Based on one of Grimm’s lesser known fairytales, Godfather Death is a hidden gem and a must-see this Fringe. It is such a great musical that it would be a crime against art if this is the last we see of it. Death may be the great equaliser, but life would only be made the more unfair if we are denied at least a cast recording of the beautiful melodies that make up Jack and Finlay Avison’s score.
I have never left a musical in higher spirits
The story that starts with a divine wager between Death (Andrew Lodge), the Devil and God (Aila Swan), which leads to Death becoming the godfather to the thirteenth child of a poor baker and his wife (Iona Stewart). Disenchanted with what his godfather has shown him, the child becomes a Physician (Jack Mailer) aiming to stop Death in its tracks.
The Avison brothers have created such an enthralling musical. It’s just indescribable how absolutely hypnotising the score is; it’s the kind of music that you’d listen to on repeat and keep finding new ways to appreciate the songs as they dispel monumental truths about life, death and the human experience but manage to bring a new light to these eternal truths and communicate them in a way that excites us despite the heaviness of the subject matter. The harmonies in this musical are beautiful, especially when they linger at the edge of a ballad, and create a haunting undercurrent that leads us to imagine and consider how the lyrics then apply to each individual character. A great example of the genius and tongue in cheek gallows humour within this show can be exemplified by the Avison brothers calling a song Everybody Dies and then making it a big jazz number; inspiring in the energy high that it gives us and the slight cognitive dissonance that occurs considering the subject matter.
Finlay Avison’s staging uses the small space incredibly creatively and centers Death as a witness and sometime audience member, reinforcing the ‘silent onlooker’ role that the entity plays. The space that the cast have is used economically and there are no unnecessary or extra movements; each little step or placing has a purpose or effect – dramatic or comedic depending on the moment. The design for this show is incredibly simplistic, but like the staging, nothing seems superfluous – most likely due to the size of the venue – but the simplicity increases just how much every indiviudal prop and costume piece mean.
The cast are truly astonishing in the talent that they show throughout the hour. With so few of them, we can really see how talented each individual is. Every cast member apart from Lodge plays more than one character, and although we are provided with material indications and clues that their character has changed or that time has passed, even without these aids, we can tell; they truly make sure to separate the entities that they inhabit. Lodge’s Death is a snarky but reliable narrator; you can trust him to tell you the truth even if you might not like it, and Lodge palys to this comic grimness. He’s a constant presence, but that’s the point. Lodge communicates constantly with us in his performance, even when he isn’t speaking, through his mannerisms and micro expressions. He makes Death a very likable and empathetic character whilst shifting to the complte opposite when the moment calls for it. Mailer and Swan make a great comedy double act as the Devil and God and their banter in these roles is incredibly amusing. The emotion on Mailer’s face and voice in Let You Down brings with it a slight heartache because the sheer helplessness that he voices becomes incredibly personal in such an intimate setting; all of this relayed with a voice that seems intent on breaking through the walls of the venue. Swan really takes the saying 'there's no small role' in stride, as she gives a larger than life performance in her role, taaking whatever opportunity that presents itself to play up the comedy and overexaggeration of a role. Stewart kicks off the show with Thirteenth Child, and she displays such a raw power that it sets the tone and the high standard of performance that carries on throughout the rest of the musical. The cast are just brilliant, hopefully we’ll see a lot more of their talents going forward.
Despite the subject matter, I have never left a musical in higher spirits, probably from the excitement that I feel thining about this musical’s potential. It ticks every box of a great musical and beyond. It’s hard to think of what else Godfather Death: The Musical needs, for it’s perfect as it is, but it’s hard not to imagine just what it could be and achieve given a bigger stage. Everyone needs to see this show.
