The news site of Chanute High School

The Comet

The news site of Chanute High School

The Comet

The news site of Chanute High School

The Comet

The greatest show, man!

“Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for . . .”  — a review on the new hit musical, The Greatest Showman.  Starring Hugh Jackman in the lead role of P.T. Barnum, the founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, this movie will leave audiences cheering for more of “The Greatest Show on Earth.”

In addition to Jackman, the cast includes the ever-popular Zac Efron as Barnum’s business partner Phillip Carlyle, and singer/actress Zendaya as Anne Wheeler, circus acrobat and romantic interest of Carlyle.  

The movie recounts Barnum’s struggles to escape poverty as he takes a risk in purchasing “Barnum’s American Museum.”  This wax museum has minimal success, so Barnum must think outside the box to achieve his dreams.  

This leads to a search for the “freaks” of society, including a Bearded Lady, General Tom Thumb, Dog Boy, and Strong Man, just to name a few.  This collection of human oddities brought in crowds of people, and led to P.T. Barnum’s success as a circus owner.  

Unfortunately, success can sometimes lead to the downfall of many, and Barnum was not immune to this problem, as the movie demonstrates.  

The soundtrack of The Greatest Showman features eleven catchy songs that audiences will be humming for weeks to come.  The composers, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, also arranged the music for the film La La Land.  

The fairly new director, Michael Gracey, assembled a stunning picture for friends and families of all ages to enjoy together.  Everyone loves a circus — and you will too!