“Is this show a legal minefield? Yes, it is, but here we go!”
Written by comedy duo Flo & Joan and directed by Georgie Straight, One Man Musical has quite the simple description - an “original one-man musical about a very renowned gentleman.” This isn’t going to be a one man musical about just any ordinary man. Instead, we’re going to be taking a peek into the mind of one of the world’s most (in)famous musical theatre giants - Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, portrayed by George Fouraces.
As one quickly realises by the sheer number of references to meetings with lawyers and Lloyd Webber describing himself as having a “notorious thirst for vengeance,” this isn’t going to be putting the Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter in a very nice light. As he believes it’s a one-man show, Lloyd Webber is horrified to find Flo & Joan on stage along with him, calling them “slugs” and proclaiming that he believes the orchestra should be kept in the pit like orcs.
There are so many quick and fantastic one-liners throughout the show that really add to its musical cleverness. Some of my favourites included several jabs at Margaret Thatcher, Lloyd Webber’s wives being referred to as Sarahs #1, #2 and #3 and Tim Rice being portrayed as an actual bag of rice on a chair. There are also quite a few references to a frozen pork chop, but, as the composer says, “More about that later.”
Some jokes must have been added during the run as they are references to events that have happened quite recently. While changing costumes off-stage, Fouracres mentions how he’s “holding space,” a reference to a recent joke about the Wicked movie press tour. Several actresses who have worked with Lloyd Webber in the past are referred to as “gorgeous fascists,” including one who just recently revealed herself as a Trump supporter.
In order to endear himself to the people, ALW takes some advice from TikTok comedians and does some crowdwork, though it’s not as improvised as one might expect, with the man pulling out index cards from his pocket and muttering reminders to himself about the rehearsals he has done. But, even with all this work, only one question is asked of each audience member Lloyd Webber interacts with - their name, which leads to the man then going on a long tangent on the history of the name (he did study history for a term at Oxford!). Flo and Joan are cracking up in the background, leaning over their instruments and watching Fouracres in awe as he rambles.
An unexpected highlight of the show actually comes from a moment in which there was a technical error, when Fouracres’ microphone was giving off feedback. At first, he simply brushes it off, thinking that only he is able to hear the buzzing, trying to continue with the show. But, when the tech comes running on stage with a new microphone, Fouracres realises that everyone can hear it. While some may have stopped the show for a few minutes, Fouracres instead continues doing his hilarious crowdwork, asking audience members in the front row for their names and going on long-winded tangents. Once the microphone has been fixed, Fouracres takes a quick pause, comments, “Some of my nightmares look a bit like that,” and moves on with the show.
Just as it seems the show is starting to end, the mysterious “Fantom” (specifically with an “F”) reveals that there is more to the story than what Lloyd Webber wants to tell, leading to a dramatic moment. This brings us to the more emotional aspect of the show - though it is still comedy! Fouracres is absolutely brilliant in all aspects of the role, truly embodying the character created by Flo & Jo and performing with ease. I could have watched him perform for hours as Andrew Lloyd Webber, even if it was just him improvising based on names alone!
But, even with all of the jokes made at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s expense, there are also some more sombre moments toward the end that remind us that while we take pleasure in making fun of the man, he truly did change the world of musical theatre and has left an impact that will go on long after he’s gone - though maybe not as far as he dreams in the this show, with people on Mars in the 3000s putting on revivals. There’s a great number about Lin-Manuel Miranda, a name Lloyd Webber struggles to say, leading to some hilarious lines.
Ultimately, One Man Musical is a brilliant “musi-cool” that is able to poke fun at Andrew Lloyd Webber while still acknowledging all of his accomplishments. Flo & Joan have created a fantastic show that is pulled off brilliantly by George Fouracres. Bring on the lawyers - this show is worth the trouble!
One Man Musical runs until 30 November at Soho Theatre.
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