Rope Drop at The Other Palace Review
Image: Harry Hope
Whether it’s childhood memories of watching Pixar at the cinema, collecting princess dresses, or being lucky enough to visit a Disney theme park, it’s hard to come across an individual who doesn’t have warm nostalgia connected to Disney. Jordan Li-Smith and Ayesha Patel explore this in their musical extravaganza, Rope Drop: The Unofficial Disney Parks Comedy, where they navigate their profound connection to Disney Parks in a totally heartwarming piece of gig-theatre.
Li-Smith’s first words to the audience, ‘did I really write a musical overture about Disney parks? Yes, yes I did’, sets the narrative tone of his love letter to Walt Disney. Set to musical arrangements of Disney Park’s most loved attractions, Li-Smith and Patel journey through their perfect day at Disney with musical flair and charm. From It’s A Small World to the Cars hotel, they take us through a while Disney day packed with songs, jokes, references, games and personal stories.
The cast’s musical talent is undeniable. Patel’s vocals were particularly outstanding, smashing some of the best Disney ballads superbly with just the right level of whimsy. It was equally impressive to hear Li-Smith’s arrangements of extremely popular songs like When You Wish Upon a Star, Life is a Highway and Part of Your World. With talented guest stars Henry Calvert and Esme Bowdler, the music of the show radiated so much joy where their enjoyment was clear to see.
While a non-Disney fanatic might be apprehensive to watch a full musical about Disney, Li-Smith and Patel are hilariously self-aware. At the start of the show, they jokingly proclaim that they are ‘not Disney adults’ despite the entire theming and do take digs at the capitalist organisation where necessary. Their most successful ongoing gag was their swear jar for niche Disney references, which would fill up throughout the length of the show. They also played interactive Disney games with the audience, such as Disney character Heads Up while pretending to wait in a ride queue, which further warmed up the audience. Their unapologetic enthusiasm is fun to watch, where they both displayed such a genuine passion for all things Disney.
Underneath all the music and dramatics is a very personal touch. Thoughtfully directed by Tara Noonan, Li-Smith and Patel discuss openly on stage how their memories of Disney Parks and the friends and family around them have shaped who they are today. This left a reflective tone to end the show on, where I thought back on my own memories of Disneyland Paris and the special memories I had not just in the park, but with those who made the magic of the experience possible.
If one thing were to be changed, it would be the length of the show. If the show were to do another run, the concept would be better suited to a one-act performance that refines the wide variety of ideas that are packed in. There were some moments where the banter dragged on slightly, and conversations turned into inside jokes. But given I saw this on its final night, it is to be forgiven.
Overall, Rope Drop is another successful original musical at The Other Palace, and if it’s achieved one thing, it’s sparked my desire to hop on the Eurostar straight to Disneyland Paris.
★★★★
Written by Becky for Theatre and Tonic, September 2026.