Satan Sings Mostly Sondheim review, Jermyn Street Theatre

There is a warning on the literature advertising Satan Sings Mostly Sondheim. It reads: contains no music by Stephen Sondheim and is not endorsed by Stephen Sondheim or anyone who knows him. There are some who struggle with Sondheim's complex tunes and biting lyrics, so it should be noted that the nearest we get to the great man's work in this eccentric skit at the Jermyn Street Theatre, are a couple of loose pastiches of Send In the Clowns from A Little Night Music, and Officer Krupke from West Side Story for which Sondheim wrote the lyrics.

The premise for a very jolly sixty minutes is simple. Satan is born in human form because he wants to star in musical theatre. His arrival, complete with horns, tail and cloven feet, is the death knell for his parents' marriage. Walking out after seeing his son rehearse for A Chorus Line, Satan's father comments that it's 'hardly Sondheim'. After that, it becomes Satan's lifelong dream to create a one man homage to the composer.

We meet Satan aged 50, and his agent, Robert, trying to slalom their way around a series of legal impediments preventing the dream being realised. That's pretty much it really. Will they pull it off? Neither lead sings particularly well, but it's funny - a bit like a good quality, Radio 4, comedy hour recorded in front of a live audience.

In Conclusion: If you enjoy musicals, Satan Sings Mostly Sondheim is a warming diversion written and directed with infectious enthusiasm by Adam Long, who plays Satan. Mark Caven partners as Robert and, in very tight trousers, appeared to be hiding a horn of his own. Joanna Cichonska is an elegant accompanist on the piano.


References
Satan Sings Sondheim, Tickets

Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1.  Run ends 29 March.