Beetlejuice: A Trip to the Netherworld in the West End

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice… 1980s cult classic goes to the Netherworld in the West End for a brilliant theatrical production. 

As children of the 80s, we are huge fans of all things Tim Burton. And, of course, that includes the wonderfully wacky and weird Beetlejuice, starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.

This cult classic has always been on our spooky-season watchlist. As you already know, our family loves Halloween, so when we heard Beetlejuice was coming to the West End, there was no question about whether we were going. The only question was when. And really, could there be a better time than the run-up to Halloween?

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

The original 1988 movie follows Adam and Barbara Maitland, a sweet couple living a quiet life in upstate New York until a tragic car accident leaves them haunting their own home.

When the house is sold to the Deetz family, the Maitlands are horrified by what the new owners have done to the place and set about trying to scare them away. There is just one problem: Lydia Deetz, the grieving, gothic teenage daughter who resents the move, can actually see them. Before long, their attempts to reclaim the house lead them to the mischievous and completely unhinged Beetlejuice. Cue striped suits, sandworms, dark magic and spectacular amounts of supernatural chaos.

From Cult Movie to the West End

The musical keeps the wonderfully strange DNA of the original movie, but isn’t afraid to play around with the story. It opens with Lydia mourning the death of her mother, dressed head to toe in gothic lace. Delia isn’t her stepmother yet. Instead, she begins as her father’s associate before their relationship develops. The Maitlands also meet their end rather differently, swapping the movie’s car accident for a rather unfortunate electrocution.

But many of the moments fans love are still there, including that hilariously awkward dinner party scene. You know the one. And yes, it is every bit as gloriously ridiculous on stage as you’d hope.

West End Beetlejuice is a force to be reckoned with: dark, loud, cheeky and utterly chaotic.

Early in the show, Beetlejuice jokes about what an odd choice it is for parents to bring their children to see him. To be fair, he has a point. The humour comes with plenty of innuendo, profanity and jokes about death.

But that’s part of what makes the musical work. Rather than simply recreating the movie on stage, it gives the story a personality of its own. The songs are big, the jokes come thick and fast, and familiar characters are given room to head off in wonderfully weird new directions. Just like the movie, the ending scene is Lydia floating in the air singing and dancing to “Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora). 

Is Beetlejuice Family-Friendly?

This is probably the big question if you’re thinking about taking children. Honestly, the answer is: it depends on your child.

This isn’t a typical family musical. There are some scary scenes, so I wouldn’t recommend it for younger or particularly sensitive children. Tweens and teens, however, are likely to revel in its rebellious humour and spooky chaos.

Our 8.5 year old daughter had already seen the movie and absolutely loved the musical, although Beetlejuice would probably still question our parenting choices! If your family happily watches Wednesday and The Addams Family, or counts down the days until spooky season, Beetlejuice could be a brilliant fit.

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Beetlejuice in the West End is weird, wicked and ridiculously entertaining. It’s loud, mischievous and gleefully inappropriate, with enough nods to the original movie to keep existing fans happy while bringing plenty of new ideas to the stage.

Enjoy the show. Embrace the strange.

And whatever you do…

Try not to say his name three times