REVIEW - LIVE TO TELL: (A PROPOSAL FOR) THE MADONNA MUSICAL

When I heard about this show, my reaction was something along the lines of, ‘a Madonna musical? Give It 2 Me’.

So, it’s not a jukebox musical as such, just as the name suggests Live To Tell is a proposal for a Madonna jukebox musical. Writer and performer Brian Mullin, takes us on a semi-autobiographical journey as a gay man, living with a diagnosis of HIV. The show is structured into two different pitches for the musical, songs are not directly performed (apart from one), the rest of the time Madonna’s music is played in the background or alluded to. Dan de la Motte takes on all the other roles within the show, at times changing between 3 or 4 roles seamlessly, within a single scene.

The staging design is minimal, and this is no frills storytelling. Alex Thomas’ lighting changes signify when Brian is pitching an idea or interacting with others in the ‘real world’. Although the distinction between reality and imaginary becomes more difficult to identify as the show progresses. Josh Anio Grigg’s video designs are projected onto the stage’s back wall – most of these are quite difficult to make out, as the wall isn’t white, the projections are quite dim and dark.

The script is filled with Madonna lyrics and jokes for Madonna superfans, I do feel that many of these jokes go over the heads of those that aren’t huge fans. Some of the lyrical lines of the script also felt slightly cheesy and not in keeping with the overall tone of the production. There is a performance of ‘Cherish’ in the middle of the show, in which the audience are encouraged to sing-along, this is the only part of the show that has a jukebox musical feel.

Mullin is an enthralling, energetic storyteller. I could have simply listened to him speak for the run time. He kept my attention throughout and powered the performance with a range of emotions. I did feel that his performance at times was over the top, there were moments where he could have simply stripped it back slightly and maybe his point would have been better conveyed. De la Motte managed to make each character distinctive, giving them different voices and accents, the transitions between roles is faultless, and he is a joy to watch.

Live To Tell provides insight into living life with a diagnosis of HIV, the medications prescribed, their side effects, and feeling a loss of control, that you must take your meds no matter what, and how this impacts you psychologically. This is a story that should be told, as the awareness it brings is essential, and the emotions Mullin powers the performance with give authenticity to the story. This shows a perspective we don’t often see in media, which is usually clichéd and just shows what life used to be like for people with HIV, not what it is like in the present day, when people can live with the virus and it can be undetectable.

But, Live To Tell doesn’t quite know what it wants to be yet. I understand that Madonna has played a role in combatting the stigma of the virus and educating people, but the incorporation of Madonna into this story doesn’t work as well as intended. I feel this show would work best as a play about Mullin’s life – the Madonna part could be scrapped completely, as currently, it doesn’t add much to the material, and just creates a rather disjointed production, that makes you wonder why Madonna’s name is in the title at all.

A star rating for this show is difficult, as to judge it based on what it is currently calling itself, ‘a proposal for the Madonna jukebox musical’, it would be a 2-star rating. There isn’t anything about this show which resembles a musical. But to judge it as an honest, raw play about a man’s experience, it works much better, and is a story which should be told – I’m just not sure that Madonna needs to be in it.

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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