Ilario Grant is doing the thing. The actor is playing Michael Jackson in the MJ the Musical Australia Tour, and the reviews aren’t being polite about how good it is.
The Theatre Sphere wrote of Grant: “His vocals are powerful, his dancing is breathtaking.” That’s the review you frame and hang on a wall. Playing Michael Jackson on stage isn’t a role with much room for error. Audiences have decades of reference material. They know exactly what it’s supposed to look like.
The official Michael Jackson account put the review out on X this week, pointing followers toward Brisbane shows running through May 2026 and Perth performances coming in June.
MJ the Musical opened on Broadway in 2022 and became a genuine hit. The show traces Michael Jackson’s life and career through his iconic catalog of music.
The production won multiple Tony Awards from that Broadway run, including Best Choreography. That particular category matters a lot here. Jackson’s choreography is as famous as his records. Getting it right on stage is the entire foundation of the show.
Grant is the one holding that up every night on the Australia Tour. It’s a demanding role. This production built its reputation on getting every detail right.
Playing the lead in this show means going head-to-head with a cultural memory. Fans don’t come in with fresh eyes. They already know the moonwalk. They already know what a live performance of his biggest songs is supposed to feel like in a room. Grant isn’t just learning choreography. He’s reaching for a memory. Millions of people carry those moves in their heads.
The Theatre Sphere review suggests he’s got it covered. For a show like this, that kind of endorsement is everything.
Michael Jackson passed away in 2009. His legacy has stayed loud since then. Shows like MJ the Musical keep his artistry in front of new audiences. A lot of them never had the chance to see him perform live. The Australia Tour is one of the more prominent international productions doing that right now.
The show has been working through Australia in 2026, with Brisbane hosting the May run of performances. Perth is next, with shows beginning in June.
Still undecided? The Theatre Sphere’s verdict was clear. Grant’s vocals and dancing both earned the highest marks they had to give. For a show built on one of the most iconic performers in music history, that’s exactly the review you want to see. Ilario Grant sounds like he’s earning every second of it.
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