MUSIK, Leicester Square Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until March 1, 2020


This hilarious one woman show is a retrospective of the life of Billie Trix who has inserted herself into the worlds of music, art and politics across several decades. With a stunning lack of self-insight and a self-confidence that can only be measured in light years, Billie is a wonderful creation who shares her experiences of celebrity in one of the best parodies since This Is Spinal Tap. It is not accidental that Billie is discovered by Andy Warhol who once famously opined that in the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes. Frances Barber is simply incredible as the name-dropping, no-talent Billie whose lifestyle and art wonderfully trace the emergence of the cult of celebrity from the 1960's to its current apogee. But even as Barber creates her hilarious alter ego in this evening of cabaret, she also manages to make us share Billie's illusions, or delusions! With the help of some great tunes from Pet Shop Boys we start to clap along and embrace this artist wannabe. And behind all the fun at Billie's expense, Barber also succeeds in imbuing her with a humanity that makes us realise that beneath her substance abuse and the fantasy there is a survivor who has relished her life. Thanks to Barber's amazingly nuanced performance of a character without nuance, Billie becomes oddly inspiring: "You've got to live your life for every moment..." This is an 'artist' you need to meet and a performance you shouldn't miss.

 Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Marc Brenner.
 Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆☆ 

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 WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until March 1, 2020
Various show times available (see website below)
Leicester Square Theatre
Nearest tube: Leicester Square
https://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873609192
Map & Location: 6 Leicester Pl, London WC2H 7BX, UK

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