CABARET – Musik at Assembly Rooms Bijou

BY MICHAEL RUSSELL

[star rating = 3/5]

MULTI award-winning actress Frances Barber, booms out to the audience in a slightly aggressive and very much in-your-face style as she stars as Billie Trix in Musik.  

This 50 minute high energy performance is set within a circus tent in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.

The cabaret written by Jonathan Harvey with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys (PSB) includes four new songs written especially for the show.

18 years after Barber’s stunning performance in “Closer to Heaven” the same team collaborated to produce this outrageous one woman show.

Madam Trix takes us on a high-octane journey through her history recalling tales from her extremely colourful life story, including her time as a film star; as she reels off her hits.  

She recounts her history of narcotics having tried everything and proudly states “you name it, I’ve done them all”.  She is brash, loud and uncompromising and makes you feel uncomfortable in her presence; particularly in such a small environment.  

With great music and vocals you are sat up in your seat as you never know where the story may go next. This is powerful theatre and with Barber as Billie it will leave you gobsmacked.

The PSB songs are cleverly woven into the narrative with her vivid imagination. We are reintroduced to the Billie Trix theme song “Friendly Fire” from the original show plus five others with the trademark of the PSB disco/techno brand.

The writing, songs and performance of Barber will keep you mesmerised with this runaway success of a cabaret show. 

Be sure to get in early for this show as the seats in the outer circle can have slightly restricted views due to the tent poles.

This show is selling fast so be quick to catch it during it’s premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 24 August 2019, as you won’t want to wait almost 20 years for the next instalment.

Thoroughly entertaining and slightly intimidating, please don’t stop the Musik!