The Jonathon Larson Project – Review

The Jonathon Larson Project: Southwark Playhouse Borough, London

11th July 2026

★★★★★

2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the unexpected death of Jonathon Larson. Sadly he died on the morning of the opening of his new show – RENT. This show of course has gone on to become hugely successful, win countless awards and shape a new formula for musicals. Jonathon Larson never got to see this success. He not only wrote RENT but also Tick… Tick… Boom! which recently was made into a film and has been performed around the world. But some of his lesser known work has remained out of the public eye. This year The Jonathon Larson Project conceived by Jennifer Ashley Tepper brings some of his unknown songs to the forefront – some of which were never performed in front of an audience during Larson’s life. A special way to remember the man who no doubt would have gone on to create many more shows had his life not been so cruely cut short.

The five cast members (Natalie Kassanga, Imelda Warren-Green, Michael Mather, Max Harwood and Marcus Collins) work extremely hard throughout this revue show. Each has their chance in the spotlight but it is often the ensemble harmonies and numbers where they come alive as a group. The songs selected for this production are performed fully with a brief introduction projected onto the back wall letting the audience know when it was written and what for. There are some cut songs from RENT and tick… tick… Boom! along with some made for radio pop songs and songs from other shows he worked on including Superbia. There are even a few clips of Larson himself performing that are projected onto the screen along with montages of photos of him growing up (video design by Alex Basco Koch) which adds another element to the production.

The stage by Nate Bertone is set to look like a rehearsal room with a typical parquet wooden floor and piano sitting proudly in the middle. The scaffold backdrop is similar to the iconic RENT set and feels very much in keeping. Set pieces are moved often to create new spaces but it never feels clumsy or cluttered. Sam Biondolillo‘s lighting is subtle and supports each song. John Simpkins‘ direction has enabled each song to be brought to life.

The song choice is varied and eclectic. It varies from song to song with a comic song about being a housewife which actually won him the Stephen Sondheim Award one moment to a heart-breaking performance about a close friend Larson lost to AIDS. The cast show extraordinary talent to be able to change character, intention and vocal style so quickly. Larson’s score gives glimmers of what he could have gone on to do with some of the stand out songs being ‘The Truth is a Lie’, ‘White Male World’, Find the Key’, ‘Love Heals’ and ‘Valentine’s Day‘ . He often wrote songs in response to politics, recent events and to express his thoughts and opinions and it is great to see these being shown on stage. Any fans of Jonathon Larson are sure to see some of his iconic style coming through but will also be impressed by the range of songs. This is a must see for any fans of his shows but also to anyone interested in theatre as it highlights workings of a composer and how much work and effort goes in before (if you’re lucky) that one show takes off.

The Jonathon Larson Project runs until 22nd August 2026 at the Southwark Playhouse Borough. For tickets and information click here.

Photo Credit: Danny Kaan