Manchester has become the city to launch new musicals. The next musical to launch in Manchester is 13 Going on 30, which is based on the film of the same name, starring Jennifer Garner – who is executive producing the musical. Ahead of the musical’s premiere, we travelled down to London to watch a few performances and interview the core cast and creatives.
Lucie Jones and David Hunter
First up were Lucie Hunter, who plays the lead character, Jenna Rink, and David Hunter, who stars as her love interest, Matt Flamhaff.
The duo previously played love interests in the original West End production of Waitress; David initially starred alongside Katharine McPhee, who Lucie replaced.
Lucie said it is “so fun” to be working with David again. “When it was a possibility that David was gonna be playing this role – and I knew I was already doing it – I was like, ‘Come on, universe’, ’cause we just have such a good time.”
“But we still had to do a chemistry test,” revealed David, in his amazing Northern accent. “And we were literally hanging out the day before it, going, ‘As if we have to do a chemistry test.’”
“Can you imagine if we literally went into that room, and in those scenes we were like, ‘Oh, God, can’t look you in the eye, that’s weird,’” Lucie joked, with David pulling silly faces even before Lucie made that funny comment – the pair have a chemistry so electric that they respond to each other so naturally and effortlessly.
When asked about the secret to good chemistry, David said, “I think it boils down to this: anyone can do it. Guys at home, if you want great chemistry, this is how you do it. I think it’s about two people who are really open and just give their energy to the other person. Chemistry ends when one person’s thinking, ‘How am I doing?’”
Lucie agreed, “It’s a respect thing as well, isn’t it? We’ve talked about it before. It’s like a balance of, ‘I really want you to do well, and I want this whole thing to do well,’ and not being like, ‘What do I look like right now?’”
“If there’s any sort of competition there, game over,” David explained. “You have to be willing the other person to fly and to do everything you can to aid that.”
I proceeded to ask the pair what it’s like starring in a stage adaptation of such a beloved, iconic film.
“Rubbish!” David joked, with Lucie agreeing, “Rubbish! It sucks!”
Lucie – who was coincidentally 13 when the film came out – admitted, “There is a lot of pressure there. I love this film. I grew up being really obsessed with it. I had the video, and I used to watch it in my bedroom at night, like it was one of those, I’d fall asleep to it, and I know it, really, inside out, so the pressure to do it well is a lot, but we have the seal of approval from Jen Garner, so that gave me some confidence. But that pressure won’t go away.”
“It’s a different sort of pressure,” David said about starring in a brand-new show, like The Time Traveller’s Wife, as opposed to a preexisting one, like Waitress.
“And actually, it’s the not knowing – you can’t kind-of slot into something going, ‘I know this is successful.’ The nice lack of pressure for starring in something new is like every one of our weird mannerisms is the characters. Just go nuts,” he said whilst making weird movements.
“He does that in the show quite a lot as well,” Lucie joked.
David, who is from Warrington, Cheshire, is especially excited about starring in another show up North, last performing here in the world premiere of the aforementioned The Time Traveller’s Wife at Storyhouse in Chester, Cheshire.
“I’m buzzing. It was a major reason why I wanted to do it – being in Manchester, I’m from Warrington. I’m going to stay with my mum; she’s going to do my washing. That’s all I’m living for really,” he joked.
“How romantic,” said Lucie.
I ended the interview by asking the pair why audiences should choose this show over others – especially in a city like Manchester, which is turning into a mini West End, and with theatre becoming increasingly expensive.
“Well, I think, doing a show in a region like this, there is a preconceived idea that it is really expensive. I literally looked this morning; there are some really reasonable tickets to see this show,” Lucie said.
“And you can bring children to see this show, and you can bring elderly people to see this show; it really does sort-of appeal to lots of different types of people. But this one particularly is very special; we do have a lot of really talented children in the show. We’re not just telling a romantic comedy story. It’s quite different. We’re not just telling like a body swap story. We’re ticking so many boxes with this show. The music’s amazing. The costumes. My costumes – oh, my God. And the iconic moments from the film, if you know them, they’re there.”
I boldly asked if that dress is in the show. “Maybe,” she said.
“Also, we’ve created new iconic moments through the wardrobe and through the show and through the kids, and it’s just brilliant.”
Andy Fickman and Jennifer Weber
Director Andy Fickman and choreographer Jennifer Weber are American creatives with backgrounds in film. Jennifer’s biggest theatre credit is & Juliet, which also premiered in Manchester.
I asked the pair if they are feeling the pressure of turning such an iconic movie into a musical.
“I didn’t until you just pointed it out,” joked Andy. “I think any show you want to give all your heart to, it’s gonna be pressure.”
