Review: Here Comes J. Edgar! (King’s Head Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The premiere of a new musical is always an exciting thing, but expectations for Here Comes J. Edgar! are understandably higher than most given the calibre and track record of those involved in the production, not to mention how long the musical has been in development for. London audiences can finally get a chance to experience the comedy musical now it has opened at the King's Head Theatre, in a particularly ambitious production for the small but mighty Islington Theatre, but would it be worth the wait or would this look at the life of J Edgar Hoover simply suck?

Here Comes J. Edgar! is centred around J. Edgar Hoover, an infamous figure in the United States of America, but it would be understandable if his name was not quite as familiar to British audiences. Hoover served as director of the FBI from 1924 until 1972, securing his position as the most powerful man in America by gathering information on the private lives of others. However, his own life was subject to much secrecy and speculation. This musical attempts to reveal those secrets, namely his hidden sexuality, by charting his life and career as well as his relationship with his “lifetime assistant”.

It’s not an exaggeration to talk about how long this musical has been in development for, with one of the men responsible for its creation, Peter Matz, passing away in 2002. Penning the musical score, the numbers present feel timeless and immediately familiar. It did leave me wondering whether this was a deliberate choice to almost send up classic musical tropes, with numbers that evoked comparisons to Gypsy and a distinct Sondheim-esque number elsewhere. While the quality is there to see, though admittedly not quite of the level Matz was known for through his prominent career, the musical numbers can come across a bit forgettable and almost at odds with the book of the show. There is the question of whether Matz’ music has been entirely preserved following his passing, giving the other creators trouble in their development as things will naturally change.

This was a recurring issue for me through my enjoyment of Here Comes J Edgar! While it is undoubtedly an enjoyable romp, it feels like the decades of development have left it in some kind of “Frankenstein’s monster” state, where elements feel disjointed. Though, admittedly it adds to the madcap nature of the piece, it seemed to me as if this was not the best version of itself it could be and had not yet realised its full potential. Though this is a world premiere in 2026, it felt quite dated in places, with one or two moments of questionable dialogue that felt a bit uncomfortable given how society has moved on. That said, the focus of the story being around J. Edgar’s hidden love for his lifetime assistant did feel refreshing, with less focus on Hoover’s sexuality (recurring joke of him being a fairy aside) and more on the love between the two men. Some misfires include the random and utterly bizarre ‘Indiana’, seemingly serving no purpose and feeling as if it belongs in another musical entirely, while the title number ‘Here Comes J. Edgar’ is certainly an earworm, though it did remind me of a particular episode of Friends where Joey was in a musical in a comparison I never expected to make.

Much of the excitement over this world premiere came through the two writers, whose track records speak for themselves. You will know Harry Shearer either through his voicing of some of the most iconic characters in The Simpsons as well as being one of the writers and stars of the cult classic This Is Spinal Tap (and last year's well-received belated sequel). Tom Leopold’s writing credits include Seinfeld and Cheers amongst many others. The pair clearly know how to craft a good joke, and began working on Here Comes J. Edgar in 1994. Finding ways to translate their humour to the stage is not always easy, and it is fair to say not every joke landed. Saying that, humour is as subjective as theatre is, and it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge that many audience members at the performance I attended were howling with laughter throughout. I didn’t quite have the same response, though there were a few lines that got me - none more so than “After every bank job he comes for a wank job”, a line that tickled me so much, it felt like it could have come straight from Diana - The Musical.

I would say Shearer and Leopold haven’t done themselves any favours with the narrative structure, with J. Edgar on his death bed revisiting his life a trope that has been done to death - yes, they might acknowledge how tried and tested this method is and acknowledge being stuck in a musical comedy, but they don’t offer anything new to justify this narrative structure - something that feels relatively lazy and like low-hanging-fruit from writers that are usually capable of much better than this.

King’s Head Theatre has proven itself to be a creative and exciting venue since it moved into its new space, and the ambitious nature of productions such as Here Comes J. Edgar is certainly admirable. It feels as if the show has been designed for far larger stages, with surely the West End and Broadway in their sights. This is reflected in Josh Seymour’s larger-than-life direction, disregarding the confines of the limited space he has to play with, and making the most with it. Similarly, the big musical numbers burst with life thanks to impeccable choreography from Bill Deamer. With movement that could easily be transported to a far bigger space, it adds to the escapism of the piece, allowing the audience to immerse and lose themselves in the madcap musical comedy world of J. Edgar Hoover.

Another exciting aspect of this production is its lead casting. Mad Men star Bryan Batt makes his London debut as J. Edgar Hoover in a performance bursting with charisma and bite. Batt excellently taps into the absurdity of the story, happily sending up the secretive character and finding just the right level of exaggeration for a wonderfully camp and captivating performance. Batt is a marvel to witness on the stage, and even when the material doesn’t quite reach the dizzying heights of his performance, he finds ways to make it work, elevating it by default. With impressive vocals and an impeccable knack for precise comic timing, Batt also brings a sense of authenticity that ensures that while he may be poking fun at Hoover, there is still some level of sensitivity when addressing sexuality in a performance bursting with heart.

The role of his lifetime assistant, Clyde Tolson, is played by Hugo Bolton in a performance that combines the sweet nature of the lovesick man with a sassiness that has him hold his own when Hoover steps out of line. The dynamic between Batt and Bolton is electric, making the scenes with them together among the best in the show. Laura Medforth is another standout as Helen, delivering some of the best musical numbers in the show and always lighting up the stage whenever she appears. Marc Elliott gives a solid turn as gossip columnist, Walter Winchell, while a talented ensemble cast take on a multitude of roles including brief cameos as the four Presidents who worked with Hoover.

There is definitely much to love about Here Comes J. Edgar! but there is also the sense it could have been so much more than it currently is. With the show being in development for so long, various strands have been put together but the result isn’t as seamless as it should be. However, the bones for a great show are certainly there, and if the creators take a leaf out of J. Edgar's book and gather enough information from this run, I have no doubt he will be the life of the party when J. Edgar comes again.

Here Comes J. Edgar plays at King’s Head Theatre until 16th August. Get tickets from £13 at https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/musical/here-comes-j-edgar-a-comedy-musical-tickets

Photos by Mark Douet