Review: BERLUSCONI A NEW MUSICAL, Southwark Playhouse Elephant
Photo credit: Nick Rutter
Lit at first by the green, white and red of Italy’s flag, Roman style steps set the stage for Berlusconi, A New Musical by Ricky Simmonds and Simon Vaughan, billed as “a hilarious, naughty, noisy expose of the original perma-tanned media mogul and populist politician”.
On trial for tax fraud in 2012, Berlusconi (Sebastien Torkia) decides to write an opera about himself, a vehicle for flashing back through his life. With a stint as a cruise-ship singer, amassing a fortune as a real estate developer, his success as a media-mogul, ownership of AC Milan and three terms as Italian Prime Minister, there’s lots of material. Known for the notorious “Bunga Bunga” parties held at his villa while he was in office, sex scandals pile up.
The self-proclaimed “Jesus Christ of Politics”, Torkia stretches his arms out like Christ the Redeemer. He’s adequately dislikeable as he sidles up to women but is perhaps not as slimy as the real Berlusconi. Torkia has a great voice though, carrying off his part well with slicked back hair, winking and nodding at the audience with wild eyes and a wide smile; we get that he is devoid of any morals and full of himself.
There’s a scene with notable world leaders and the ‘romantic’ duet ‘Weekend with Vlad’, with a topless Vladimir Putin (Gavin Wilkinson). As they skip and go rowing, Berlusconi revels in their union. But everything in this musical happens so fast, it only skims the surface of the protagonist’s part in paving the way for other populist leaders and the war on truth.
The sending up of Silvio is funny but his abuse of women is treated without comedy, which is welcome. His ex-wife Veronica (Emma Hatton), prosecutor Ilda (Sally Ann Triplett) and former lover Fama (a weather girl promoted to news reporter, who is given a job by Berlusconi with no previous experience) all feature. The three women harmonise beautifully in ‘Once I was a Young Girl’ at the beginning of the piece and later sing individually about their experiences. They are all great performers, but trying to pack so much in leaves little time for detailed analysis of their plights.
Notably comic is Matthew Woodyatt as Berlusconi’s indispensable chief assistant Antonio, who follows his boss around covering his tracks.
There’s a mixed bag of musical styles, from cruise ship crooning (complete with a white dinner jacket and trio of backing singers) to thumping techno at the Bunga Bunga parties and some more traditional synchronised kicking and jazz hands.
A highlight is Natalie Kassanga as Bella. In ‘Smoking Gun, her intonation is reminiscent of Lily Allen’s soft form cockney as she gives voice to Berlusconi’s young female victims who are forced to keep schtum. Her fear and sadness is palpable in her stillness on top of the steps as her hands tremble.
Some of the staging is clever. Fama (the superb Jenny Fitzpatrick) is filmed reporting news of the trial, which is projected in real time at the back of the stage and on TV screens visible at the side. It’s unfortunate the sound was out of sync at times because this was effective.
A peculiar choice of subject for a sung-through musical, it attempts a cross between The Thick of It and Jesus Christ Superstar, but slightly lacks the sharp-witted dialogue and knock out numbers of these pieces. It’s trying to do too much and shock so at times, lacks depth.
However, with some catchy tune and funny lines, there were laughs aplenty.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Victoria Willetts
Berlusconi, A New Musical plays at Southwark Playhouse Elephant until 29 April, with further information here.