During the interval I was recollecting overhearing someone in the early 80’s in The City being asked why he drank champagne when he clearly didn’t like it and his answer was ‘because I can’. That’s what I hated about the 80’s. Greed. Consumerism. Superficiality. Materialism. Self-interest. Yuppies. Thatcherism. Most of all I hated the music – electronic mush. So, a black comedy musical thriller which satirises this decade? Yes please!
Patrick Bateman is a great creation, almost everything you hate in one body. Wall Street job. Designer everything. Self-obsessed. Power-crazed. Misogynist. His envy of someone with access to a table he can’t get at the latest restaurant sends him into a rage. Being mistaken for someone else by Mr. Cool is unforgivable. Embarking on a series of gruesome murders is a bit implausible though, but hey this is allegory isn’t it? All of the other characters are brilliant period creations too, yet quite a few are recognisable stereotypes 30 or so years on, a few in the audience as it happens!
No-one could create this world as well as Rupert Goold, with imagination, chutzpah and just the right amount of excess; his staging is masterly. Es Devlin has designed a brilliant white box which allows for smooth scene changes, with twin revolves and a couple of traps and onto which images and designs are projected. Katrina Lindsay’s authentic period costumes are wonderful and even Lynne Page’s witty choreography manages to capture the period. It’s a very clever idea to include a handful of actual 80’s songs in Duncan Sheik’s score, itself a parody of the period and lyrically strong.
Matt Smith doesn’t have a great voice, bit it’s good enough for a psychopath! His acting is great though; manic enough but restrained enough too. In an excellent supporting cast, Susannah Fielding is superb as Bateman’s fiancée, as is Cassandra Compton as his PA. As an ensemble, they are very slick and well-drilled – as is the production as a whole, in fact.
If you haven’t already booked, you’ll probably have to wait for the inevitable West End transfer. The only question is – will this be before or after Broadway?!
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