Cast: Ross Williams, Michael Vinsen, Jodie Steele, Molly Stewart
Written by: Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo
Directed by: Paul Taylor-Mills
Synopsis: Bare is the story of two gay high school students Peter (Michael Vinsen) and Jason (Ross WIlliams) and their struggles at a Catholic boarding school. Both boys have contrasting views on how to deal with their relationship, with Peter wanting to tell the world and Jason desperately wanting to “fit in” with the rest of the students at the school, and turn his back on who he truly is.
Bare has an engaging storyline that explores controversial themes such as sexuality, religion and identity. The roles of Peter, Jason, Jason’s female love interest Ivy (Jodie Steele) and his sister Nadia (Molly Stewart) were all acted well by experienced stage actors, but it’s a shame that the supporting cast members lacked the performing skills of their colleagues. In one scene a student embarrassingly starts rapping which made for uncomfortable viewing.
Also, this is misleadingly described as a musical. It is a ‘pop opera’. If you study the differences in the storylines between Bare the Musical and Bare the Pop Opera, then this is most definitely the latter. There is hardly any non-sung dialogue, which can be quite off putting and distracting depending on personal taste. Furthermore, the constant singing coupled with the bad sound in Greenwich Theatre meant that the ending was not made clear. The storyline was fairly cliché up until the last few minutes (no spoilers here), and it wasn’t made apparent whether this traumatic event in the last moments of the performance was accidental or on purpose.
The main actors smash the musical numbers that are sadly in themselves sub-par for such a talented bunch. The songs aren’t memorable and because there are so many of them (35), they all merge into one. Although, there was a standout in the second act where the virgin Mary appears in the form as a singing black woman (Peter remarks ‘Diana Ross?!’), with back up singers discussing the night of Jesus’ birth.
It’s a shame the musical numbers and cringe-worthy supporting cast let the performance down. Maybe go see The Book of Mormon if you want to see a religiously shocking spectacular show.
Bare is on at the Greenwich Theatre until 27th October.
