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Michael Cox enjoys the theatrical celebration of PT Barnum.
PT Barnum: showman, bestselling autobiographer, sometime politician and world-renowned master of the ‘humbug’. His life as a huckster for the American Dream is ample material for a theatrical retelling.
And perhaps the best part of the current tour of Barnum, a musical from the early 80s, is just how theatrical it all is. Circus acts zigzag through the auditorium as the audience enter: jugglers, acrobatics, hula hoops—all happening in the aisles and on the armrests of the seats. And it just gets bigger as the show starts with rousing musical and dance numbers, magic tricks and a rather impressive high-wire act that leads to act one’s conclusion.
It’s all led with full gusto by Brian Conley. His Barnum is a showman addicted to the limelight: bursting from the stage, outrageous in his antics and always mesmerising to watch. Perhaps he doesn’t have the best singing voice (maybe down to a cold, which he kept cheekily referring to throughout the performance on opening night), but he plays it like he’s having the time of his life.
And the acting ensemble matches him for talent and energy. Jumping about in dance moves and circus acts while in song, the company are impressive physically and vocally. There are notable supporting characters, all performed with zing and relish, but most of these are mostly glorified cameos.
Who does stand out is Linzi Hateley, wonderfully playing Chairy Barnum—a grounded woman who knows how best to deal with her dreaming and scheming husband. Conley and Hateley’s scenes together are the heart of the show—touching at times, even humane, and good-natured throughout—and they act as a tonic for all the shenanigans that mostly parade around the stage.
All of which is perfectly fine, even a blast to watch. It’s just a shame that the source material isn’t better. The calibre of the team behind the written material is impressive; the script and much of the music and lyrics they produced (with a few notable exceptions) are mostly lightweight. Producer Cameron Mackintosh has apparently assisted with a revision of the script, but it still feels lacking in depth and comes across at times as a missed opportunity.
Which perhaps is the great irony with Barnum: it’s a weak script that is given so much polish and razzle-dazzle that it’s hard not to be utterly charmed by the whole thing. A theatrical humbug? Perhaps, but it’s one hell of an entertaining humbug nonetheless.
Barnum is at the Edinburgh Playhouse until November 1 before continuing its UK tour.
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