Issy Cory
History tells us that Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were fierce rivals. Whilst they were always FIERCE, they weren’t always rivals… In this rambunctious renaissance musical, we turn the clock back to see where Mike and Leo really began.
Terrified at the prospect of being condemned to hell for their homosexuality, Mike and Leo decide to get in the Pope’s good books. But how, you ask? By becoming the best Renaissance artistes of all time. Duh! As their careers progress, their friendship gets put to the test, growing further apart as the years pass by.
The entertainment does not let up for a second. You think you’re done laughing, nay, screaming, at the last hysterical song when another banger begins to play. The performers do nothing but serve for sixty minutes, and the audience are lapping up every drop.
Pop Off, Michelangelo! is supported by a fantastic plot. Mike and Leo’s relationship turns from familial to feud in a beautiful arc. Their rapport with one another onstage is pure magic.
This is lyricism at its most fabulous. It is just the right amount of salacious, ridiculous, devious and daring, all combined to make one powerful potion. Pop-culture references are aplenty, and the audience cannot get enough of it.
Portable columns adorn the stage, also functioning as a home for multiple props. This clever design helps to transform the space from scene to scene with little effort, meaning we’re never distracted from the action.
Each character has been perfectly distilled to their greatest selves. The Pope is hilariously camp, hugely brash and we delight every time he enters on stage with his menthol vape. Salaì is sweet and genuine, portraying the typical emo-boy turned Mona Lisa model.
Pop Off, Michelangelo! is a masterclass in how to execute a story whilst staying true to its form. It is clear that every element of the production has been chiselled to perfection, making it slick and professional.
This musical is giving… EXTRAVAGANZA!
Recommended Drink: Chianti.
You can catch Pop Off, Michelangelo! at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Big Yin from Aug 20-21, 24-25 at 15:35. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Jake Mace
