Pop Off, Michelangelo!
A brilliantly sculpted new production paid a visit to The Other Palace after its incredibly acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Pop Off, Michaelangelo! is a one act comedy musical that tells us the totally true and not at all fictionalised story of how two of the world's most famous artists really came to be. As common as this concept is with musicals such as Six, Bonnie & Clyde, Titanique etc, it really does work. Not even an hour in, you forget that most of the plot has been heavily altered if not fabricated entirely as you are so invested in their tale.
The timing of this show felt particularly apt given the upcoming new ‘Wicked’ movie with themes of celebrating difference, self belief, and the power of friendship at its core. Around the edges, on the other hand, there are no lions or tin men or scarecrows (oh my) but instead leather, and feathers, and all things rather gay and glitzy!
Front and centre was Max Eade, who gave an amazing performance as his professional debut, and has no doubt kick-started himself into many more roles to come. The ensemble is composed of venue alumni (Lucy Carter), recent graduates (Conn McGirr), and returning cast from its previous run (Paul Toulson). The absolute star of the show, however, was Aidan Murphy-MacColl whose comedic timing and command over the audience was unparalleled and hilarious.
Dylan MarcAurele’s book had a huge hand in this, with a script packed full of theatrical, queer, and pop culture references. These quick quibs meant that each scene had jokes all audiences would find funny, as well as some more niche jests for certain demographics. The songs accompanying this dialogue were catchy and clever - definitely a few you could envisage at events like West End Live 2025 to further promote the material, and at least a couple of tracks would succeed in a recording if not quite ready for a full soundtrack just yet!
The only unfortunate weak link to this piece was the choreography. Led by brilliant movers and groovers as we know from their previous credits, the dance-heavy numbers felt slightly sloppy at times, which was particularly disappointing due to the basic nature of the choreography. Be this lack of rehearsal time or simply incoherent direction in this department, it is definitely something to polish up on before the show's inevitable return.
Technically, it is definitely identifiable as a Fringe show with minimal scenery and simple costume design, however this is not a bad thing! It is so refreshing to see shows at this level reliant on the skills of cast and creatives, rather than throwing a huge budget at swanky set and complex lighting plot but neglecting the quality of its content.
There are no further dates announced just yet, and the show would need some expansion to sell at a larger or more central venue, but this definitely won't be the last we see of our camp companions!
This show was reviewed on the 5th November 2024 at The Other Palace, London.
Review written by Katie Anna McConnell
AD/Gifted
Photo credit: Steve Ullathorne
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