Review 13 going on 30

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The world premiere of 13 Going on 30: The Musical

On Saturday 21 September, 13 Going on 30 celebrated its world premiere at the Opera House in Manchester. Based on the beloved 2004 comedy film starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, this new musical brings Jenna Rink’s magical journey from teenage awkwardness to adulthood to life on stage. It’s a show bursting with nostalgia, humour and heartfelt moments — a perfect throwback for anyone who grew up loving the film.

Even though the curtains have closed on 13 Going on 30  (for now), I still wanted to write this review, because it truly deserves it.

For the final evening performance, my mum and I travelled from London to Manchester to witness this iconic show with our own eyes. Over the past few months, clips from the musical have been going viral on TikTok, and I think we can all agree, those songs instantly got stuck in our heads. And let me tell you… the show did NOT disappoint.

The show even uses AI, projecting photos of young Jenna and Matt. It’s honestly interesting to see how AI is starting to appear in musical theatre. Was it a plus? I’m not sure. It’s clever, but also a little scary when you think about everything we can do with it now, all the opportunities it gives us, but also all the unknowns.

Lucie Jones as Jenna Rink and David Hunter as Matt Flamhaff are honestly one of my all-time favourite duos. Their chemistry is just insane. They make you smile the second they’re on stage together, it’s pure joy.

Throughout the show you really feel the nostalgia, especially with songs like Here and Now and That Moment in Time. It’s that exact early 2000s feeling we all love.

Everyone on stage was so professional and talented. You could see that the whole cast — kids and adults — were having the time of their lives. And the fact that this show was only on for three weeks? No. This show deserves a proper moment in the West End.