REVIEW: A Night At The Musicals presents Disney: In Concert

A Night at the Musicals closed out their 2025 season with a spectacular final chapter: Disney: In Concert. With three shows at the beautiful Talbot Theatre in the Thomas Dixon Centre, this production celebrated the power of Disney music with world-class talent.

I was already pumped to see my friends dazzle us, but as soon as the orchestra began the overture of When You Wish Upon a Star (Pinocchio) / A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella), I knew we were in for a real treat! Twenty musicians filled the stage with a rich, nostalgic sound, conducted by the brilliant Michael Keen. Brisbane is unbelievably lucky to have this musical director. His conducting shaped the entire evening with finesse and that unmistakable Disney glow.

And speaking of glow… the cast! Thirteen incredible vocalists stepped onto the stage in shimmering ballgowns and velvet jackets. Producer Sophora Cliff and Director Alex Watson assembled an A-team of singers who blew me away. The audience was mostly Disney adults and musical-theatre fans, with surprisingly few kids around. A grown-up crowd for a grown-up concert, and honestly, the arrangements chosen completely suited that demographic. It felt like the team had reached into my head and picked out all of my favourite songs. I can't even imagine how tough it was to choose the setlist!

Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast) burst to life with Liam J O’Byrne leading as Lumière, all charm and fiery French flair. If happiness had a sound, it was this. With a full vocal ensemble of familiar faces tying everything together, we were treated to a night of rich, full-bodied choral sound. The concert moved through heroes, villains, princesses, comedic classics, and underrated gems. A Postmodern-Jukebox-style Bare Necessities brought jazzy fun. While Wild Uncharted Waters (Little Mermaid 2023) by Jordan Koulos and the If Only quartet delighted me to no end. Although, four songs from The Little Mermaid still wasn’t enough for me. As Ariel says, I want more...

Carly Bettinson soared through Waiting on a Wish (Snow White 2025). This song is notoriously difficult — I’ve taught it before, and it is no walk in the park — yet she delivered it with clarity, control, and princess-perfect tone. The orchestral support here was phenomenal too! Chloe Rose Taylor unleashed delicious villainy in Mother Knows Best (Tangled), blending her classical tone with some wicked belting. Natasha Veselinovic stunned in Home (Beauty and the Beast) and You’ll Be In My Heart (Tarzan). The latter was arranged in gorgeous four-part harmony for Natasha, Carly, Timothy Aaron Cooper and Cody Arthur. This stunner by Phil Collins slowed the pace of the show down and immediately produced soft sniffles around the auditorium.

The opening notes of any Alan Menken song always give me chills, but Go the Distance from Hercules is on a whole other level. Sean Sinclair did this one justice and then some. The way it builds from a solo piano to a full orchestra splendour, topped with that epic key change and final belt, was definitely one of those goosebump moments of the whole show. Before the break, the boys took charge with I’ll Make a Man Out of You from Mulan. Timothy Aaron Cooper, Cody Arthur, Liam J O’Byrne, and Jordan Koulos delivered tight vocals, comical choreography, and just the right amount of heroic gusto. And I couldn’t resist singing along!

A medley from The Hunchback of Notre Dame opened Act Two and shook the Talbot Theatre with its epic magnitude. The Bells of Notre Dame is only possible with an orchestra and choir of this size and calibre. Alex Watson’s direction shone here: bold, dramatic blocking that heightened the powerful storytelling. Timothy leading the solo Out There, perfectly balancing Quasimodo's sweet, gentle moments with passionate belts that felt like they came from the bottom of his soul.

Chloe, Vivien Emsworth, and Carly teamed up for a princess medley of three songs. It sounded technically vocally amazing, but someone started rushing their song, which messed up the blend a bit. And honestly, this number was begging for some tiaras! Vivien delivered the pop version of Reflection (Mulan). Her soulful tone was gorgeous, but she kept her eyes closed for the majority of it; something jazz singers often do, and really noticeable in a ballad that’s so introspective. Taylah Johns absolutely killed How Far I’ll Go (Moana), a song that is a vocal minefield in the upper register. She navigated every leap and belt with confidence and clarity. No cracks. No stress. Just pure princess power!

The first Frozen moment arrived with a gender-bent Into the Unknown sung by Liam. He nailed the high belts (even opting up!) and the flautist deserves a big shoutout for the crystalline tone during the iconic “Aah-aah-ahh!” moments. In my opinion, this is the hardest Frozen song, and the orchestra and Liam delivered an exceptional arrangement.

Jordan and Tymyka Adele Wines brought tender warmth to I See the Light from Tangled. Their voices were gorgeous, but the lighting strangely stayed neutral. This number is made for golden glow and lantern-inspired hues. Still, I loved Jordan’s entrance from the side of the audience, singing like none of us existed except her... Tymyka also took centre stage for Let It Go and absolutely delivered, minus the famous Elsa quick change of course. Sophora Cliff in her stunning green gown tackled Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid). She absolutely floored me. Effortless placement, clean opt-ups, and pure Disney-princess sound. I was green with jealousy, perfectly matching her dress. I only wish she had sung the reprise too!

Cody Arthur completely slayed Poor Unfortunate Souls (The Little Mermaid). He embodied Ursula with such vocal command and commitment that I genuinely want to see him play the role now! Chloe and Natasha tore into Badder from Disenchanted. It’s from the lesser-known sequel to Enchanted, and the salsa-inspired groove of the two-villain dynamic made it a brilliant addition to the setlist. Alex’s blocking shone again here, giving the number bite and attitude.

Taylah and Sean took on A Whole New World (Aladdin), which sparkled vocally. I’d say it’s Disney’s best romantic duet. And although the magic carpet may not have been present, their blend delivered that same lift. Just a little reminder to the singers, the handheld mics can really hide your mouth, so make sure to smile with wist and wonder (Not that I’m one to give advice to performers of this calibre!)

Jo-Anne Jackson and Cody united for a gorgeous pop-version of Beauty and the Beast. Their tricky harmonies and synchronised riffs were handled with elegance, their love radiated, and the warm golden lighting created a perfect little pocket of magic. Shadowland from The Lion King, led by Jo-Anne, was otherworldly. Her voice poured through the theatre like molten gold with grit, power and emotional weight. My jaw was hanging open the whole time. And shoutout to the marimba player for adding that earthy Lion King texture. The company united for Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Elton John pop version) featuring three ensemble singers who also served as swings, joined by the full company for the epic key change I was absolutely waiting for.

A tender acoustic medley of Remember Me (Coco) and When She Loved Me (Toy Story 2), sung by Sophora and Liam with only piano and guitar, tugged at the heartstrings. I don’t know if they had eyes on a conductor screen, so if not... big props to everyone! The show wrapped with a joyful stage-version medley from Mary Poppins, sending the audience out on a cloud of nostalgia.

This concert rekindled childhood wonder while celebrating the sophistication of live musical theatre. With outstanding orchestration, professional casting, thoughtful direction, and arrangements that felt both nostalgic and fresh, A Night at the Musicals proved exactly why these songs endure. The short season has concluded at the Talbot Theatre, but I sincerely hope Disney becomes an annual tradition. There are so many treasures still waiting in the vault!

Photo credit: Megan Birdy Peacock