Thirteen Days follows the lives of three lovers, three leaders and three nations during the Cuban Missile Crisis - the closest the world has come to being wiped out by nuclear war - by means of a score that fuses Western, Eastern and Latin musical styles.
The musical premiered as a concert spectacular in Sheffield, and was subsequently staged at the Arcola Theatre, London as the culminating production of its Grimeborn Festival, where the critics raved:
"What Bermange manages to capture beautifully, and what makes this musical so successful, is that this isn't just a dry recounting of history and fact - the songs for both Kennedy and Khrushchev humanise both of the leaders excellently, and adding in crowd pieces gives a wonderful snapshot of public perception during these tense times& The songs are excellent, the themes carried through beautifully as the tension rises, and there are some stand-out crowd numbers, including the wonderful second-act opener This Could Be the Week and the more upbeat Another Day in Havana. The duets and three-part harmonies between the romantic leads are hauntingly successful, as are the torch songs& This is a piece screaming for a full-scale production& Bermange's musical skills are undeniable." - One Stop Arts
"Excellent& leaves you humming some lovely tunes, and moreover is fully thought-provoking& One wishes for a wider audience for musicals that are written with so much sensitivity" - Musicals Online
"The stirring balladry that comes out of songs like Anyone But You and More Than A Memory feels ready to take up residence on a West End stage, as does the storming Act One finale - the mark of many a good musical past& One can well imagine a future for this musical." - The Public Reviews
