Wait, what? How can I be in the wrong show? Back in 2022, I was delighted by Flo & Joan so I jumped at the chance to see them.
Did I jump too quickly? I did not book the Flo & Joan Show (an error I hope to fix) but the One Man Musical by Flo & Joan.
The good news is that this is still Flo & Joan and that it’s great! The title is accurate; Flo and Joan wrote this beauty and provided supporting music and singing.
The one man in the show is … well, let’s use the alias Andrew Lloyd Webber. If there really was a show called “Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Musical,” then the chances of litigation would be non-zero!
Flo & Joan begin the show by singing they’re walking on a legal tightrope; see the show today because it might not be here tomorrow.
I’m not a legal expert; I don’t know which famous born-into-money composers are like to take legal action, but I can say that One Man Musical by Flo & Joan is worth seeing.
This is a five-star review. I will share my debate, though. Let’s support young female creators. This show pokes fun at creators not being generous with credits, so let me call out that the talented singer who plays the role of Andrew Lloyd Webber is George Fouracres. I got that from Flo and Joan‘s social media. My debate is whether George should have had his name in the show’s official description.
In tonight’s show, Fouracres showed some impressive knowledge of ancient Greece.
Tone
A musical autobiography. Andrew Lloyd Webber himself (not that ALW) takes the stage, and that will surprise much of the audience because there’s no mention of the name on any of the promo material. I’ve now tipped you off.
It turns out that even before he was born Andrew Lloyd Webber was under attack. His mother’s monkey was trying to kill him.
We follow that crazy start through his marriages to Sarah, the successful musicals he co-wrote, and the buildings he bought and leased out.
I guess I could have guessed that a rich white man would have particular political views, but I’ve never been motivated enough to find out. I should have.
Perhaps it was destiny speaking, but this morning, rather than getting ready for my usual mix of rock, metal, synth-wave or punk, I asked Spotify to play me an Andrew Lloyd Webber mix. It started with Phantom of the Opera, which is impressive and has been running for decades without a break. There can’t be any doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber has been involved in some incredible musical hits.
What to expect
Expect an intro song from our titular duo, and then George Fouracres takes over.
George is excellent as the original and totally fictional Andrew Lloyd Webber. I learnt a lot about this totally fictional Andrew Lloyd Webber, and it casts some of his music in a different light.
The music is superb, and the writing is tight. There’s so much packed into this show, yet time flies by. There’s a lot to be said, a whole pork chop to deal with, and there’s no doubt this is a very clever abridging of the Andrew Lloyd Webber story.
Simply put, all this hard work would have been for nought if George Fouracres had been mediocre. He’s excellent.
In fact, judging from the reactions of Flo & Joan, I’d suggest that Fouracres was improvising a bit tonight, improving the show, developing it with incremental improvements.
Importantly, One Man Musical isn’t over until the generously propositioned man sings. You see, this has been a singing autobiography, and perhaps there’s more to the Andrew Lloyd Webber story than a totally fictionally Andrew Lloyd Webber will admit.
Overall
What a turnaround! I went from a sincere “Oh no! What the crap have I done” to laughing in delight and leaving the Queen Dome feeling great.
Weirdly, the ushers stacked those of us with reviewer ID cards around our necks on the same back row. Yes, we must carry the badge of shame when out and about. Rather than sit in stony silence, as typically happens with jaded reviewers, I sat next to people laughing at the jokes. Darnit, I cannot stress how hard that is to do.
I thoroughly recommend a trip to the One Man Musical by Flo & Joan. It’s not often you see an icon of the musical stage strut his stuff.
A review of One Man Musical by Flo & Joan
Summary
“One Man Musical by Flo & Joan” is a delightful and unexpected comedy show that transcends expectations. Its unique blend of wit and musical talent leaves you laughing and uplifted.
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Saw the show One Man Musical yesterday and I agree it’s brilliant ,Wit, satire , cutting asides and masterful music from Flo and Joan . , All involved should take great credit . Well done , especially to a lad from the Black Country …. A West End transfer please !