★★★★

“A great night of music, movies and magic”

Italian-born and London-based, Francesca Confortini has the confidence and sophistication to wander onto the stage almost unnoticed. With little fanfare, she is suddenly there, poised at the microphone, waiting for her band to launch into the opening number. Hers is an unassuming personality that belies the depth, range and versatility of a soulful voice, unafraid to interpret songs we know and love in a unique way. Her latest venture is “Songs of the Silver Screen”; an evening of cinematic musical hits that blends vintage jazz with Hollywood glamour courtesy of Brian Clemens and his big band.

It’s hard to know how to label the show – whether it is The Brian Clemens Jazz Orchestra featuring Francesca Confortini, or whether to give the singer top billing. But we realise all too soon that it doesn’t matter, such is the symbiotic collaboration of voice and music. Clemens, though, does seem to be the one in charge with his comfortable stage presence. A true master of ceremonies, he paid his dues on the Los Angeles jazz scene before moving over here and creating his jazz orchestra. Hooking up with Confortini has become a regular thing – and it shows. The combination works so well. Confortini is in safe hands, even though they are pretty busy skating up and down the keyboard while also conducting the band. All the while Clemens is having the time of his life. Passion rules the show.

The evening opens with the title theme from ‘Grease’. A crowd-pleasing choice and one that thrusts the saxophones, trumpets and trombones to the fore. Like the lyrics from another of the film’s songs, ‘it’s electrifying’. Confortini’s vocals are a bit lost in the mix, but as the evening moves through its eclectic setlist, her voice rises and dips as it surfs on the glorious waves of sound. Via a burst of Latin rhythms, we are next treated to a sultry ‘Goldfinger’, before one of Clemens’ own compositions that could have been written for Confortini herself. But then we are back in the film world with the sumptuous ‘You’re My World’ from ‘Last Night in Soho’, shifting from the minor to the major keys with its swaying glissandos. Clemens precedes many of the numbers with some light-hearted banter about the film in question (every film appears to be his favourite!). At one point, video footage accompanies the instrumental breaks. Francesca sits in the audience to watch a scene from the De Niro classic ‘Taxi Driver’ while Brian and the boys weave their magic – all muted trumpets and tender woodwind.

The quieter moments allow the full expression of Confortini’s voice to truly cut through. A smoky, jazzy ‘Moon River’ gently meanders away from the written melody, while the second act opens with just her and Clemens on piano. Again, we barely notice her entrance, until the piano chords seductively guide her into a stirring, stripped-back rendition of ‘Over the Rainbow’. The band then return, and we’re back into the full swing – sweeping through some great films and even greater songs. ‘It’s a Fine Life’ from ‘Oliver!’ is given a complete makeover with Clemens’ big band arrangement, and the evening reaches new heights with Confortini’s belting ‘Skyfall’ (which, if not the sky, threatens to bring the venue’s roof falling to the ground).

As we near the end of the set, we veer away from the movies with a medley of Beatles and Temptations (‘Get Back’ and ‘Get Ready’). Confortini surprises us with some virtuosic scatting, duelling with the trumpet. The audience is on their feet now. There is a slight dip for the first encore with the old wedding favourite ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, but we are swiftly back on track with ‘Route 66’. Clemens is pounding the keys, Confortini is on fire now and the band look like they want to carry on all night.

The gig ends on a high. We’ve had a whistle-stop tour of the movie world, but more crucially a whirlwind ride through the music world. Jazz, blues, musical theatre, pop, gypsy, Latin, torch songs, foot tappers and more. Francesca Confortini takes a little while to warm up, but when she gets there, she scorches. Brian Clemens is her perfect accompanist: pianist, arranger and bandleader extraordinaire. But the ovation is for the whole band too. A great night of music, movies and magic.

A ROLE TO DIE FOR

Marylebone Theatre

★★★★

“A wonderful mix – but guilty of being shaken and stirred, which upsets the balance slightly”

Sean Connery is centre stage, flanked by Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore. Downstage right, Daniel Craig gazes moodily out into the audience while, stage left, Timothy Dalton does the same but with a more sardonic twinkle in his eye. All of them are brandishing a semi-automatic Beretta. Alas, they are just portraits on the walls of the office of Deborah, the fictitious head of the James Bond franchise. But there lies the catch – they are the only real-life characters in an otherwise fabricated comedy-drama, and are constantly referred to. The juxtaposition doesn’t always work, but what it does do is lure the story dangerously close to the truth. Writer Jordan Waller claims that he has chosen not to base his play, “A Role to Die For”, on real life people in order to be ‘unencumbered by facts’. Whilst he might have succeeded (from the libel lawyers’ perspective at least), there is no disguising the protagonists.

