Review in The Stage

The Stage has reviewed Tony Blair - the Musical and correctly identified James Lark as an exciting talent and Nathan Kiley as sleazy:

What a shame that the cast of this wonderfully entertaining and skilfully written musical are having to cram together on a stage the size of a table top at the Gilded Balloon.

The talent of the writing, however, manages to shine through. And what an exciting talent it is. James Lark and Christopher Munday have a real understanding of how to 'do' musical theatre. Their songs are well-constructed and thoughtful parodies of other writers - picked to fit the mood of the moment or the character singing.

Thus the opening song, sung by Britain’s pre-Blair, rag-clad suffering masses has shades of Les Miserable. Oh! What a Lovely War Against Terrorism speaks for itself, and there are shades of Noel Coward and Jonathan Larson to name two others.

Blair - a sleazy performance from Nathan Kiley - and Brown - a great impersonation and surprisingly sensitive performance from writer Lark - are an unrequited couple joined by an ideology. As Blair becomes tainted by power and influenced by others such as Alistair Campbell and George W Bush, so Brown becomes a heartbroken idealist still clinging onto the dreams they once shared together.

Tony Blair - The Musical needs to be seen by someone who can offer advice, guidance and cash in order to develop it into something bigger. The seeds are here for a much bigger production - here is talent to be nurtured.

You can read the review online here.