Midnight at the Never Get at Menier Chocolate Factory Review
Ben Platt in Midnight at the Never Get. Photo by Johan Persson.
Written by Georgia for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
Midnight at The Never Get is set in a 1965 New York City nightclub and follows the illegal queer romance of Trevor Copeland and Arthur Brightman. The narrative takes place after Arthur has passed away, and Trevor is performing at “The Never Get” (the name of the back room in the nightclub where he and Arthur would perform at midnight) to provide a tribute to his past love, whom he regularly performed there with.
The Menier Chocolate Factory has been completely transformed into “The Never Get” by set designer Scott Pask. As soon as you enter the auditorium, the immersion begins as you are transported to the 1960s New York nightclub. The intimate playing space consists of a thrust stage with a blue satin curtain behind it, which later reveals a double bassist and drummer to accompany Platt and Milne. On the stage left side, there is also a bar with a window behind it. This window conceals more band members who are revealed later on in the show. The audience are sat either at cabaret tables in the centre in front of the stage, or in the seating banks which surround the three sides of the stage. I was sat at a cabaret table which had so many small details on it. There was an incredibly realistic prop ashtray with cigarette ends in it and a lamp which really added to the atmosphere and immersion.
The book, music, and lyrics are all written by Mark Sonnenblick. The book is structurally very different from any musical I’ve seen before. It’s essentially a monologue narrated by Trevor Copeland to convey the story, and it feels a little messy, as it misses details at points; however, by the end of the show, it’s made clear that this is an intentional framing device. The music is very stylistically jazz-based. Sonnenblick uses traditional jazz musical features such as complex jazz harmonies, drums played with brushes, and walking bass lines to really help set the scene of a 60s nightclub. The music is also primarily diegetic, as Trevor is performing it as a cabaret set to the audience, who are explicitly treated as the crowd. I’m not someone who usually loves jazz music, but I really enjoyed this score and thought that it was very well written, especially with the leitmotif from right at the beginning, being repeated at the end of the show to give that final punch.
The lighting design by Heather Gilbert was very atmospheric, and the cast were well lit throughout the performance. The sound design by Paul Groothuis was flawless, with every note and word being perfectly audible.
The performances given by both Ben Platt and Gregor Milne were nothing short of perfection. The way their voices blended together seamlessly and the chemistry they had together on that stage was beautiful. This was my first time seeing Ben Platt on stage, and I now understand why he is such a celebrated performer.
Overall, I think “Midnight at the Never Get” is a stunning piece of theatre that is as relevant as ever in 2026 due to the rise in anti-LGBT+ rhetoric. It has great music and performances and is guaranteed to leave a lasting impact.
Midnight at the Never Get plays at the Menier Chocolate Factory until 12 September 2026.
★ ★ ★ ★
