Surrealist musical Trump L’Oeil will receive its UK premiere at Upstairs at The Gatehouse next month.
Following a successful Off-Broadway run last year, the tongue-in-cheek retelling of the presidency of Donald Trump will make its debut at the Highgate Village venue from 7 September until 2 October 2022.
Inspired by the work of surrealist artists Escher, Magritte, and Dahl, writer Henry Parkman Biggs’ work mixes a range of musical genres including rap and bubblegum pop.
The production is directed by Oli Savage, with choreography by Blair Anderson and musical supervision by Mark Crossland.
Taking on the titular role is Vivek Sharma (Stranger Things – The Experience) who portrays Trump as he is marched through the series of surrealist art landscapes, with life hilariously imitating art. Charlotte Barnes (Aladdin, Disney) plays Ivanka, and is joined by Alex Linscer (Aladdin, Manchester Opera House), Charlotte-Hannah Jones (Last Train to Christmas, Sky), Curtis Medley (Terry Pratchett’s Soul Music, Rose Theatre Kingston), Kyle Copeland (Dirty Dancing, Secret Cinema), Sarah Hughes (Cinderella, Theatre Royal Wakefield), Tish Weinman (Letitia Delish), Michael Mather (Mythic, Charing Cross Theatre) and Verity Power (Lady Parts, Channel 4).
Commenting on the production, Savage said: “For people in the English-speaking world – especially outside of the USA – the Trump administration was one of the most horrifically surreal periods in modern political history. And the scars from that period are far from healed. But nothing heals like laughter. With this show, we’re taking a blend of satire, drag, circus, cabaret, with a healthy dollop of surrealist art to show just how crazy that period was. But more than that, we’re trying to have fun, and by taking the piss out of a very, very dark time, create a sense of joy, amusement, and hope.”
Parkman Biggs adds: “After six years of developing Trump L’Oeil, I am thrilled to see this spectacular vision for the show in its London debut. The exemplary energy of the director, Oli Savage, tirelessly tinkering to improve, Mark Crossland’s crafting a coherent musical whole, and Blair Anderson’s thoughtful and creative choreography, have all added immeasurably.
“They are all absolute stars in their own right, and I could not be more grateful for their talents. I have also been grateful for their engagement in exploring the idea of “trompe l’oeil” as well as surrealism and how that might manifest in their respective spaces. The show is so much the richer for it.”
Angela Thomas
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