Podcast Summary: Mickey-Jo saw three iconic musicals in SPANISH!

Podcast: MickeyJoTheatre

Host: Mickey Jo

Date: February 7, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mickey Jo, renowned theatre critic and content creator, dives deep into his trip to Madrid where he experienced three globally iconic musicals—Los Miserables (Les Misérables), Wicked, and The Book of Mormon—performed entirely in Spanish. Mickey Jo explores the unique qualities of these productions, their translation choices, localized creative changes, standout performances, and the vibrancy of Madrid's theatre scene. Throughout, he maintains his trademark witty, insightful, and passionate theatrical lens, offering accessible criticism for both casual fans and die-hard theatre lovers.

Madrid’s Theatre Scene: Context & First Impressions

Timestamps: [01:27–03:00]

• Mickey Jo describes Madrid’s theatre district as “so much more prolific than I had realized. So many more theaters. Probably after the West End, it is the largest theater district in Europe and deserves to be talked about an awful lot more."
• Expresses eagerness for recommendations of original Spanish shows.
• Sets up that he’ll be tackling three major shows: Los Miserables, Wicked, and The Book of Mormon.
• Intent is to discuss translation curiosities, design changes, and standout performances.

Los Miserables (Les Misérables)

Timestamps: [03:01–15:40]

Production & Staging

• This is the 25th anniversary staging, a touring production seen in the UK and now in Spain.
• Unique logistical twist: Due to limited stage space on one side, much of the show is unintentionally mirrored compared to the London version.
  • “They just die on the other side of the stage in Los Miz.” (04:30)
  • Compares to “mirror versions of Mario Kart races.”
• Dramatic impact: Minimal, as most key solos remain center stage, but it’s a fun quirk for fans of the show.

Language & Translation Insights

• “Having now heard Les Mis sung in three different languages, I think an awful lot of it sounds better in Spanish… the Spanish language…is a little more declarative and passionate.” (05:40)
• Spanish offers “delicious, easy, open vowels that allowed for the most glorious, triumphant belting.”
• Highlights “Sal el Sol” (“the sun will rise”) as the Spanish equivalent of “One Day More”—shifting the meaning from the English’s tentative hope to Spanish’s certainty and optimism.
  • “The Sun Will Rise…conveys an inherent optimism. In English…they aren’t necessarily counting their revolutionary chickens before they hatch.” (07:50)
• “Chicas Guapas” for “Lovely Ladies” gives “a little less bedraggled, a little more coquettish, a little bit more seductive.” (09:40)

Standout Performances & Memorable Moments

• Pablo Gomez Jones as Marius (understudy): Fiercely passionate and youthful. He brought new emotional depth, particularly in his confrontation with Enjolras after Eponine's death:
  • “He locks eyes with Enjolras and spits out angrily, ‘her name was Eponine.’ As if to say, like, don’t use her for this. She was a person. She deserves her own story.” (10:50)
• Adrián Salzado as Jean Valjean: “Perhaps perfect… tender and thoughtful and with this world weary elegance as he ages into the second act, but with this palpable sense of strength and fortitude.” (13:10)
• Pitu Manubens as Javert: Delivers “great growling gravitas… the ability for me to understand the emotional intention of every single word in a language which I do not speak was magnificent.” (13:50)
• Alexia Pasquale as Cosette: “The force with which she just unashamedly hit the (final) note was remarkable.” (14:20)
• Elsa Ruiz Monleón as Eponine: Received the biggest audience response for “On My Own.”
  • “Many of us have cried about a boy who doesn’t like us back. I could go on because the company is dynamite to the last.” (14:55)

Design Critique

• Misses the original’s iconic turntable; feels projections and watercolor aesthetic are effective but sometimes “a little lacklustre."
• “The new staging…can’t really aspire to the emotional height of the original” when revealing Enjolras after the barricade falls. (12:20)

Wicked

Timestamps: [16:14–28:52]

