Bel-Ami, by Guy de Maupassant a new musical adaptation by Alex Loveless |
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Creating a new musical is always an ambitious
project and this world premiere, based on the 1885 novel by French author Guy de
Maupasssant, is a zeitgeisty take on the media establishment even as today's tabloid
journalists are lining up in the dock for their part in the phone hacking scandal. Set in present-day London, George Dury
(Johnny Fitzharris), is a homeless ex-serviceman returned from Afghanistan. Just when you
think he's on the verge of a post-traumatic stress comedown he meets his former commanding
officer Charles Forester (Andrew Bowerman), now a foreign correspondent for a popular
daily tabloid, who gets him on board as a fellow journo. From this typical 'jobs for the boys'
scenario George works his way up the ladder, manipulating various powerful women with his
lothario charms who are able to play the system and aid his success as he eventually finds
himself editing the celebrity gossip column Bel-Ami. Performed by students at London College of
Music, University of West London, the production displays a wealth of young talent who
sing the house down thanks to superb music and lyrics by Alex Loveless, who seems to use
an unusual mishmash of 80s synth and modern pop as his reference points. …catchy music …the fabulous cast
finish in style. The final verdict: those who love their musicals will delight in such an
inventive adaptation… Will Stone
Guy de Maupassant’s
uncannily prescient novel Bel
Ami
receives 21st century spin-doctoring courtesy of Alex Loveless’ vibrant, electro-pop
musical. Rarely off the stage is
the excellent Johnny Fitzharris, who almost single-handedly carries the entire show as the
increasingly repugnant yet strangely likeable Dury. Fitzharris… has the devilish
charisma and stage presence – and importantly the voice and acting chops – to
pull it off, and his performance is spellbinding. Particularly strong in the
supporting roles are the women unfortunate enough to become entangled in Dury’s life:
Abigail Poulton as Madeleine, Shelbie Stuart as Clarice, Tessa Leake as Victoria, and
Kathryn Kitchener as Suzanne. Of course, they’re all grotesque characters yet, as
with Dury, they’re played with enough sass and vinegar that you’re compelled to
find out what happens to them, even if you don’t sympathise with them – a bit
like watching Rebekah Brooks being dragged over hot coals. Loveless’ edgy,
pumping music… definitely delivers. The most effective numbers are those involving
the whole company – the LCM ensemble is disciplined and taut, and time has clearly
been invested in the chorus work. At their best, the musical
numbers are biting, satirical commentaries on modern life – rarely do the words
‘Sunni’, ‘Shia’ and ‘Al Qaeda’ make it into musical theatre
– and the most ambitious numbers manage to concentrate and develop the plot, turning
songs into entire mini-scenes. ‘Love/Hate’, for example, probably my favourite
segment of the night, segues neatly from the death and funeral of Dury’s boss
Forester to a wedding between Dury and Forester’s widow, riffing on the theme of a
‘Dies Irae’. ‘No Going Back’,
a quintet for female voices, is also nicely realised, as is the hilarious ‘Too Much
Money’, which gives Brett Jay-Davis a delightful spell in the spotlight. The
lyrics… are witty and contemporary (“trial by media… trial by
Wikipedia…”), and the book is peppered with delicious Dorothy Parker-esque bon
mots. Alongside director Chris
Loveless, Anthony Whiteman keeps the action ticking along with his vogue-ing choreography
– the ‘Phone Tap’ dance routine is inspired! – and MD George
Carter’s five-piece band, augmented with Andy Smith’s programmed synth backing,
deliver a real punch. Expecting a strained,
student interpretation of a 19th century novel, I was surprised by an edgy night of new
music that, in my notes, I judged as lying somewhere between Chess, American
Psycho and Evita. …a thrilling, bold
and wickedly amoral night out that showcases some of the next wave of musical theatre
talent. Craig Glenday
The
BA Musical Theatre students of the London College of Music deal with racy scandal and
socio-political themes, which one might think, would be beyond their playing ages as
actors. However, under the vivid direction of Chris Loveless the actors plough through
this rich material remaining engaging, professional and on the right side of the sassy
humour in the show at all times. Johnny
Fitzharris as George Dury is seamless and whilst Dury is arguably a villain in the
musical; using manipulation and seducing numerous women; he is not one-dimensional.
What makes this character so interesting is that the audience can see Dury’s
unwavering belief that he is inherently entitled to status and success and so the means he
must go to make others fear him are just unfortunate collateral damages. Similarly,
this is mirrored in the female characters that initially appear wholly superficial and
selfish but eventually are presented as chess pieces in the society in which they exist.
