What really happens after we die? It’s a question that has inspired philosophers, poets, and preachers for centuries, but in the new musical farce Burn, Baby, Burn! the afterlife is less about solemn reflection and more about camp, comedy, and chaos.
The production takes audiences on a wild descent into the underworld, where Lucifer himself is struggling to make sense of modern life, with hilarious consequences.
The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, that’s part of its charm and exactly what Christopher Sven Dudgeon, who plays Lucifer, said he loves the most.
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“In this show I get to play one of the most recognisable archetypes in human history, the devil, in a way that gives the audience permission to laugh at him, themselves, and the way society views itself.
There are many reasons for going to the theatre, but, at least one of them, is to be lightly scandalised, while laughing your head off.”
At its heart, the show addresses weighty themes we’re all familiar with, fear of death and anxiety about the unknown, yet it does so through laughter.
“No audience member will be a stranger to any of these obviously weighty themes. We’ve all experienced some variety of fear about death and what comes next. We’re all in on the joke, even if it’s a bleak one.
What better way to combat fear and anxiety than to introduce a bit of laughter to the equation?”
Lucifer, as portrayed in Burn, Baby, Burn!, is a devil out of touch with the modern world, suddenly confronted by iPhones, Instagram, and influencers. The results are chaotic and hilarious.
“He loses his bearings completely and questions everything he ever thought he knew. I strongly identify with that part of this character. I have no idea what anyone under the age of 21 is talking about anymore.”
The production also revels in camp, a style that has long captivated audiences, from Liberace to Lady Gaga. “Camp has resonated very strongly with audiences of different kinds for many decades.
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Their freedom of expression and ability to be themselves is precisely what made them so wildly popular. It is very difficult to look away when a performer dares to defy societal norms in pursuit of their authentic way of being, not for shock value, but because it is the skin they’re comfortable in.
“People are more accustomed to this kind of performance style these days, but that hasn’t diminished its ability to fascinate and entertain. It’s just so much fun!”
Of course, no trip to hell would be complete without a few comedic gripes. Dudgeon imagines his stay.
“Terrible service. Terrible air conditioning. I ran into my ex. I’m still waiting for the glass of water I ordered 10 years ago, but great to catch up with old friends and the manager’s shoes are fabulous.”
The show will be performed at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre main stage from October 16 to 19.
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