Cannibal! The Musical

Whoever came up with the idea that cannibalism would make a good subject for a musical? It seems an absurd idea – until you discover that this is the creation of South Park inventor Trey Parker. Continuing in his crusade to shock the world, Parker created a cult film in 1996 on the life of Alfred Packer – the only American to be tried and convicted as a cannibal. This production, by the Rival Theatre Company, is an attempt to adapt that film for the stage.

The musical begins with Packer locked in jail and about to face a judge and jury that will condemn him to death. Talking to a journalist, he recounts the events of a gold-expedition in 1873 to Colorado. Encountering a Cyclops, evil-trappers and American Indians, the group run into trouble and - as our programme informs us - although "six men went up, only one came down, with indigestion!"

This production is brave – with so many musicals to choose from during the Fringe, it seems unlikely that Cannibal! would be anyone’s first choice based on the subject matter alone. However, the cast are brilliant: performing to an audience of less than twenty, they all sing with tremendous spirit and are clearly a talented company. The songs are catchy and witty, particularly the show-stopping 'Let’s build a snowman' which kick-starts Packer’s flesh-eating binge.

But the superb cast of Cannibal! are let down by the production itself. With no orchestra (the songs are sung to a pre-recorded backing track) and a limited, sparse set it is difficult to immerse oneself in Packer’s story. This is a fatal flaw, particularly when competing with other, more traditional song-and-dance musicals at the Fringe.