2016. Three years later, this plus-sized musical is casting its spell on the West End for an autumn run. Whether the classic 80s film holds a nostalgic place in your heart, or you simply want to enjoy a bit of West End magic, you don't want to miss this production.

Children under the age of 5 cannot be admitted to the auditorium. All patrons, regardless of age must have a valid ticket.

What to watch for

Despite earning five Tony Award nominations back in 1996, the show was heavily revised for the 1998 national tour by composer David Shire, lyricist Richard Maltby Jr., and book writer John Weidman.

Jay McGuinness, who stars as the lead Josh Baskin in this 2019 production, also played the lovable protagonist for the original UK and Ireland productions in 2016.

For fans of “Big,” the film remains one of Tom Hanks's most iconic roles, but it was almost played by Robert DeNiro, which would have made for a very different mood for this whimsical classic.

After seeing this show, you may be tempted to seek out your own Zoltar machine and make a big wish, but you'd have to travel to the Rye Playland in New York. Even then, the magical machine from the movie was just a prop, so you would have to settle for a different version of the Zoltar machine tucked away in that old-fashioned theme park.

The original theatrical script of “Big” contains a number of songs that never made it onto the stage, but you can hear these secret tracks if you get a license for the show, as they're still included on the original recording!