Rent ★★★★★ Tom Stoppard Theatre | Sep 26, 2026 - May 29, 2027

In 1896, Puccini adapted Henri Murger’s Scènes de la vie de bohème into his opera La Bohème, telling the story of a group of young artists living in poverty in nineteenth-century Paris, where they faced hardship, illness and tuberculosis. Almost a century later, Jonathan Larson adapted the same material to the lives of marginalised young people in New York City, where poverty was compounded by drug addiction and AIDS. Tragically, Larson never saw Rent become a hit. He died aged 35 on the morning of its first preview in January 1996, but the show went on to transfer to Broadway, where it ran for 12 years and more than 5,000 performances, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and four Tony Awards. It transferred to London in 1998 and was embraced worldwide as a portrait of a generation at the turn of the millennium. This latest production brilliantly captures the anger, angst and affection that bind this group of young people together. It does not explicitly draw parallels with the contemporary situation, retaining Larson’s topical and American references, some of which may be lost on a British audience. Yet it captures with remarkable force the alienation of young people in a world they did not create but are destined to inherit. This is a stripped-back production, with the audience seated within the stage area, and the intimacy of the staging allows a brilliant young cast to bring the characters vividly to life. There are simply no weak links. Gaten Matarazzo makes Mark an engaging observer and narrator, combining his curiosity about others with an increasingly evident emotional involvement in their lives. Travis Ross gives Roger a brooding intensity, while Alexa Lopez brings Mimi a mixture of vulnerability, sensuality and determination, giving their relationship a profoundly convincing chemistry. Billy Nevers brings warmth and tenderness to Collins, making his love for Angel deeply affecting, and Jeevan Braich revels in Angel’s flamboyant exuberance. His entrance to “Today 4 U” is one of the show’s highlights and his comic timing is impeccable. As Maureen, Lazy Violet brings a wonderfully anarchic energy to the mercurial performance artist which is nicely complemented by Danielle Fiamanya’s tightly controlled and buttoned-up Joanne. She becomes a perfect foil for Maureen, and her “Tango: Maureen” with Matarazzo is another of the show’s highlights. The exuberant production numbers, including “Seasons of Love” and “La Vie Bohème”, are beautifully balanced by the quieter ballads, particularly “Without You” and “I’ll Cover You”. One quibble, however, is the sound balance. The band often seems rather too loud, almost forcing the singers to compete with it, and the incessant percussion sometimes overwhelms rather than enhances the music. Given the emotional and melodic strength of Larson’s score, greater restraint would allow the voices to carry more fully and the lyrics to be more easily understood. Despite such caveats, however, this is a production that succeeds because it understands what lies at the heart of Rent: a community held together by love, friendship and the determination to live fully in the face of loss. While the show leaves us with Larson’s enduring imperative, “no day but today”, this is a musical for the ages.

Rated: ★★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.

Photo by Pamela Raith

When, Where, Getting there:

• Sep 26, 2026 - May 29, 2027
• Mon - Sat: 7:30 pm, Fri & Sat: 2:30 pm
• Duke of York's Theatre
• Nearest tube: Leicester Square
• https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/rent/tom-stoppard-theatre/
• https://rentthemusical.com