TERRORIST! THE MUSICAL. To 28 August.
Edinburgh.
TERRORIST! THE MUSICAL
by Bad Penny Theatre .
Smirnoff Underbelly (Big Belly) To 28 August.
Mon-Sun 10.30pm.
Runs 1hr No interval.
TICKETS: 0870 745 3083.
www.smirnoffunderbelly.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 19 August.
Nice idea, but needs shaping, development and greater political awareness.
What's a poor terrorist to do, with George I having proclaimed a new World Order and George II plus friends setting out on the New American Century to ensure the world accepts American leadership. But no-one, after 9/11 and 7/7 plus each week's stories of Iraq atrocities, could think its done for terrorism.
Perhaps, though, it's done for an old-style terrorism? Maybe that's why these people are lined-up for a clown-show instead. Or maybe there's a showbiz aspect to modern terror operations. This would bring Bad Penny's newly devised musical into something of a similar arena as Stephen Sondheim's parade of presidential Assassins.
But this show develops no overall strategy. Structurally, while each voice in the Sondheim is individual and impacts upon the overall show, here there's fragmentation and imbalance. Understandably, heiress and hostage-turned terrorist Patty Hearst receives little attention; Jessica Beck must have been occupied marshalling the whole show. But North Korean Miss Kim, keen to kill for her country's great leader, desite having the most extended song, does little apart from singing it.
It's left to a programme note to mention the South Koreans let her live in the country she'd been attacking. No exploration of this in the piece, nor of the fact she lives there rather than in the Communist North.
In contrast, London nailbomber DavidCopeland's forever turning up. His double-act with Israeli terrorist turned political leader Menachem Begin pits his racist jokes against Begin's bored habituation with anti-semitic humour. Despite this, there's little exploitation of how Copeland's union-jack painted face, England t-shirted (yet tartan trousered) gay-bombing thuggishness tests the idea of the terrorist idealist.
That's found in Palestinian Leila Khaled (another ex-terrorist who, in defiance of this show's concept, has settled to a quiet life). Her joint rehearsal with Begin, as he ropes off a corner of the stage for her to co-exist, makes one of the show's few theatrical points (ironically, this plays at the time of the Gaza evacuations).
There's a comical edge to Andrew Barron's self-important Carlos, impassioned intensity worthy better material from Neelam Parmar's Khaled, and comparable promise in Gary Faulkner's Copeland. But key moments, such as the audience being asked to choose a method of someone's execution, or the undeveloped final 'is there any other way' question indicate what this ill-focused piece has not achieved.
Tre Arrow: Greta Clough.
Carlos the Jackal: Andrew Barron.
Patty Hearst: Jessica Beck.
David Copeland: Gary Faulkner.
Menachem Begin: Lee Baker.
Leila Khaled: Neelam Parmar.
Miss Kim: Laura Best.
Director: Jessica Beck.
Lighting: Phil Hewitt.
Musical Director: Andrew Barron.
2005-08-23 12:27:01