American Psycho as a musical first hit English shores in 2013 as Rupert Goold’s first outing at the Almeida as artistic director and as Goold is set to depart we revisit the musical The show is based on the 1991 novel which went onto inspire the 2000’s film of the same name. It tells of Patrick Bateman who is an investment banker in the late 1980’s, narcissistic, philandering and competitive he sets out on an every growing killing spree across New York.

Whilst the show is set in the 80’s there are some clear parallels with Bateman’s self obsession and the consumerism that we see today, if Bateman was alive today I have no doubt that he would be an Influencer of some sorts with his obsession with his looks and having the latest designer outfit playing out for an even bigger audience to admire. Equally much of the toxic masculinity that we see present from Bateman and his friends is recognisable in the likes of Andrew Tate today and Bateman’s idolising over Trump would have only hve grown during Trump’s presidency I have no doubt . The book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa made these parallels clear and it was this that gave the show an additional layer of intrigue and makes you wonder just how the structure of todays society can either help or hinder these types of people.

The show’s direction by Goold enhanced all of the dark themes and didn’t shy away from making some moments uncomfortable watching. The stage itself was set up thrusting into the audience and this helped strip down barriers between performers and the audience. The choreography by Lynne Page also worked in harmony with Goold’s unflinching direction with stylised movement and grotesque tableaus used to brilliant effect.

The technical side of the show takes this show up a notch. The video projection onto the catwalk floor, designed by Finn Ross gives the show a feel of hyper reality and the lighting design by Jon Clark is one of extremes, complete blackouts followed by brilliant white light or scenes where we are plunged into a sea of red light to emulate blood keeps the audience at a state of heightened alternes. Costumes by Katrina Lindsay are a stroke of genius -we see traditional 80’s style costumes such as bubble skirts and power suits paired with latex and lace to make sure that every moment on stage has a distinct look about it.

This show clearly has a huge amount of style, but is it style over substance? There are moments where the music by Duncan Sheik didn’t quite live up to everything we were seeing play out in front of our eyes. Most of them were hugely 80’s inspired dance, electro pop style numbers which verged on the repetitive at times. The most effective number was ‘In The Air Tonight’ a chilling version of Phil Collin’s 80’s hit which set the spine tingling tone perfectly after Bateman’s first kill.

The cast themselves are all in and they have to be for such an unflinching relentless show as this one. Arty Froushan plays Patrick Bateman and strikes the perfect balance of the narcissist that one always associates with Bateman with some elements of sympathy seeping through as we see how he struggles to connect or even truly understand himself. The character is full of contradictions, he murders prostitutes yet keeps them separate from his male victims out of respect, he enjoys Les Miserables yet fantasies about killing his girlfriend during it and Froushan plays with these juxtapositions wonderfully.

Emily Barber as Bateman’s vacuous girlfriend Evelyn Williams is brilliant and exaggerated perfectly that you feel you are watching Batemans version of her rather than a three dimensional person. This is contrasted brilliantly with Anastasia Martin’s version of Jean, Bateman’s secretary and his anchor back to decency who seems no more real than Evelyn but simply the other side of the coin with her doe eyed admiration for him.

Ultimately, American Psycho lands as a slick, disturbing and undeniably intelligent piece of musical theatre that is far more interested in holding up a mirror than offering comfort. It doesn’t always sing when it should, and at times the score lags behind the visceral power of the staging, but Goold’s production understands exactly what story it is telling and why it still matters. This is a show about excess, emptiness and performance — of masculinity, of success, of humanity itself — and its refusal to offer neat answers feels entirely appropriate. You may leave questioning whether you enjoyed it, but that uneasy aftertaste is very much the point. In an era still obsessed with image, status and self-curated identities, American Psycho remains a chilling reminder that beneath the surface polish, something rotten can still be smiling back at us.

American Psycho is on until 14th March. The show is sold out but keep an eye on their website for returns.

If you like this review you might also like my review of Cabaret, Hamilton and Stranger Things The First Shadow.