Berlusconi: A New Musical review – bunga bunga banality

Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London
It’s a nice idea but this disconnected show about the former Italian PM makes some bizarre choices and lacks satirical bite

This satire about Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has the inspired concept of sending him up in song, from his aborted career as a cruise-ship crooner to political office, ownership of AC Milan, bunga bunga parties and a blizzard of court cases. You could do a whole series of musicals exposing the populist strongmen who behave like “dangerous buffoons” (as Berlusconi’s ex-wife puts it). There are so many contenders, after all.

In James Grieve’s production, written by Ricky Simmonds and Simon Vaughan, Berlusconi arrives on a Romanesque staircase designed by Lucy Osborne. It is the eve of a court verdict in his 2012 trial for tax fraud. Played by Sebastien Torkia, he is sufficiently oily with slicked hair, a megawatt smile and an impenetrable sense of invincibility.

At Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London, until 29 April