There are some particularly strong female performers in the production. Shelbie Stuart is
hysterical as the snooty bohemian Clarice with silvery vocals. She plays George’s
first mistress in the show and gains our sympathy by the second act as her irrelevance to
George becomes clearer. Equally as accomplished is Abigail Poulton’s
performance as Madeleine, George’s wife. She portrays a complex and powerful woman
whose dilemmas may be beyond her own life experience yet are played with vigour and
skillful characterization. What
also works extremely well with such a young, vibrant cast is the modern score which
features pop, rap, R&B, epic electric guitar solos and some superb lyrics which tie
the story together. Some musical highlights include ‘No Going Back’ sung by the
female leads, ‘Don’t Question Me’; a powerful solo from Fitzharris and
‘Too Much Money’; a lively and satirical ensemble number in the second act. As
a showcase piece for the students, this show really does have it all; comedy, pathos, some
slick tapping and shuffling and exciting, fast paced scenes. Political points are cleverly
woven in without being laborious and this makes the show both slick and topical. As well
as this, the pinpointing of the artificiality of love as the punishment for these
ambitious characters is very powerful. These factors combine to form a very impressive
contemporary political musical, which has an underlying morality and a heart and soul. Emily Mae Winters
Johnny
Fitzharris plays the charismatic lead…with strong vocals and a distinct stage
presence. He has an animal lust for women, particularly women married to men in power. He
falls for the wife of the newspaper owner and callously celebrates her husband’s
death. A nice touch is that the funeral scene seamlessly merges into their shot-gun
wedding. This offers an insight into the callous attitudes and motivations behind marriage
within this world. The
show is interspersed with a range of musical styles including dance, rock and RnB. The
dance routines are well-choreographed by Anthony Whiteman and the recurring songs are
catchy and rousing. The cast perform the songs, dances and dialogue excellently… A
shining light throughout this slick production is Alison Poulton, who plays Madeleine, the
wife of the deceased newspaper owner, who is every bit as manipulative as George and
equally besotted by power. Strong support comes from two of Georges other conquests. Tessa
Leake was particularly amusing and Katherine Kitchener, represented a rare innocence in
this world and shone vocally. This
is a contemporary take on power, greed and the media’s relentless appetite for
carnage at any cost. I’d definitely get down to Charing Cross Theatre… for this
interesting, lively and very well acted musical. Martin Stocks
Centring
on the intertwined worlds of journalism and politics, Guy de Maupassant’s novel, Bel
Ami, told of corruption, greed, immorality and hypocrisy at the highest level of public
life. The original setting was France in the 1880s, but crossing the Channel and leaping
forward to the 21st Century, it is remarkable how little of the story has needed to be
changed and, with the Leveson inquiry and phone-hacking trials still hitting the
headlines, it could hardly be more topical. There
are two alternating casts and, at this performance, the lead role of George Dury was
played by Johnny Fitzharris; he attacks the part with supreme confidence, commanding the
stage and belting out his big number, Don’t Question Me, as if he really believes he
could be the next Michael Ball. He may just be right. The
score by Alex Loveless is lively and varied, incorporating contemporary pop, a little rap
and traditional musical theatre styles. He knows how to mix things up too, as when the
show gets a little heavy in the second act, he diverts from the main narrative and throws
in Too Much Money, showing MPs frolicking in their Caribbean playground. It is unusual in
musicals for a single person to take on all three tasks – book, lyrics and score
– and Loveless needs to be congratulated for this… Chris
Loveless’ direction and Anthony Whiteman’s choreography are fluid and
imaginative, performed on an uncluttered stage with minimal props. Most heartening is that
their production shows a clear understanding of what is uniquely possible in the art form
of musical theatre. As examples: trial by media is explained in a gem of a routine with
two rival groups facing each other – one (phone) tap dancing, the other performing a
“liberal shuffle”; earlier a sombre funeral merges into a joyful wedding during
a single song, the characters’ emotions seen to be equally shallow at each; and the
corrosive effects of unethical journalism are demonstrated with the chorus waving their
red tops as they sing Read All About it, creating visual images that endorse the cynicism
of the lyrics. Bel
Ami is not the sort of of story from which we expect a happy outcome, but this production
could well lead to several of them. Stephen Bates
The
world premiere of Guy de Maupassant’s novel Bel
Ami couldn’t have come
at a more topical time. Delving into the murky world of journalism and politics Bel
Ami
churns
up a story of corruption, greed, immorality and hypocrisy at the highest echelons of
society. Originally set in the 1880s it is rather worrying how easily this story befits
its 21st Century guise with headline ink still drying on reports from the Leveson inquiry
and subsequent trials. The
lead role of George Dury was played spectacularly by Johnny Fitzharris who embodied the
role incredibly well. Belting out tunes such as ‘Don’t Question Me’ with
such a formidable force that it left you in no doubt as to his capabilities as a
performer. The ensemble were fantastic and did well to set the scene creating brilliant
moments to watch, such as the commuters journey and ‘Too Much Money,’ showing
MPs frolicking in their Caribbean playground. London
College of Music should be congratulated for this endeavour… it is a brave
undertaking to achieve what they have and the cast certainly gave it their all. Stephanie
Caiger-Watson
"What
energy and professionalism by the cast of this musical on their opening night. The music
was great and the singing by the cast was excellent. Surely some stars in the
making."
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| Final year BA Musical Theatre students from
London College of Music, University of West London, present a new musical by award-winning
composer and LCM alumnus Alex Loveless, based on the Guy de Maupassant novel Bel-Ami.
A contemporary take on celebrity, crony capitalism, press and political corruption, with a score including dance, rock and RnB, Bel-Ami continues LCM’s tradition of developing new musicals. Disillusioned former soldier George Dury joins the ranks of his friend’s newspaper, working his way up to become editor of the celebrity gossip column ‘Bel-Ami’. Manipulating his way into the highest echelons of British society by charming, seducing and blackmailing those who cross his path, he is rewarded with ever-increasing wealth and prestige. But his ultimate goal will always be power… Suitable for ages 14+.
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| Listen to No Going Back
and Experimental
from Bel-Ami |
