The Fabulist is the latest new production to hit the Charing Cross Theatre which is part musical, part operetta and all based upon an opera by Giovanni Paisello, ‘The Imaginary Astrologer’ set to a new book and lyrics by James P Farwell. The show tells of 2 sisters, Cassandra and Clarice, who run their own silent movie company in Moussolini’s Italy. The soon meet a magician, or should I say a Fabulist who is hiding from the Church as magic is banned in fascist Italy but as the Fabulist falls for Clarice, her Cardinal uncle soon tries to put a stop to it.

The book of the Fabulist has some interesting elements, mostly the debate over how different magic and science really is and how faith intersects with these however due to the time rightly invested into this side it leaves other elements feeling rushed. The love story between Clarice and Julian and Cassandra and Pupuppini was forced and the audience were given so little time to see sparks fly between either of the couples that it was hard to care if the Church found them or not. Additionally the Fabulist seems unsure as to what it is, the music is opera in style, the book based in musical theatre trying to deliver serious political messages but the jokes and physical comedy based on pantomime and slapstick. It was hard to know if we should be laughing at the action or weeping as we hear about the Church’s latest atrocities.

The music was one of the highlights of the night, as was the entire casts delivery of it and it would have been a more enjoyable evening if I could have simply closed my eyes and allowed the cast just to sing in a concert version of the show. The music was played by a small but perfectly formed orchestra of 5 which was well balanced throughout thanks to Andrew Johnson’s sound design.

Reka Jonas as Clarice had vocals which were beautifully clear and Lily De La Haye as Cassandra operatic ability was breath-taking at times. It was a shame for De La Haye that her character was not given more of a chance to develop within Farwell’s book as within the first Act she looked to be the more interesting of the sisters but in Act 2 was reduced to mocking her sister for wanting to find love and then of course finding it herself.

Dan Smith takes on the role of Julian and Constantine Andronikou as his sidekick Pupuppini. The hapless pair come across as a comedy duo rather than leading men who we are expected to believe that Clarice and Cassandra have fallen for. Smith is faced with delivering a lot of magic throughout the production and his slight of hand is commendable but the tricks themselves designed by Harry DeCruz felt like tricks we have become accustomed to seeing and therefore lacking the wow factor that was needed.

The Fabulist failed to elicit the magical feeling that discovering a new musical can sometimes provoke, instead it left me scratching my head wondering, not how do they do it but at just what this show wants to be be.

You can find out more about the Fabulist and book tickets on their website.

If you like this review you might also like my review of Choir of Man, Mean Girls and Hadestown.