Jennifer agreed, “Yeah, I think just making art, you feel pressure, because you just want to deliver something that is amazing. The opportunity to be in a room with such incredible people, you just wanna make everyone proud and inspire the audience and make something that hopefully people will love for years and years and years.”
When asked why the UK – and, specifically, Manchester – was chosen for this American story, Andy explained, “I fell in love with the UK for the theatre and the community. Also knowing that Jen had started with & Juliet in Manchester. All of this felt right.”
Andy, of course, had major success in the UK with Heathers, which has become one of the most successful British musicals this century, in contrast to his original production in the US, which was not as popular.
“I mean, I feel so lucky to be going back to Manchester,” Jennifer admitted. “It worked out incredible the first time. I’m just assuming that’s just the way everything works out in Manchester, right?”
“We make a lot of hits in Manchester,” I boasted, before asking the duo about the differences between working on screen and stage products.
“So exciting to think about how the language of theatre can get at things that it’s so different than film, right?” Jennifer said. “There’s things that are really easy to do in film; there are different things you can do in theatre. And that’s what’s been so fun ’cause we both come from a film background, and so now we’re using all these other ways to tell the story, and things you could never do in a film but are amazing onstage, we get to explore.”
A lot has happened in the 21 years since the film came out so I wanted to know how the creatives are bringing the story into 2025.
“For that very reason, I think, creatively, we made a decision which is, let’s treat it present day, and that everyone’s nostalgia is for their youth,” Andy explained. “So, rather, where Heathers is so specifically the ’80s, I think we wanted it to be like all adults, no matter what your age, can remember when they were 13, and all 13-year-olds can have that dream of, ‘I can’t wait ’til I can stay up all night and order pizza and do whatever I want.’ So, we’ve worked really hard to sort-of make it timeless wherever we can.”
I ended, once again, by asking the pair why people should choose this musical over others.
“That’s a great question,” said Andy. “We want to entertain, and we really want you to have a great time. We promise, if you come see 13 Going on 30, you will leave elevated, that I can assure you.”
“Our cast is absolutely incredible. The script is amazing. The songs are amazing,” Jennifer explained.
“The choreography is amazing!” I added.
Grace Mouat
I told Grace Mouat, who is playing Lucy Wyman, that I refer to her as “the Queen of New musicals” because if there’s a new musical, Grace is gonna be in it!
“I had a moment yesterday that was one of those moments. I was like, ‘This is why I love doing new musicals.’ The more you do, the more of that kind-of, ‘Just do it, just go for it’ attitude – because that is what you need for a new musical. And so that’s why I love workshopping and I love doing original cast because I love being like, ‘Ooh, like, could we add an extra bar here? Or maybe I could do that, or maybe I could do this.’ And I love the creative process and feeling creatively fulfilled and having license to be able to do that, and I do feel very lucky that every new show I’ve done, especially this one, the creators have been so collaborative on that. They’re just like, ‘Yeah, like, let’s go, let’s do it, let’s find who these characters are onstage together,’ and it’s a joy.’
Whilst originating a role can reduce the pressure, this cast are not entirely originating their roles because the musical is based on a (much-loved) movie, much like Grace’s previous show, the West End premiere of Mean Girls.
“Giving too much away but ‘Thriller’, the dress’ – I was glad she confirmed this after Lucie’s “maybe”! – “Matt’s present to Jenna, Lucie’s presentation in Act Two, like all those moments are in there, but it does feel like its own show in its own right. I’ve now come into this process with a little bit more, like, ‘I can do this. I got this, like, just be you and do your version of the character that you want to.’ Again, I’ve had those experiences doing those iconic characters in movies before. Because it is pressure, like, Judy Greer is an icon, and my version is very inspired by her, but I’m getting a bit of Grace in there as well.”
When asked why people should see 13 Going on 30, Grace, who starred in the original cast of & Juliet, said, ‘Because you’re going to be the first people to watch the original production, which is just so cool to be able to say anyway. It’s fun, it’s full out, it’s nostalgic, but also brand new in its own right. The songs are bangers.
“And also, Jen’s choreography – if you came to watch & Juliet in Manchester, come and watch this ’cause it’s the same choreographer; she’s an icon. And also, Rhian Duncan, who’s also in & Juliet, as her associate, and they have made the most amazing commercial choreography that I feel like not a lot of people will expect to be in 13 Going on 30, but it works so well. That kind-of modern dancing that we can all kind of see is so clever, like, Jen is a genius, and it’s been so cool to watch her create again.”
13 Going on 30 premiered at Opera House Manchester on September 21 and plays there until October 12.
Photo: Michael Wharley
JADAR 