TONY! [THE TONY BLAIR ROCK OPERA] - REVIEW

When I heard that Harry Hill was behind a new Tony Blair rock opera, I confess I was sceptical. How wrong I was. Hill’s book and Steve Brown’s music and lyrics combine to create a riot of an evening, with something in it for everybody. This show has been honed through multiple workshops and a presentation at MT Fest, and the result is a tight piece of theatre that really feels like a musical, not just two hours of musical comedy. Nods to Evita, Company, Les Mis and Sweeney Todd show a creative team that is well aware of its musical heritage, and perhaps explains Tony!’s success where other satirical musicals have failed.

Hill’s script is toned down from his usual zaniness in favour of a more pointed satire, which is definitely the right choice here. Brown’s lyrics, though occasionally troubled by scansion issues, are largely very funny – a ballad from Neil Kinnock summing up the state of pre-Blair politics is perhaps the lyrical high point. Occasional gags fall flat; it’s unclear why Princess Diana gets quite so much stage time, first as Blair’s dance partner and then as a ghost, and jokes about blindness, Irish priests and a camped-up Peter Mandelson feel lazy at best. But these are few and far between in comparison to the gags about the ineptitude and sleaze under the glossy veneer of New Labour. Jack Whittle makes an uncanny Blair and gives a brilliant performance in a show where he is rarely offstage. Rosie Strobel as John Prescott also deserves praise for an outstanding vocal performance; her number as Osama Bin Laden feels far too short for such a powerhouse.

Libby Watson set and costume designer, has created a memorable stage design of black, white and red echoed in the costumes, which are all suits with red ties. This uniformity no doubt saves money, but it doesn’t feel like cost-cutting – rather, it gives the show a clear aesthetic, right down to the bright red of Blair’s socks. Various wigs and accessories for multi-roling are largely placed on top of these suits, adding to the silliness.

What is admirable about Hill and Brown’s show, however, is that it does not rest on its laurels and let silliness carry the day. The invasion of Iraq (and a reminder of the three other wars that Blair got the UK involved in, which the public has been quick to forget) is rendered bleakly, the juxtaposition to the rest of the comedy a stark reminder of Blair’s legacy as a war criminal. The final question – did you vote for him? – makes this a more powerful question of audience culpability than I expected going in, and is all the better for it. Satire should always make a point, and amidst the laughter Tony! has a serious point to make.

Tony! is at Richmond Theatre until the 24th of June, it then continues on its UK tour before running at the Edinburgh Fringe throughout august!

{🎟 AD: PR Invite – Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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