Brash, bonkers, brutish, Trump The Musical is not for the faint-hearted. Though the puckered-lipped, comically squinting Don should appear to be a melodramatic caricature, the characterisation of the world’s leaders in this production are sadly, not too far from the truth. But who can be downtrodden when there’s a musical love triangle between Trump, Putin, and King Nigel Farage on stage?
The actors’ performance by itself would be deserving of five stars, if not purely for the musical number ‘Rootin’ for Putin’; the actor playing the vodka-swigging Russian leader is hilarity personified, with a despondent longing for disloyal Donald. A touch of meta-theatrical genius is at play here, as the silent background pianist reveals himself to be Sergei, personal assistant to Vladimir Putin. Putin is not the only dictator to be given a makeover, with Kim-Jong Un bursting onto stage, lapping up the audience’s applause, mildly irked at the fact that it was another Kim (‘Not Kim Kardashian!’) that broke the internet.
In a comedy scene filled to the brim with Trump impressions, the standard for taking on ‘The Donald’ is extremely high, and at times the accent and facial expressions seem a little hankered, though they are consistently funny. The reluctant yet stoic loyalty of his ‘823rd Press Secretary’ is equally hilarious, providing an insight into how American attitudes have led to their government taking the lead in tonight’s comedy of errors.
A word of warning, though: if you are looking for a pure musical comedy, be wary, as many of the tropes you’d think of as dramatic license would not be out of place in a true-life drama. British foreign policy being having no foreigners? Perhaps a little too close to home. But all predictability vanishes with how the show culminates – one of the most bizarre feats many will ever see on stage. With a villainous number titled ‘You Can’t Trust The People With Democracy’, Trump The Musical explodes in near-nudity and a coup that, though disappointingly not fully carried out, would rival that of Inglourious Basterds.
In a Fringe rife with ill-timed politician appearances, Trump The Musical is current, brilliant political sacrilege from start to finish and comes highly recommended.
Trump the Musical is on at Gilded Balloon – Patter Hoose
At 21:15 until 26th August
Book tickets here
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