★★★★

“Jack Chambers’ Mozart movingly shows every single hope, fear and regret”

Saving Mozart by Charli Eglinton bursts onto the stage, bringing Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart and his complex family dynamics to life and bang up to date. Though like Mozart’s actual career, it gets a little lost at points.

A modern musical about the man behind the mastery, Saving Mozart explores the complex relationships that challenge and drive him. The close bond with his equally prodigious sister Nannerl is shaken; his taskmaster father prioritises success and society over his children; his protective mother (spoiler alert) dies too soon; his rival Salieri both guides and gets in the way, and his ambitious wife Constanze pushes him on when all seems lost.

Eglinton’s writing injects humanity into the story, showing us the struggles and successes inside Mozart’s troubled mind. Satisfyingly, the women in his life are credited as the real reasons for his success. That said, the plot suffers from trying to do too much, charting his itinerant career and several complex relationships and exploring themes that sometimes go nowhere. Between that and a score bursting with songs, the core of the piece gets a little lost. This isn’t helped by some character inconsistencies. The father, Leopold, lacks a coherent character arc, instead flipping between unforgiving stage dad and regretful father figure. Salieri seems to go out of his way to hamper Mozart’s career before abruptly making amends. Even Nannerl, who dotes on Mozart in Act 1, sides entirely with her father in Act 2 despite him scuppering her life’s happiness. Even if this is what happened in real life it could be more nuanced, perhaps through more dialogue.

Eglinton’s score is fantastic, cleverly weaving in fragments of Mozart’s music and completely reinventing them within a very modern sound drawing on pop, rock, blues and even Michael Bublé. There are some very catchy songs, such as the virtuosic opening number ‘Remember Me’; devastating songs, such as the mother’s soulful ‘He’s Only a Child’; and high energy ensemble songs, such as ‘Stand Up Stand Down’. Though again, the score feels a little full and perhaps could be refined to create some breathing space.

Co-directed by Taylor Walker and Markus Olzinger, the piece is emotionally charged from the off. Mozart narrates his life as the only character breaking the fourth wall, drawing you into his troubled mind from the beginning. He also shadows his younger self, deepening the poignancy of these formative moments.

The cast is stunning. Jack Chambers’ Mozart movingly shows every single hope, fear and regret while delivering soaring yet raw vocals. Aimie Atkinson’s Nannerl exudes brilliance, wit, affection and frustration with equally nuanced vocals. Jordan Luke Gage’s smouldering Salieri absolutely sizzles with knowing cynicism and a voice to die for. Gloria Onitiri’s Anna Maria Mozart is devastatingly soulful. Izzie Monk absolutely holds her own as Little Mozart, with the stage presence and singing capability of a much older actor. The ensemble brings the energy and nails Walker’s choreography, executing a range of styles with precision and prowess, though would benefit from a bit more space. The musicians and musical direction by Robert Wicks are also fantastic, bringing the score to life with biting precision and virtuosic skill.

Justin Williams’ set design is modern and monochrome, with a big white ‘M’ dominating more familiar elements of the otherwise minimalist set (much like Mozart himself). Julia Pschedezki and Lucy K. Crew’s costumes bring haute couture to the stage, elevating 18th century ruffs and frills with enviable silhouettes and styles. This contrasts with 18th century style wigs and hair (Renate Harter) which are beautiful and complex. Sound design (Tom Marshall) is spot on, blending seamlessly with the score. Lighting design (Ben Jacobs) is at points as iconic as the action on stage.

Based on writing alone, I’m not sure if Saving Mozart achieves its aim; but the cast, score, choreography, design and direction more than make up for it in this sizzling, foot tapping, bass thumping musical that will make audiences fall in love with Mozart all over again.

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.

SAVING MOZART

The Other Palace

★★★★

“Jack Chambers’ Mozart movingly shows every single hope, fear and regret”

SAVING MOZART

The Other Palace

Reviewed on 5th August 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Danny Kaan

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Saving Mozart

Saving Mozart

Saving Mozart

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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