Don Black's From The Heart Review: a musical revue celebrating one of the greatest lyricists of our time
08 October 2026 | 19:30 | Garrick Theatre, London
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | PR - Invite
"A revue is a musical with no plot, which means if you go out and come back in, you won't have missed anything" states our writer, as we settle down to celebrate his love letter to New York and the cabaret clubs that shaped his career.
Don Black's From The Heart is a musical revue that outlines the remarkable career of Oscar-winning lyricist Don Black, with a personal remembrance for his late wife Shirley. Boasting a star-studded five-hander cast (with a new surprise guest every performance!), the calibre is expected to be sky high with an impressive number of Olivier Award nominations and wins between them. Following a brief run at London's Fortune Theatre, the show returns to the Garrick Theatre for a limited 15-performance run.
The name Don Black may not be at the forefront of your mind, but there is absolutely no doubt you have heard and adored his work. Most famously winning an Oscar for his lyricism on the title track of the 1966 film Born Free at the age of 26, including collaborations with John Barry and iconic Bond themes Thunderball and Diamonds Are Forever. And when it comes to musical theatre, Black's talents are woven into the tapestry of so many big hitters, notably Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard and Frank Wildhorn's Bonnie & Clyde.
On arrival into the auditorium, we are greeted by Sophia Pardon's raw set design. The bare bones of the stage all the way up to the rafters; a glimpse behind the curtain to see the vast, technical expanse of what lies behind the proscenium arch. Theatre lights and exposed cabling frame our performance space, with musical director Joe Church at the grand piano, alongside a double bass. The stage boasts little remaining set, other than two classic jazz club tables and a director's chair, sporting Black's name. Pardon minimal and slightly brutalist design places emphasis on the sung performances and lyrics, each costumed in formal blacks with a hint of showbiz.
The evening features a lot of Black's new writing and collaborations with a cohort of famous talent, such as Gary Barlow, Natasha Bedingfield and Geoff Stephens, each fleshed out and confident. A collection of solos, duets and close harmony ensemble numbers are laced together with pre-recorded audio anecdotes from our host Don Black, recalling some of his finer, and not-so-finer moments treading the boards.
As we traverse through the night (1hr 20m run-time), we see a masterclass in the art of cabaret, especially from the truly sensational Caroline O'Connor (Chicago, Mack and Mabel), who is equal parts gutsy as she is heartbreakingly vulnerable, delivering the stand-out of the evening: Life Goes On. Michael D. Xavier (Sunset Boulevard) oozes charm and effortless vocals. Another highlight is his Fizzy Or Still duet with the gruff yet refined Clive Rowe (Hadestown, Guys and Dolls), a tongue-in-cheek moment about choosing sobriety, adding light and shade to the ballads.
Frances Mayli McCann (Bonnie & Clyde, The Great Gatsby) falls naturally into the role of ingénue, with natural narrative ability and a gorgeous contemporary soprano quality. And Shona McGarty (EastEnders, I'm A Celebrity...) is our Bond girl, covering the jazzy and sultry numbers with ease and rich vocals. Although while she carries Black's work well, it can't help but be noticed that McGarty doesn't exude the same ease and comfort onstage as others.
An intriguing aspect of this run is the surprise guest per performance, and given the style of off-Broadway jazz club, you never know which Broadway baby might swing by! For tonight's press night, we were graced with Aspects Of Love and West End royalty Michael Ball, to sing his most famous 32-bar cut Love Changes Everything. As expected, the house was brought down, but the ensemble still remain the standouts, not overshadowed by the guest appearance.
Ben Cracknell's lighting designs set the tone for our moody club, and highlight the crescendos of storytelling with subtlety and old-school theatre magic. Nick Winston's direction and movement gives flexibility for the stars to captivate the audience on their own terms, and offers moments to come together as an ensemble. Some of the more rigid choreographed scenes, particularly those involving props, feel a little forced and unnecessary given the setting.
The sound design by Richard Booker works well in the Garrick Theatre, transporting us inside this New York jazz club and highlighting Nick Barstow's arrangements. A highlight for Barstow is in the show-stopping 'best of' medley, a well-rounded finale highlighting Black's most famous numbers. It finishes the night on a high, although it would have been nice to include these career highlights earlier in the show to keep faithful to revue, rather than taking us out with a musical theatre-style megamix.
Don Black's From The Heart is a joyous celebration of a lyricist who clearly loves his craft and, in his words, never stopped dreaming to finally lead to his own West End event. If you enjoy this intimate jazz scene atmosphere, with well-written musical theatre and stand-alone songs, you won't want to miss this!
Playing at the Garrick Theatre until Sunday 18th October: https://thegarricktheatre.co.uk/tickets/from-the-heart/
