Waterloo East Theatre – until 21st October 2018
4****
Reviwed by Elizabeth J Smith
From the opening bars of Muses on a Mission, (the next big thing), I had a feeling of Déjà vu.
The musical is about a young man, Trevor, who isn’t very confident and can’t tell the love of his life how he feels, he just dreams of her while staring at the back of her head in the office. He has ambitions of becoming a famous author, to win over his love and live happily ever after. But, he has no imagination for writing and spends his time researching how to. He is sent three celestial muses to help and inspire him to finish a novel so they can graduate Muse school and move on to greater things in the heavens. However, as they seem unable to motivate his imagination they decide to recite an incantation, put a spell on him. But, as a good, well intentioned spell, it goes wrong and conjures up the devil incarnate, Liberty. The drag Queen who wants her story told, just as she likes it. With offers of greatness to the author of her story, Trevor is seduced by the promise of money, success and love. But as his wishes come true the consequences of how they are given leave a very different ending than he ever expected. Can he
turn things around and save the love of his life, send the muses of to graduate and kill off Liberty and her wicked ways?
The story reminded me of Little Shop of Horrors and the music had a similar ring to it, as did the muses telling the story as we move forward.
However I loved it.
William Hazell, as Trevor, was nerdy, shy, a bit useless. He didn’t have the best singing voice but he carried it off.
Dereck Walker, Liberty, had a feel of an over bearing land lady, turning on the charm or bullying to achieve her goal. Loved the one liners and facial expressions that weren’t lost in such a cosy space as the Waterloo East theatre.
The three muses, Georgie Faith, Ute, Chloe Rice, Callie, and Emma Scott, Thalia all played they characters with exuberance depicting their chosen fields, romance, poetry and comedy, with passion and humour.
The tunes were catchy and you could follow every word, so never missing the great one liners hidden in the lyrics. “Revenge” was a show stopping big number and I could imagine it on a much larger, grander scale.
With the addition of a free programme and a Ferrero Rocher chocolate I can highly recommend a great night out.