For a story built on the premise of refusing to stay dead, Beetlejuice has thrived on reinvention. The musical's Broadway run gained a second wind thanks to TikTok fandom, and its touring versions have leaned into the spectacle. Its arrival at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena – part of a growing wave of international tours in the region – feels like another resurrection, one that’s less about nostalgia and more about demonstrating that major contemporary musicals can find a committed audience in the UAE.
Before becoming an on-stage attraction, Beetlejuice began as Tim Burton’s 1988 gothic comedy, a quirky horror film that starred Michael Keaton as the eponymous lead and built a loyal following over time. The film, too, was given new life last year with the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
The musical doesn’t recreate the original movie frame by frame. It shifts the story towards the grief of Lydia Deetz (the character originally played by Winona Ryder), clarifies her family dynamics and turns Beetlejuice into a ringleader who breaks the fourth wall and steers the audience along. The film provides the base, but the stage version moves with a more direct and character-focused ener
Continue Reading on The National UAE
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.