The Fabulist tells the story of young magician - sorry, Fabulist - Julian as he tries to win the hand of hopeless romantic Clarice while evading the grasp of her uncle, a Cardinal in 1929 Tuscany (acting on Mussolini's direction). To do this, he has to convince Clarice's father of the value of magic against science.
Billed as a "musical with an operatic edge", the edge certainly seems to seep into the body of the piece, and we are left with an uncomfortable blend of opera and musical theatre. The songs themselves are largely unmemorable (though all incredibly beautifully performed), with so many tiny musical interludes between phrases that the poor performers seem at a loss as to what to do with themselves in the interim moments. Further, the songs so often simply state what is happening without much creative expression or wordplay, which would be fine if the piece were entirely sung through; however, the fact that there is a script surrounding these songs makes this feel redundant and lacking in what could be potent evocative numbers.
The direction, beyond basic blocking, feels borderline non-existent - the audience often doesn't know where to look or what we should be seeing. The script is littered with jokes, almost none (and I do not exaggerate) of which are landed by the performance. The show also claims to be "fast-paced", which sadly could not feel further from the truth. The plot itself feels incredibly dated, and the way everything is performed with such joviality renders any stakes that there might be incredibly low, not helped by the lack of chemistry between any of the characters. Perhaps more akin to a lengthy lullaby than an opera, one certainly leaves the theatre feeling relaxed!
We also have to wonder if the small Charing Cross Theatre is the right venue for a show like this. Due to its operatic nature, so much of the action feels overdone, yet there is something about it that doesn't feel inherently bad, perhaps just misplaced. Maybe it would find more vitality in an open-air space.
One genuinely entertaining element of this production is the magic itself. Sorcery performed a little shakily at first, Dan Smith soon comes into his own as the titular Fabulist and we really are wowed by some of the fun and unexpected conjurations throughout. Unfortunately, the show's most enthralling illusion is done in such dim lighting that it isn't easy to see it in the first place (perhaps a necessity of some hidden aspect of the trick, but off-putting nonetheless).
While the piece has little to offer in the way of compelling story, and the quality of acting performances varies wildly, all of the songs are given truly stunning performances by an incredibly gifted cast of singers. In particular, Réka Jónás is a show-stopping soprano, and Lily De La Haye is frankly underused as she offers a gorgeously feisty and nuanced Cassandra.
Overall a show that lacks purpose but not entirely without entertainment, The Fabulist runs at the Charing Cross Theatre until 21st September.
Review: Penny Lane Photos: Mark Senior