Mikelangelo

Review by Alasdair Maloney | 15 Aug 2007

Greeted with a roar of applause and winning laughs with every comb of his hair, it is clear that Mikelangelo has won his audience over before the doors even open, and that his charisma is enough to carry a show alone. The ‘Bull of the Balkans’ steps out from his regular gig with the Black Sea Gentlemen to display a more sensitive side as he allows to let his inner-nightingale fly free. Adopting the classic singer-songwriter pose, Mikelangelo laughs and banters his way through his sea chest of songs of barnacled mermaid love, morbid longing, bountiful feasts, tragi-comic parables and C-minus burlesque.

Often joking about having not rehearsed it sometimes sounds like this is more than just banter. But his charm, stage presence and impeccable Croatian accent mean that any fumbles or sound issues become as entertaining as the songs themselves. As for the songs, they vary from the magnificent (such as the show stopping "Formidable Marinade" which makes cannibalism seem like a sexually appealing activity) to the not very special. A particular dip in the show comes with a guest slot from Mikelangelo’s mermaid love who quite literally hops on stage (it can’t be easy to move around the Spiegel Tent with a tail in place of your legs) for a song and a story which lacks punch and interest, especially next to Mikelangelo’s all-consuming magnetism. But for any flaws in the show, any time spent in Mikelangelo’s company is an absolute joy.