A powerful performance which takes the notion that ‘life is a cabaret’ to a whole new level Summary
Rating
Good!
In the book The Cabaret by Lisa Appignanesi, cabaret is described as being ‘a crucially reflective mirror of topical elements, morals, politics and culture.’ Bombshell is the very embodiment of this.
Through a cabaret-style performance, the production tells a tale within a tale of three showgirls, Scarlett (Madison Mayer), Jane (Aila Swan) and Eliza (Emory Kemph), who perform eco-friendly cabaret acts at Club Fistfight. But, in spite of their activism efforts, the club is closing, and for their last performance, the performers convey the story of Scarlett and her relationship with Tony, who seems to be a charming environmentalist, but has rather questionable actions.
The stage appears to be run down, giving the impression that Club Fistfight has been struggling for a long time and is clearly doomed: the relationship between Scarlett and Tony is then a reflection of the state of the club. It’s a nightclub with environmentally conscious themes, which may seem like a good idea in theory, but in practice, is very difficult to uphold. Equally, a relationship between a fervent environmentalist and an eco-friendly showgirl may seem like a dream come true, but Scarlett and Tony soon realise that it takes more than shared opinions about the environment to make their relationship work.
Bombshell is creatively woven with brilliant singing and dance numbers, which are delightfully laced with humour, along with witty dialogue that has the occasional silly joke thrown in. Lines such as, “You can’t spell revolution without you and I” keep the audience in good spirits as light relief amongst some controversial subject matters and an overall theme of ‘How much is too much when it comes to saving the environment?’
The lighting design works sympathetically with the story, helping to add extra elements and define atmospheres. For instance, when Scarlett sings her final number, both she and the entire set are saturated in a striking red light, which assists in conveying her feelings as she makes a final extreme decision. Bombshell advertises itself as a performance “about how far we’ll go for love, of each other, and of our planet, and who is really responsible for the end of the world.” This point is made clear through the artful use of the cabaret art form as Appignanesi defines it – the play does indeed mirror topical elements, morals, politics and culture. Revealing these elements to be actively at the core of this very human story can only mean life itself must truly… be a cabaret, my friends.
Written by Madison Mayer
Directed by Emory Kemph
Composed by Aila Swan
Bombshell has completed its performance at The New Wimbledon Studio,
but is heading to the Edinburgh Festival in August 2025.
