REVIEW: A Night With The Villains - Mira Ball Productions

A Night With The Villains

Presented by Mira Ball Productions

Directed by Elodie Boal

Choreography by Jennifer B Ashley

Music Direction by Rae Rose

Costume Design by Jackie Frederickson

Makeup & Hair by Rosie Humphreys

Technical Design by Tony Kerr

Sound Design by Jono Harrison, Mal Boal

Photography by B’rit Creative

In its third season, Mira Ball Productions' A Night With The Villains returns with a brand new batch of theatre’s most dastardly icons, luring us into an immersive cabaret where the baddies rule the stage (and occasionally your personal space). The villains roam, mingle, scare, flirt, and taunt, and if you are wearing a glowstick, you are fair game; a thoughtful touch that invites the audience to opt in or out of the interaction.

The night wastes no time sinking its claws in. “Spooky Villain Hell Dream” erupts onto the stage with Jennifer B Ashley’s jagged, stylised choreography. Our host for the evening, Hades (Jett Sansom), is the sassy blue queen from Hercules, who relishes every blackout opportunityto terrify unsuspecting audience members. His improvised moments are some of the night’s most entertaining, though by the end there were clear signs of Jett's voice working overtime, oof!

Chelsea Guard as Beetlejuice's Lydia delivers “Dead Mom” with beautifully controlled vocals and emotional clarity. Later, her duet of “Bring Me to Life” (complete with Hades fanning her to dramatically blow her hair) cements her status as the ultimate emo queen of the underworld.

Cinderella's Stepsisters, played by Aimee Duroux and Lucy Ross, are a standout pairing. “Stepsisters' Lament” is packed with brilliant blocking and character choices, leaning into the slapstick and vanity of the roles. They commit fully to every grotesque nuance, and their eventual audience-voted win to lead “Thriller” — entirely in character — was the perfect cherry on top.

Reagan Warner as Agatha Trunchbull from Matilda barrels onto the stage with absolute authority. “Smell of Rebellion” is delivered with a booming presence and strong physical commitment, leaning into the exaggerated brutality with natural comedy. Later, “Wrecking Ball” turns into a full audience event, with beach balls bouncing through the crowd!

Eleanor Grieve as Yzma is an absolute feast visually, from the silhouette to the towering lashes and meticulously detailed makeup (so much so that I didn't recognise her!). Her “Snuff Out the Light” is one of the more atmospheric moments of the night due to handheld lighting tricks. She leans into Yzma’s signature physicality with precision, holding shapes and angles that feel almost animated. In “Hell Block Tango,” her vocal character work shines, with rewritten dialogue tailored to each villain (Yzma, Stacee, Queen of Hearts, Farquaad, Maleficent, and Trunchbull). “and we run out of spinach puffs so I go to get some…”

Kennedy Foley’s Queen of Hearts is genuinely nuts! From the moment she steps into that wash of red light for “Off With Their Heads,” there’s a real sense of danger, like she could turn on you at any second. It is not just costume and makeup doing the work either, though both are excellent! It is the way she holds herself with controlled physicality and sudden bursts of intensity. Vocally, she is completely solid and assured, creating one of the evening’s most cohesive character portrayals.

Leo Mylonas as Claude Frollo (from Hunchback of Notre-Dame) delivers “Hellfire” with articulate intensity, supported by ensemble vocals that build the drama perfectly. His later club-style interpretation of “Unholy” leans into a darker (S&M-inspired) aesthetic; a striking tonal shift that keeps the show completely unpredictable.

Beau Wykes as Sweeney Todd and Ally Hickey as Mrs. Lovett settle into their dynamic with ease, creating a partnership that is both playful and unhinged. In “Sugar,” they bounce off each other beautifully. Even as the show moves through different styles and energy levels, they stay completely present in their characters, which helps anchor some of the darker material.

Jaya as Stacee Jaxx (from Rock of Ages) knows exactly what show they’re in. “Dead or Alive” (with the Stepsisters as groupies) is cheeky and high-energy, but “Sexyback” is where they truly take off. It becomes less of a number and more of an experience, with stripping, guitar picks flying into the audience, and fully feeding off audience adoration. There was at least one visibly flustered front-row lady!

Ruby Thompson as Velma Kelly and Kelsey Todd as Roxie Hart slip into that iconic duo so naturally. They are incredibly strong dancers, vocally matched, and completely alluring in “My Own Best Friend.” Their Gatsby-inspired “A Little Party” kicks things up a notch with stamina and sass. Ruby especially feels right at home as Velma. I would absolutely love to see her take on the role in a full production of Chicago.

Ashleigh Mitchell’s Maleficent commands in green, particularly during the haunting re-imagining of “Once Upon a Dream,” which carries a distinct Green Fairy energy. She sends us home with a bold, dance-heavy "I'm Horny" proving she is more than just a looming presence — she can move!

And I can't forget Peter Wood as Lord Farquaad from Shrek. He has a smirk for days and fully delivers that gloriously vile little wimp energy that makes the character so entertaining to watch. Plus, his pairing with Kennedy Foley in the tango-inspired “Bad Romance” is one of the standout choreographic moments of the whole show.

One of the joys of this production is seeing so many familiar villains in one place, spanning musical theatre and the Disney sphere. The adapted “Ex-Wives” is a high-energy reset, and “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” slayed with everyone's wildly impractical shoes. Under the direction of Elodie Boal and Rae Rose, the energy stays consistently high, with a playlist that covers musical theatre staples and pop anthems. Transitions between acts are generally smooth, though I would love to see even more improvisation and spontaneous audience interaction in these moments to elevate the format further.

Jackie Frederickson’s costumes and Rosie Humphreys’ makeup and hair are some of the strongest in the community right now, creating bold, recognisable looks for each character — particularly for Queen of Hearts, Yzma, and Hades. Tony Kerr’s technical design, paired with sound by Jono Harrison and Mal Boal, supports the fast-paced structure effectively. Lighting choices enhance key numbers (especially the red wash for Queen of Hearts and the green-hued Maleficent moments), while choreography frequently surprises (I spotted those Camp Rock 2 references Jen!)

A Night With The Villains thrives on commitment and every single performer commits wholeheartedly to character, tone, and camp. For fans of musical theatre, Disney villains, and immersive cabaret chaos, it’s a wickedly entertaining night out.