Mathew's Big Broadway Bash

Mathew's Big Broadway Bash

★★★★

Review by Eden Ulnik | July 19, 2025

Mathew's Big Broadway Bash, truly feels like a party. The piece has a welcoming and hilarious personality fused with witty improv. Mathew breaking the fourth wall feels like a conversation you wouldn’t want to end while talking to someone at a party. The piece is also sparkled with theatrical elements, like well-known musical numbers, audience participation and surprise twists.

Heliconian Club was the space of the performance. Natural lighting seeped into the venue and the smaller stage added to the intimate aspect of the piece. Mathew Mac Lean, the performer and director of this piece, sets our expectations after the opening singing act. He says there will be no fourth wall, and that we are here to have fun, singing, dancing and bare feet are encouraged for grounding. Mathew's solo-style of storytelling painted a picture for the audience, and he cleverly did so, weaving together his belty, dynamic, versatile voice. His moments when he switches to his higher notes were captivating and his overall sound felt raw and unique.

Mathew also created the space for singalongs with the audience. He handed out song sheets for us to read on which was great for audience members who didn't know the songs but still wanted to sing. People were harmonizing with Matthew during the songs which tells us how the show created a welcoming and brave environment for folks.

As a reviewer with dyslexia I really appreciated Mathew's vulnerability when sharing 

his experiences with his Dyslexia, they were very relatable. He talks about growing up shy and misunderstood and insecure from judgment. He added that singing brought him confidence and feeling empowered. I definitely enjoyed in this context having the audience also sing along, which allowed us to share that feeling of confidence that Mathew also experiences when singing. 

The big twist, which was definitely worthwhile, included bringing in another singer who was casted as a party crasher. This was an interesting way to bring in a fresh narrative to the piece, as well as a fresh guest singer every night. Every show is different, and that brings a new thrill every night. I attended the night where Hannah Smith performed who’s belty growl felt like it shook the chair we were sitting on. She embodied a gravitational confidence and earned a well earned screaming applause at the end of her piece. 

The dancer, Jada Prato who came in when the show was taking more emotional points. Incorporated a contemporary choreographed dance which added a nice multidisciplinary approach to the work. Her flowing and powerful dance style immersed us all, her adaptability to dance on a smaller stage is also very impressive, adapting her movements to feel more tableaux like which I really enjoyed as it added character and rawness to her performance.  

Overall, the production teaches us not to be caught up in the expectations of making art and unraveling it to its core which is to connect and Mathew did exactly that. Most importantly, Mathew created a community where people can have fun, laugh, sing and dance without any formal or strict structures to follow, which I enjoyed to the max!