Originality & Creative Changes

• Not Mickey Jo’s first non-replica Wicked (previous: Brazil). The Madrid production is entirely original, conceived post-movie adaptation.
• Direction by David Serrano; notable adaptation by David and Alejandro Serrano.
• Biggest change: Dorothy, the Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man are not just hinted at—they appear “brazenly” onstage during Act II.
  • “Dorothy in the flesh throwing the bucket of water over Elphaba. And so the intriguing implication is that Fierro…is overtly participatory in the March against the Witch and he is allied with Dorothy, but has this whole subtextual understanding that…he is really on her side.” (18:30–19:40)
  • Madame Morrible has a moment of recognition with Fierro as the Scarecrow—“Why is this scarecrow familiar to me?” (20:00)

Technical & Design Elements

• Elphaba’s flight (Defying Gravity) “not disguised as well…we can see the long sort of skirt structure extending out beneath her.” (22:15)
• Tin Man’s transformation “looked objectively bad” but at least was executed with speed and a clever curtain trick. (23:10)
• Costume choices: Some are inspired, while others (students at Shiz, the Munchkins) look “ordinary” and “vintage, but…not otherworldly.”
• Color palette emphasizes red with circular proscenium reminiscent of Glinda’s bubble. The Wizard’s giant baby head “was a surprise.” (25:48)

Cast Highlights

• Christina Picos as Elphaba: “Vocally thrilling, giving you kind of like a greatest hits of some of the most iconic additions and riffs to the Wicked score.”
• Cristina Laurente as Glinda: “A really fun character performance…Spanish Glindas seemed able to be extravagant and excitable and colorful.”
• Javier Nogales as Fierro: “Very charismatic.”
• Guadalupe Lancho as Madame Morrible: “Very much inspired by the films but delivered a little more powerfully. Sung a little better.”
• Nazan Martin as Bok: “The final time that Glinda gets his name wrong…he replies, ‘It’s Bok’—screamed with such pent up rage. A beautiful, passionate, characterful and comic moment all rolled into one.” (27:16)

Overall Take

• “Generally you win some, you lose some” with non-replica Wicked; this production didn’t innovate visually as much as Brazil’s, but delivered strong vocals and memorable moments from its unique staging choices.

The Book of Mormon

Timestamps: [30:03–43:36]

Context and Cultural Adaptation

• Spanish production is one of the only major non-replica Book of Mormon productions worldwide.
• Despite Spain’s Catholic culture, the show “played very well there,” drawing “absolutely the strongest, most vocal, most excited audience response that we encountered the entire weekend.” (30:45)
• Localized controversial elements: Jesus in the Spanish version is not queer-coded (“which is probably a good choice”), shifting the camp and flamboyance entirely to Elder McKinley.
  • “Elder McKinley, portrayed by Albert Bollea, is always a closeted gay Mormon, but they've kind of dialed that up even more in this production.” (31:50)
• Costuming tweaks: In “Turn it Off,” Mormons change into pink sparkly singlets instead of waistcoats—“Camp Factor dialed up, but only for the Mormons.” (32:08)

Insights on Theme & Reception

• Mickey Jo addresses the show’s reputation: “People like to say of this show that it's just offensive. Offensive to everybody…But what they're actually commenting on with the show is the way in which religions can begin and the way in which they are necessitated, what they can mean to people, and also a little bit of the lunacy of it all.” (34:15)
• Spanish production carefully tweaks humor, making African villagers appear more savvy and joyful, subtly shifting the perceived comedic focus, so “it feels like we’re never laughing at those characters.” (36:00)
• Notes the Spanish Mormon Church’s positive response (playbill ads: “You've seen the show, now read the book.”) (33:12)
• Applauds the electric energy of the ensemble and the choreography, describing it as “infectious, joyous and so silly” throughout.

