Arturo Brachetti - Change

Synopsis

In an amazing display of virtuosic skill, Arturo Brachetti brings over one hundred characters to the stage in a unique and spectacular show that simply has to be seen to be believed. From James Bond to the Queen via Johnny Rotten, he transforms between characters in the blink of an eye in an astonishing display of the time-honoured art of quick change. Arturo’s own distinct brands of humour and charm combine with eye-popping illusions in a show that tells the story of a famed entertainer whose memories of his illustrious career come to life.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 27 October 2009

The Italian quick-change artist Arturo Brachetti is offering sheer magic at the Garrick, but for once it’s not quite enough or, rather, it’s almost too much. As elegant and controlled as a prima ballerina, Brachetti transforms himself with the non-stop brilliance of an overwrought chameleon.

Two hours of pointless virtuosity is a daunting prospect at the best of times, but Brachetti, who now claims he is 52 years old, also cloaks his dazzling performance in a campaign to join his older self with his younger, impetuous genius and ends up paying tedious tribute to past masters.

Those masters are the Italian music hall legend Leopoldo Fregoli and the film maker Federico Fellini. As the first he conjures emperors and pierrots before closing the first act with a stunning evocation of the four seasons, complete with painterly scenic nods to Magritte, Mondrian and Van Gogh.

And cottoning on to the crucial fact that Fellini saw cinema as a form of circus, he quotes fleeting...

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Latest User Review

SJ Jameson - 27 October 2009:

Loved it! Proper old fashioned family entertainment. Kept me captivated from beginning to end. I wasn't expecting much but was completely bowled over by the performance. I am now a fan....

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