Dark of the Moon – Review

Dark of the Moon: Charing Cross Theatre, London

30th May 2026

★★★

Dark of the Moon is a new supernatural musical about witchcraft, small-town prejudices and the power of love. When Barbara Allen (a human girl) meets John (a witch-boy) they instantly fall in love and set to defy their communities to build a life together, but will love conquer all?

The concept behind this is great and actually originates from old folklore and a song called ‘The Ballad of Barbara Allen’ which was turned into a successful play in the 1940’s. This is another reincarnation of that play, this time in the form of a musical. The score by Lindy Robbins, Dave Bassett and Steve Robson aims to blend country and rock music to reflect the conflicting worlds – the rural Appalachian small town and the mystical world of witches and warlocks in the Smoky Mountains above. The score is a bit hit and miss. Some of the songs are superb and really encompass the emotions of the characters and story, whilst others feel out of place and the lyrics at time are comical. The main issue is the witches themselves – are they meant to be sexual, scary, mythical? With a clearer direction for them and their purpose then the songs would be able to reflect this.

The plot is extremely predictable and whilst this isn’t necessarily a bad thing it would have been nice to have a few twists. Some of the characters are two-dimensional and stereotypical and to be honest are needed to make the show work. However, the large cast work hard throughout the show and are led excellently by Lauren Jones who is simply spellbinding in this role. She has confidence and strength as Barbara yet also shows vulnerability and raw emotion. Vocally, she is able to inject every lyric with emotion and her storytelling is exceptional. Glenn Adamson works hard alongside her and the dynamics between John and Barbara are great. Another mention must go to Martin Callaghan whose role as Preacher adds not only a little light relief but eventually helps bring the story together.

The multi-level set by Libby Todd works well to create different locations although some of the ‘hidden’ set changes are visible and can be a little distracting. What brings the set to life is Jonathan Chan’s lighting which really adds dynamics and focus to the show by using eery purples and shadowy lighting. There are a few tricks and illusions which are performed well, along with clever sound effects and lighting that help add to the mystery and mythical side to the show.

Overall this new musical has heart and a story which is more than just about the supernatural – it is about the human condition, love and acceptance. The cast work extremely hard but are, at times, let down by the weak and underwhelming material. With clearer direction and a rework of some of the book and score, this could be a really good show. That’s the beauty of theatre – as shown with this story which has been around since 1940’s – shows are ever changing and given time Dark of the Moon will no doubt reach its potential.

Dark of the Moon is playing at the Charing Cross Theatre until the 8th August 2026. For more information and tickets click here.

Photo Credit: Tom Bowles