Picture: PBG STUDIOS 11
Closer To Heaven continues at the Above The Stag Theatre, London until 31 August 2019.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
Continuing this bijou but beautifully presented venue’s on-going retrospective of writer JonathanHarvey’s work, following productions such as Beautiful Thing and BoomBang-A-Bang, Closer To Heaven is a musical with impeccable creative credentials. With music and lyrics by iconic electronic duo, Pet Shop Boys and book by Harvey, it’s highly impressive just how much physical energy, angst and human emotion this mostly young and talented cast packs into two hours, often fighting the noise of trains rattling overhead as they pass through Vauxhall station. It certainly affects the concentration.
The opening number, ‘My Night’, is a visual and musical treat, Billie Trix, played by the impressive Adele Anderson, a feather-winged vampish vision in black latex/leather, sounding like Eartha Kitt and firing up the frenetically gyrating youngsters around her. But, any thoughts that an evening of pure camp jollity lies ahead are soon dispelled as we are plunged into the personal, chaotic lives of wannabe singer, Straight Dave (Blake Patrick Anderson), his shell-suited lover and supplier of recreational substances, Mile End Lee (Mikulas Urbanek), manipulative record producer Bob Saunders and seriously confused club manager Vic Christian.
Looking like an extra from a Tim Burton film, the immaculately costumed Ian Hallard is just superb as Saunders, a man who takes seedy to a whole new level. Performing ‘Call Me Old Fashioned’ in one of the stand out moments in the show, the character he creates is a disgracefully decadent and debauched delight, cavorting unashamedly with his flunky Flynn (Aidan Harkins), Shell Christian (Maddy Banks) and Billie’s Babes.
There are plenty of great comic lines throughout, none better than when Dave protests his heterosexuality to Flynn. “Well, spaghetti’s straight – until you boil it,” he retorts. In the lead role, there’s something of the Rick Astley about the character Straight Dave, but there’s nothing wrong with that and Patrick Anderson certainly puts heart and soul into his performance.
The decadence, drug taking and personal despair reaches its traumatic crescendo as Vic (Christopher Howell) totally loses the plot, while every appearance by Billie Trix as a worldly wise, drug-damaged kind of fairy godmother in bondage apparel is a blessed relief. Dispensing much-needed succour and witticisms to anyone willing to listen, her moment comes with the wonderful set piece ‘It’s Just My Little Tribute to Caligula Darling!’
What does let this down is it’s admittedly emotionally charged, yet rather predictable storyline and a soundtrack which despite its fair share of rousing numbers, feels a little plodding too much of the time. The lighting, given the creative constraints of being within a railway arch, is eye-catching throughout and designer Jack Weir deserves credit for creating idyllic, understated effects, never better than during the show’s heart-rending anthem, ‘Closer To Heaven’.
An emotional rollercoaster, this production (directed by Steven Dexter) has some fine moments – there’s just not enough of them to sustain the two hours.
Derek Smith
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