In the spirit of a daring tabloid headline, the historic Grade II listed Theatre Royal recently played host to “TONY!” – a rock opera that charts the life and times of one of Labour’s most successful leaders.
The brainchild of Harry Hill and Steve Brown, the show transforms Blair’s political odyssey into a side-splittingly absurd spectacle.
Jack Whittle, with his spot-on impersonation of Blair, complete with that infamous rictus grin, guides the audience through a whimsical tour of British political history.
However, “TONY!” is far from being a one-man spectacle. Its brilliance lies in the outlandishly caricatured performances of Emma Jay Thomas's Princess Diana, Howard Samuels’ Peter Mandelson, and Tori Burgess’s Cherie Blair, among others.
While some of these political pantomimes may have flown over the heads of younger attendees (myself included, as I was just a toddler when Blair first took power), they surely stirred chuckles among those who caught the references.
The show’s standout moments are numerous, including Phil Sealy’s Groucho Marx-ified Saddam Hussein belting out “Never Done Anything Wrong”.
I also enjoyed the dubiously amusing “Kill the Infidel”, which had the audience visibly restraining themselves from knee-slapping due to the questionable subject matter, even if they did applaud at the end.
The theatre’s content warning sign deserves a mention too, citing 'flashing lights', 'smoke', and 'references to 9/11', yet sidestepping 'The Iraq War'.
But fear not, the latter is indeed included in the performance and, interestingly, provides one of the few sobering moments in the otherwise ceaseless comedy.
“Tony!” serves as a stark reminder of the theatre of the absurd that politics can often be, where faces change but the narrative hauntingly echoes past follies.
Despite the show's focus on the political shenanigans of the late 90s and early noughties, the timeless relevance of the production lies in its stark examination of the corrupting influence of power.
It tracks the metamorphosis of Blair from peace-loving hippie to vilified warmonger, revealing our own complicity in creating this Frankenstein’s monster through our electoral choices.
The final anthem, “The Whole World is Run by Assholes”, might as well be the political mantra for all generations, ringing true across borders and administrations.
A word to the wise: If you’d rather avoid an unexpected shower of carrots, steer clear of the front rows.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel