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Who's Bad?: Thriller Live Opens on the West End

If the thought of never seeing Michael Jackson grab his junk and shout “woo-hoo” again makes you a little sad, cheer up friend. A new musical, "Thriller Live", opens in London this week and is based on the legend of Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five.

Unlike "Mamma Mia", based on the hits of Abba, there is no plot or dialogue, just dance numbers strung together and performed to MJ’s biggest hits like Beat It, Rock With You, Billie Jean, PYT, and of course, Thriller. Eight actors portray Jackson at different stages in his career while a video screen behind them flashes fun facts like "The 'Thriller' album was at No. 1 for 37 weeks!"

While Broadway is struggling through poor ticket sales and closing productions, the West End has held steady. And producers seem confident that nostalgia for a simpler time, before MJ faced child abuse allegations and had too much plastic surgery, will draw crowds to "Thriller Live" too.

This is not the first time the show has hit the stage. In 1997, "Thriller Live" toured around the U.K. to mixed reviews but eventually built up enough buzz to lead to a couple tours through Europe. "Thriller Live" opens at The Lyric Theater on January 21st and runs through April. Ticket prices range from £23.50 to £50.50.

Related Stories:
· Micael Jackson:The Musical [WSJ]
· Official Site [Thriller Live]

[Photo: Exposay]