Who will be the next James Bond? Back in real life, speculation is rife. In the play, Deborah (Tanya Franks) is just about to announce Daniel Craig’s successor to the baying public, aided and abetted by her cousin side-kick Malcolm (Philip Bretherton). Deborah’s son, Quinn (Harry Goodson-Bevan) is one step ahead and sufficiently entrenched in the new way of thinking to foresee the impending scandal/disaster/farce* (*delete as appropriate). It is a family affair, and Waller brilliantly explores the dynamics of this high-powered dynasty. Deborah (even the name rhymes and scans with her factual counterpart) shares the Bond legacy with Malcolm, inherited from her father – a legacy she seems determined to pass down to her gay, vegan son who brandishes an ‘eat-the-rich’ slogan on his t-shirt.

On the eve of the big announcement, the star lined up to be the new Bond pulls out (cue some double-entendres). It has emerged that he has been a naughty boy. A predator (‘isn’t that a dinosaur?’ asks Malcolm) of girls, many of them on the younger side (where have we heard that recently?). The question of who the emergency replacement will be kicks up the other, more pertinent, question of how Bond can adapt to modern day values. The play throws the issues around in a wonderfully structured way, drawing laughs from the audience on practically every other line. Yes, the debate might be tried and tested, but the stream of witty one-liners and acute character observation have us grinning from ear to ear throughout.

Franks is simply terrific as Barbara (sorry… Deborah – easy mistake). Full of spunk (don’t blame me – I’m just getting into the spirit of the play), she portrays a woman with a man’s ability to spout profanities, but a woman’s ability to use them to greater effect. Ruthless but vulnerable, Franks rises above her quips and soundbites to give Deborah a quite human quality, especially during the more introspective second act. Goodson-Bevan, as the ‘distinctly mediocre nepo-baby’ is far from mediocre in his depiction of a guy torn between social awareness and family loyalty. Bretherton’s Malcolm is hilariously old school. Less calculating, more pragmatic but equally ruthless despite being accused of being a ‘dithering old timer’. Enter Theo, one of two candidates for the role of Bond, who trashes every stereotype you can think of. Obioma Ugoala shines as the well-spoken, well heeled, Cambridge educated actor on whose shoulders the success of the movie franchise rests. Or does it?

Things don’t necessarily go to plan. Set mainly in the head office, with a brief visit to the casting room courtesy of Cory Shipp’s shifting backdrops, the action moves forward at a pace that borders on farce yet is more grounded in pure comedy. Director Derek Bond (no relation) rightly allows little time for the actors to milk the jokes, which enriches the text’s naturalism and flow. Politics, finance, sexuality, race, diversity, media scrutiny, back-stabbing, trolling, integrity, are all scrutinised but the sheer ambition of the content means that the surface is scratched without getting too deep. Nevertheless, it is scathing of the bygone era of film making, but strangely nostalgic too. It is equally mocking of the new climate, but simultaneously respectful. A feat of juggling that writer and performers seem to pull off without dropping the ball. Even when tripping over the occasional cliché.

“A Role to Die For” is sharp, cutting and satirical. Sometimes shocking, nearly always extremely funny. A wonderful mix – but guilty of being shaken and stirred, which upsets the balance slightly. We occasionally wince, but it does go down exceedingly well, and comes with a real kick. Cue the ‘dum di-di dum dum’ guitar riff.

SONGS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

Bush Hall

★★★★

“A great night of music, movies and magic”

SONGS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

Bush Hall followed by various dates around the UK

Reviewed on 1st August 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Robert Leslie

Top show reviews from July 2025:

SONGS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

SONGS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

SONGS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

A ROLE TO DIE FOR

Marylebone Theatre

★★★★

“A wonderful mix – but guilty of being shaken and stirred, which upsets the balance slightly”

A ROLE TO DIE FOR

Marylebone Theatre

Reviewed on 31st July 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Steve Gregson

Previously reviewed at this venue:

A ROLE TO DIE FOR

A ROLE TO DIE FOR

A ROLE TO DIE FOR

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