Stage Review TONY! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera)

from TONY! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera)

Photograph by Mark Senior

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Beyond the wild characterisations, the daft comedy; the dressing up and the one-liners - in other words Harry Hill's signature comedy style that we know and most of us love; there is incredible intellect and self confidence in his writing and in Peter Rowe's theatrical direction.

This is however, a musical comedy, with live music on stage performed by musical director: Oli Jackson (keyboard) and muscians David Guy (guitar/bass) and Harry Bent (drums). The tunes, composed by Steve Brown, provide an operatic timbre at times; high tempo and dynamic, and with Brown's clever lyrics that complements Hill's comedy flavour. This work, for comparison's sake, has a Joe DiPietro ring to it but without the Americanisms, the humour is truly British.

Scenes are fast paced with some delightful all-round performances by the cast in terms of linguistic, musical and visual display. Ex-prime minister, Tony (Blair) is satirically portrayed, as are public and political figures we attach to Blair's backstory and his time in office. Under the cover of music and entertainment all of characters are extreme versions of themselves in real life as satire goes.

Blair's persona is mimicked so convincingly by actor, Jack Whittle displaying a toothy smile and an unblinking stare. There is a growing foreboding in the characterisation however because we know how it goes. The young, Tony is a dreamer for doing something great, summed up in the song 'I'm Gonna be Somebody'. Hill and Brown are playful with this well documented period when the stars aligned for Blair, when Labour were elected two times in succession before 2003, largely due to the party's charismatic leader.

More madcap and mayhem happens in Act 2 with some amusing, almost pantomime antics happening that relate to true world events of the early noughties. The songs Sex it Up and He's a Liar are clues as to how Hill and Brown, as dramatists, have imagined parliamentary matters, in particular regard to Blair's support for the US and the war on terror.

Deliberate is its anachronistic feel, this show is able to pull no punches in its core message. Joking aside, globally, people continue to live under the influences of egocentric leaders.

The thing is this play really makes you stop to really think about the man, Tony Blair, his actions and style of premiership and his legacy. This is a comedy but something really hits home; make no mistake about that.

The party political/power crazy system in our country had Blair's position as Labour party leader and prime minister go unchallenged because Gordon Brown was in waiting, so that clouded the matter! MPs and the members were either in the Brown camp or the Blair camp. At the time of the 2005 election opposition parties were in disarray, therefore, despite everything that had happened under his watch in terms of deceit, Blair managed to secure a third term in office.

This play serves as a word of caution about the importance of the mark one makes on a ballot paper in a general election, because whatever your political leanings are and whatever the reasoning is behind your vote remember:

'... if it is true that we get the leaders we deserve, then I fear that the very last laugh may be on all of us.' Peter Rowe (Director)

CAST
Tony Blair
Jack Whittle

Peter Mandelson
Howard Samuels

Cherie Blair
Tori Burgess

Gordon Brown
Phil Sealey

Neil Kinnock
Martin Johnston

John Prescott
Rosie Strobel

Robin Cook
Sally Cheng

Princess Diana
Emma Jay Thomas

**ENDS**

Review by theatre critic, Debra Hall who attended the press night performance of TONY! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera) on Tuesday 12 September 7:30 pm at Derby Theatre, Derby

References 

Derby Theatre website https://derbytheatre.co.uk/ 

Derby Theatre Press notification  (Sept 06)

Nicholson Green Productions/Park Theatre programme (2023)

Photograph Mark Senior