Story summary
In its 30th anniversary, Rent, a cult Broadway hit that reimagines Puccini's *La Bohème* among struggling New York artists, junkies, and drag queens, is staged triumphantly in London by director Luke Sheppard. The show features an ensemble with outstanding voices, including Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo as Mark. Despite the characters' melodramatic portrayal and emotional intensity, Sheppard's minimalist production, live band, and dynamic choreography create a captivating performance that resonates strongly with audiences. Notably, the musical addresses themes of loss and community, particularly relevant given recent societal changes.
Written for “Rent Anniversary Performance” on 2026-10-09,
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Ostensibly you couldn’t get two more different musicals than Paddington and Jonathan Larson’s cult 1996 Broadway hit, which reimagines Puccini’s La Boheme among a group of starving New York artists, junkies and drag queens, many of them HIV-positive.
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many → get → them
But both are richly resonant urban stories about loss and finding your community, and both have been triumphantly realised by director Luke Sheppard.
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both → find → Sheppard
His hurtling, 30th anniversary staging of Rent is glorious, with an ensemble of astonishing voices anchored by Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo as our charming narrator, Mark.
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staging → anchor → narrator
Yes, there is an element of indulgence in the portrayal of these yappy, fragile bohemians, and yes, the songs are mostly pitched at a full-throated, mascara-stained level of feeling that sits better on Broadway than it does in London.
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it → be → London
But the kaleidoscopic score, which flits, fragments and recurs across genres including rock, blues, tango and gospel, rolls over you like an irresistible wave.
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which → flit → wave
What’s more, this revival arrives as we’re again taking stock of the political values and the HIV/Aids crisis of the 80s and 90s: see also Pride the musical and the forthcoming film Elsinore.
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we → ’ → Pride
Given Rent is partly about premature departures, the early death of Larson - who wrote the book, music and lyrics – only adds to the mythology.
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who → give → mythology
He suffered a fatal aneurysm three weeks before the show opened, ten days before his 36th birthday.
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show → suffer → birthday
The show covers a year, from one Christmas Eve to another, in the lives of characters who rotate around a squatted loft in the East Village.
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who → cover → Village
Here Mark, a wannabe documentarian, and aspiring songwriter Roger (Travis Ross) are burning old CBGCs posters to keep warm.
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Mark → burn → posters
The insistent, rising thrum of Roger’s guitar in the opening number Tune Up #1, sliding into hiccupy voicemails from Mark’s mom in Scarsdale and then the titular showstopper set out Larson’s stall magnificently.
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showstopper → rise → stall
The building is owned by their former roommate Benny (Joaquin Pedro Valdes), a scumbag yuppie who wants to turn it and an accompanying lot occupied by the homeless into a “digital interactive studio”.
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who → own → studio
Roger is HIV-positive and Mark has recently been dumped for a woman by performance artist Maureen (played by the charismatic and wonderfully-named musician Lazy Violet).
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Mark → dump → musician
Though everyone sings sardonically about being cold, hungry and sad, no-one actually seems that downcast apart from the tortured Roger. Hacker/philosopher Tom Collins (Billy Nevers) finds beatific love with street-drumming drag queen Angel (Jeevan Braich) at a support group for those living with Aids.
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Collins → sing → Aids
Agreeable Mark helps his supplanter Joanne sort out the tech for Maureen’s monologue protesting the eviction of the homeless.
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supplanter → help → homeless
It’s sort of he point: this is a feckless, affectionate bunch, a loose family who put the “fun” in “dysfunctional” until they’re compelled to get serious.
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they → ’ → fun
Which partly happens thanks to the arrival of Mimi (lambent Cuban-American Alexa Lopez, making a scorching UK stage debut).
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Which → happen → debut
Mimi’s a smackhead dancer/stripper with “the best ass below 14th St”.
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Mimi → ’ → St
She waggles it at Roger one freezing night when she’s looking for light and love.
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she → waggle → light
Their purple duet, Light My Candle, should be absurd but it absolutely sizzles.
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it → sizzle → Candle
From here the gorgeous, interwoven numbers roll out: the heartbreaking Will I? about the indignity of illness; the dreamy groove of Santa Fe; Maureen’s po-facedly hilarious Over the Moon; the banging first act closer, La Vie Boheme (which rhymes “vindaloo” with “Maya Angelou”).
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which → roll → Angelou
The leads are pretty much flawless within the show’s perameters, Matarazzo bringing easygoing balance to the intensity of Ross and Lopez as Roger and Mimie.
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Matarazzo → bring → Roger
Nevers sings beautifully and Braich confirms the firecracker star power he showed in Starlight Express, as melodious and acrobatically agile in heels as he was on wheels.
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he → sing → wheels
Lazy Violet and Danielle Fiamanya are hilarious as Maureen and Joanne and Valdes has great fun as the evil Benny.
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Valdes → have → Benny
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But Larson and Sheppard also ensure that supporting characters also get their chance to shine in the sun.
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characters → read → sun
The sheer verve and humanity of Rent shines through this revival.
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verve → shin → revival
Paddington would surely approve.
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Paddington → approve → ?
The Aporia
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