Memorable Quotes and Performance Highlights

• Ayesha Fey as Nabulungi: “Sings the hell out of it…my favorite scene is when they say to her, 'Nabulungi, you didn't really think that was a real place, did you?'…It's hilarious. She's fantastic.” (37:35)
• Nicolas Colbert as Elder Price (understudy): “Audacious and fantastic...even within the song I Believe, which is this insurmountable sing, adding little like ‘I Believe’ or whatever.” (38:30)
• Alejandro Mesa as Elder Cunningham: “Chaotic energy and nervousness...thoroughly more caffeinated energy. Absolutely hilarious. Physical comedy and energy that transcended again the language barrier.” (39:10)
• References in the show have been adapted for Spanish audiences: e.g., “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” adds Silvio Berlusconi instead of OJ's lawyer. (41:03)
  • “Silvio Berlusconi sings about a TV channel that he created.”
• Language switches: Instead of “Hello,” the cast sings “¿Qué tal?” (“How are you/What's up?”), and flips to a line in English for comic effect. (41:59)

Set & Design

• “Uganda set…is built out of containers and boxes and a lot of sort of recyclable material materials…designed to feel a lot more like an actual dwelling and a functioning community, which makes the arrival of the Mormons feel a little more egregious.” (42:35)
• “Some creative aspects…really did or almost seem to eclipse the original staging. One of those was Ike Carrera’s choreography, which I thought was absolutely fantastic.” (42:15)

Final Thoughts

Timestamps: [43:30–end]

• Mickey Jo expresses enthusiasm to return to Madrid for more theatre, especially original Spanish productions.
• States the joy of experiencing shows he knew “really well in different productions”—the language barrier didn’t prevent deep emotional engagement.
• Encourages comments and feedback from listeners who have seen the shows and invites them to follow along for more reviews.

Notable Quotes

• “It reminded me on occasion of when you would play the 150cc mirror versions of Mario Kart races, if that means anything to anyone. And there's, like, a degree of familiarity, but also everything is just on the wrong side and it's a little confusing to the brain.” (Los Miserables, 04:30)
• “Spanish is an easy language in which to incentivize a revolution. Maybe that's why we're so bad at having them here in the uk.” (06:50)
• "This is not Les Mis by the numbers. This is Los Mis sung proudly and defiantly.” (15:10)
• "Dorothy in the flesh throwing the bucket of water over Elphaba...the intriguing implication...is that Fierro...helps to orchestrate this scheme in order to liberate Elphaba, that he's really on her side." (Wicked, 18:55)
• “[Elder Cunningham] had this young Eugene Levy, but thoroughly more caffeinated energy. Was absolutely hilarious. And comedy, physical comedy and energy that transcended again the language barrier made me laugh so, so much.” (Book of Mormon, 39:32)
• "Funny is something that delivers in almost every language." (43:05)

Key Takeaways

• Madrid is a thriving hub for musical theatre, second only to London’s West End in Europe and worthy of international attention.
• Spanish-language productions provide fresh emotional resonance, with certain musicals—particularly Les Misérables—gaining new power and depth thanks to the language’s passionate, open vowels.
• Non-replica productions foster innovation; both Wicked and Book of Mormon in Madrid brought bold staging twists and distinctive cultural flavor.
• Standout performances and design innovations, especially in Book of Mormon, exemplify how well international productions can “rival the original staging.”
• Translations create new meaning—sometimes optimistic, sometimes playful, and always adding a fascinating layer for familiar theatregoers.

Section Index (Timestamps Recap)

• [01:27] – Introduction & Madrid context
• [03:01–15:41] – Los Miserables / Les Misérables (production, translation, staging, cast)
• [16:14–28:54] – Wicked (non-replica innovations, staging, cast, critique)
• [30:03–43:36] – The Book of Mormon (context, adaptation, highlights, performance, translation)
• [43:36–End] – Final thoughts & sign-off

For more from Mickey Jo, subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform. For two hours of additional Madrid theatre coverage, check out his full vlog.

Stay stagey!