A showman through and through, Boe takes audiences on a magical journey of the music that made him who he is
Presented by: Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed: 7 June, 2026
From the moment Alfie Boe and his band stepped onto the Festival Theatre stage, the audience knew they were in for a very magical night with this global superstar. Apart from having an outstanding voice, his warm personality was forefront – his cheeky, funny personality shone through and his interactions with the audience were genuine and from the heart.
Alfie Boe is a hugely celebrated West End star, especially for his legendary portrayal of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. His career spans opera, musical theatre and chart-topping albums. Recently he toured Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with the 40th Anniversary Gala of Les Misérables. Boe’s albums have earned him 11 Top 10 UK albums, multiple number 1 hits and platinum certifications.
Boe is currently touring Australia with his Facing Myself tour, following the launch of his most recent album, Face Myself. This tour, as Boe explained early in the night, is to show people the real him. He aims to show the music he grew up listening to, which helped shape him as a performer and that he enjoys singing. It gave audiences a glimpse into the real Boe, showing there is far more to him than the man who stole a loaf of bread and built a barricade during the French revolution.
Opening with a bracket of songs that highlighted Boe’s work in opera, he soon had the audience singing along with numbers such as Mambo Italiano. Boe moved into a country music bracket, paying homage to the music of Lonnie Donegan, which his father would listen to on a Sunday with the family.
Accompanying Boe on his Australian tour is the stunning Amy Manford, who has international acclaim playing the role of Christine in Phantom of the Opera. Manford joined Boe to perform Falling Slowly from the musical Once. Together, their voices blended beautifully and were only elevated by the stunning arrangement of this piece. Manford continued with a powerful version of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables, before Boe returned to the stage and gave what many audience members were hanging out to hear: a moving performance of Bring Him Home. The first half concluded with He Lives In You from The Lion King, showcasing Boe’s musical versatility.
To open the second half, Boe performed a song he composed, White Lily Fields from his new album, before once again shifting gear to perform an uplifting cover of Elvis Presley’s 1969 hit Suspicious Minds (Midnight Show). Following this, Boe performed the hit You’ll Be Back from the musical Hamilton before Manford returned to the stage to perform All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera. A highlight of the second half came when Boe and Manford performed Come What Mayfrom Moulin Rouge, which captivated the entire audience.
To round out the evening, Boe had the whole Festival Theatre on their feet with a Frankie Valli medley before he and his band drove it home with an incredible cover of Snow Patrol’s 2003 hit Run. During this piece, each band member was given a moment to be featured, climaxing with incredible guitar solos between Boe’s two guitarists, Randall Breneman and Murray Gould.
After a lengthy standing ovation, Boe concluded the night with a medley of hits from Queen, which had the near-full house on their feet dancing along with Boe.
Backing Boe was an incredible band, featuring Randall Breneman (guitar and backing vocals), Dan McKinna (bass and backing vocals), Craig Connett (drums), Steve Holness (keyboards) and Murray Gould (musical director, guitar and backing vocals). Their musicianship was brilliant and they played the vast and eclectic genres of music featured with ease and great precision. It’s always a joy to hear a strong, solid band at work, and these fine musicians were no exception.
Boe’s Adelaide performance was a wonderful showcase of the real Alfie Boe. It was clear, from his numerous mentions throughout the night, of how much he loves performing in Australia, and he did promise to return again soon. There is one final performance from Boe on this leg of his tour in Queensland on Tuesday 9 June.
Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Photo credit: Claudio Raschella
Venue: Adelaide Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: ended
Duration: 2.5 hours (including intermission)
