 Is
it not about time there was a musical about one of the most charismatic
leaders of the 20th century J F Kennedy? I know he is mentioned in
‘Assassins’ and I now believe there has been one other attempt to
create one.
Many
of the myths and legends surrounding JFK will remain, as no one will
ever be able to discover the whole truth.
I was personally too young to remember much about the man and can
only vaguely remember his assassination but I have spent my whole life
aware of both him and his legacy.
I
unashamedly admit to being both a BA Robertson and musicals fan and the
possibility of getting the two in one was intriguing. Although still
going through the development process B A’s musical left me in tears,
physically shaking and having had a profound experience.
‘Too Close to the Sun’ tells his story from the point of view
of a past lover, utilising actual newsreel footage, BA’s unique
musical interpretation and narration from Inga Arvad (Katrine Lunde).
Inga
Arvad was a renowned Danish beauty who despite being both older and
having been twice married, seems to have had an undeniable lasting
attraction for the youth who was manipulated into becoming J F Kennedy
president of the U S A. Joe
Kennedy senior, JFK’s father, disapproved of the relationship and
although he succeeded in preventing a marriage he was unable to stop the
correspondence between the two. Apparently
JFK was unusually honest with Inga and all correspondence between the
two was kept and treasured. This account of the relationship is imagined
through meticulous research, dramatic and musical licence.
This
musical covers his early life, his inauguration, through the Cuban
Missile Crisis to his assassination in 1963, utilising a wide variety of
musical styles and one or two numbers I am longing to hear again. Both BA and the actress playing Inga have superb voices and
Inga’s style is totally fitting for the period. I couldn’t believe the hour was over and hope its further
development leads to a tour and West End season, which is exactly what I
think it deserves, I would go out of my way to see it again.
Katrine
Lunde is a Norwegian actress who has performed at the Fringe with great
acclaim in the ‘Anonomous Society’s’ Jacque Brel show.
This lady like BA has great stage presence and a phenomenal
voice.
*****
|