Review of ‘Stiletto’: “Unneutered talent flaunts promising jewells”

The Charing Cross Theatre hosts the world premiere of this period musical revolving around the castrati singers. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know how the piece has done after being put to the testes.

They had the balls to do it. It took roughly 40 years (and a few cuts here and there, I presume), but they made it happen. It’s finally onstage: a show set in 1700s Venice starring the now long-gone castrati singers. It’s not a subject any opera connoisseur is unfamiliar with. As a matter of fact, even musical theatre has regaled us with a few hints of this particular, and massively revered in its time, type of singing – you would be such a forget-me-mary if you didn’t remember any of those sunshine moments…

But hardly any previous pieces (at least, in the mainstream circuit) have explored this topic in such a bold way. There’s nothing new about its approach, though. In all honesty, the way it’s been bred makes it, in appearance, a relative of Michael Kunze’s brand: an grand historical melodrama verging on the camp and counting on those big, bombastic numbers that characterized the 80s-90s megamusical formula.

This is no large-scale production, however – at least, not in terms of staging. There’s basically one set, with a few props effectively moved around to create the different ambiances. Its Gothic, almost ethereal lighting helps finish up the illusion rather successfully. And though it doesn’t feature any further additions, the result is actually quite satisfactory – never truly giving us the feeling of a lack of resources.

With music and lyrics of Matthew Wilder, the score is a fair reflection of his previous endeavours – not standing for repetitiveness, but of preservation of his own identity as a composer. It’s packed with tremendously enjoyable, carefully honed, and extremely memorable tunes from start to finish, combining his pop-rock background with a Vivaldi-inspired flavour – leading to this solid and incredibly tasteful mixture that provides the show with such an unique sound and character.

Superbly orchestrated by Simon Nathan, evenly blending the strengths of both genres, the songs serve the narrative adequately for most of the time. Yet, we do find a couple of tunes that seem slightly out of place in regards to the pacing and structure – in both cases, a bit too intense for the topic and segment of the plot they are dealing with; at least, in the way they are cued up.

Simultaneously, the opening is not as polished as the rest of the material – introducing us to one of the catchiest themes in the entire repertoire, but put together with insufficient robustness from a storytelling perspective. It’s also worth mentioning that its reprise at the end looks totally unnecessary, with the preceding performance (an enthralling duet consolidating the artistic and romantic relationship between the protagonist and his love interest) feeling much more poignant and adequate for the account’s conclusion.

The lyrics, on the other hand, manage to depict the personages’ journey quite efficiently, but a few lines could benefit from some more subtlety – while the prosody in some verses requires some extra tweaking. But in any case, we can confidently say that the score is an absolute standout – exuding such degree of beauty and melodiousness, it comes as a total blessing to the entire London scene; particularly, in an era where so many musicals are absent not only of an earwormy quality, but that transcendent energy that used to make a night at the theatre so utterly magical.

The work, as a whole, is still a few steps away from its definite shape, nonetheless. Some re-writings in the storyline are mandatory for the piece to fully spread its wings. Though the recount is properly outlined, the overall vibe is that the action moves too fast – with several roles not being given enough introspection, and in need of a more evolved arc to connect with and hold significance to the viewer.

Yet, these flaws can be forgiven through some exquisite renditions by a generally excellent cast. With most of the company boasting remarkable vocal skills, the main praise goes to Douglas Hansell and Greg Barnett as Faustino and Pietro, respectively – both endowing their parts (I’m aware of what I’ve just done…) with allure and presence. Another mention is earned by Jennie Jacobs as the Mezzosoprano – displaying great technical command in her delivery, combined with a delicate take and deep sensitivity.

It would be bollocks to call this show a disappointment. Those who came with no expectations surely were pleasantly surprised. But that should probably apply to those with tougher demands, too. Though several elements must be taken care of, Stiletto is, in a nutshell, a triumphant concept for a new musical – with a vigorous development to be supported by. A better handling of some of its attributes will allow the piece to accomplish the resonance it’s bound to have – and prevent any portion of its gravitas from being emasculated. It’s definitely not a sterile musical. And so, those few corrections will guarantee it finally hits the right chord – and subsequently ends up on the highest note.

Read our interview with the show’s composer, Matthew Wilder, here! And our interview with the director, David Gilmore, on this link.

All pictures credit to Johan Persson.

Stiletto plays at London’s Charing Cross Theatre until 14 June. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara