EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2009 - REVIEW: FALSETTOLAND, George Square 2, August 11

William Finn is possibly one of the few composer/lyricists writing for musical theatre to whom the title "genius" can be genuinely applied - and Falsettoland, the third one act piece in his "Marvin" trilogy (after In Trousers and March Of The Falsettos), is arguably his Master Work. The virtually "through sung" Book (co-written by Finn and James Lapine) deals with the story of Marvin, who has left his wife Trina to be with his male lover Whizzer, and highlights the impact  on his teenage son, Jason, who is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. It is a story of joy and heartbreak set during the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and Finn's score projects the story with his accustomed brash humour,  subtlety of emotion and an abundance of heart. And the music is "to die for" - ranging from the hilariously observed "Baseball Song" through one of musical theatre's most truthfully observed and beautiful love songs ("What More Can I say") to the stunningly gorgeous and powerful final duet "What Would I Do?"  

The Sell A Door theatre company production of Falsettoland at the Edinburgh Fringe's George Square 2 venue allows its audience to feast on the sheer brilliance of the show via the cleverness of David Hutchinson and Sally Rapier's direction.  Philip Rowntree gives a heartfelt performance as Marvin, Victoria Hardy (as Charlotte, one of the "lesbians from next door") has a wonderful tone to her vocals, Scott Weston is quite magnificent as Jason and the rest of the small ensemble cast (Paddy Clarke, Sam Thackray, Katie Bernstein and Terri O'Ryan) do a fine job - especially as they are in reality far younger than the characters they are playing.

Falsettoland is a rare gem in the genre of musical theatre - witty, beautifully tuneful and joyously entertaining while also possessing a powerful and heart-wrenching underbelly of text that rips apart the emotions of its audience. And Sell A Door's brave production of  the sadly rarely staged gem is pretty much a "must see" for anyone who is a fan of serious musical theatre.

*****

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