Xanadu

The play was performed at RADA, set in the year 1938 the play begins in a Parisian bar. Unknown to all the world the second world war is soon to begin. In the cafe a motley collection of people from various parts of the world. A pimp from the far east, a natzi german, a transvestite, a russian bare-knuckle boxer, a local prostitute, a blind barman, american tourists and many others.

The plot of the play is intentionaly challanging. It begins in chinese and Russian, with time being slightly reversed. Shots are fired and ricchet around the theatre finally hitting the wrong person. there are references to numerous opera, various poems and several shakespear plays especially ‘much ado about nothing’. The songs have tunes from famous operas, with a new jazzy arrangement and new words. It was lots of fun to write and perform.

The plots of many Shakespeare plays and operas are ridiculously complex. Xanadu parodies this with multiple interweaving plot-lines. “Much Ado”, “Antony and Cleopatra”, “Carmen” and many other dramas and poems interweave. Fortunately the audience was mainly highly educated. It may be easier to read the script first.