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“I am the Jesus Christ of politics.”
It’s time to set the record straight. Please welcome to the stage the former cruise ship crooner turned multi billionaire and Italian Prime Minister… the much maligned, misunderstood, humble man of the people Silvio Berlusconi!
A hilarious, naughty, noisy expose of the original perma-tanned media mogul and populist politician told through the eyes of the formidable women ready to share their side of the story and break the veneer of that million lira smile. As Silvio tries to enshrine his legacy by writing the opera of his life, his detractors are closing in…
From the Olivier Award-winning Producers of Fleabag and Baby Reindeer, BERLUSCONI is a modern-day cautionary tale, an urgent and prescient story about a brand of political leadership that has become all too familiar. With soaring melodies and driving beats, this outrageous new musical assembles an award-winning team to tell the astonishing, outlandish, almost true story of one of the world’s most charismatic, charming and morally bankrupt political leaders.
Director's Note
I am beyond excited to welcome you to the beautiful new Southwark Playhouse Elephant for the World Premiere of BERLUSCONI. Thank you for joining us.
My journey on this show began four years ago when Ricky and Simon approached me a with a first draft and some demos of their musical about Silvio Berlusconi. The larger-than-life, much lampooned former owner of AC Milan seemed to me a slightly leftfield subject and protagonist for a new musical. But from the moment I met Ricky and Simon and heard them speak with such energy, passion, eloquence and insight about their vision for this show I knew they were on to something. And from my very first listen to the demos of their electrifying songs, I was hooked.
On the face of it, Silvio Berlusconi IS a leftfield topic for a musical. A disgraced former Italian prime minister and billionaire media and property mogul with a lengthy charge sheet. A political pariah shunned by other world leaders; derided as vulgar, a clown, a buffoon. But Ricky and Simon saw something in Silvio that they believed was worth talking about. A template for power that has been copied the world over by populist strongmen who have studied the Berlusconi playbook and applied his tactics to conquer and control their own populations. This is not a biopic. This is not a musical about Silvio per se. It’s a musical about power. How it is gained, how it corrupts, how it is abused. It is about the very individual, human stories of those whose lives are destroyed by men like Berlusconi. The stories we don’t hear on the news.
Perhaps most importantly it is a warning. A warning to look past the razzmatazz and fake tan and blonde mops of our charming political leaders to the substance of their policies and the evidence of their morality. We can shrug off the gaffes and illicit parties of our roguish heads of state, but we must remember they hold lives in their hands.
What is so brilliantly accomplished in Ricky and Simon’s writing is that the serious message of this musical is delivered with such incredible wit, charm and irreverence. They instinctively understand how to use the musical theatre form to give Silvio the spotlight he craves whilst mercilessly lampooning him and uplifting the voices of his victims with soaring melodies that pierce hearts and minds. Their sabre sharp lyrics and eclectic songwriting adds up to this prescient, utterly compelling, wildly entertaining new musical we have had the honour and privilege of staging for the first time.
Making a World Premiere is a very special thing. Especially in this case because it is so rare that a completely original, sung-through new British musical on this scale is produced commercially in an Off-West End theatre. It is only possible because we have been backed by a visionary producer in Francesca Moody who along with Thomas S Barnes and the shows investors has been willing to take a leap of faith to promote work she believes in.
I have been fortunate to work alongside a world class creative team and a company of actors and musicians whose generosity, passion and graft match their extraordinary talent. I thank them all.
Thank you for coming to see us. I hope you enjoy the show and much as we have loved making it.
James Grieve
Director
The Facts
Silvio Berlusconi (b. 1936) is an Italian mogul, media tycoon, and politician. He served three scandal-ridden terms as prime minister of Italy.
As a young man, he worked as a singer on cruise ships before entering the business world. He amassed a fortune as a real estate developer in his hometown, Milan, where he also founded Telemilano, a cable television network. The company became Italy’s largest media empire, Mediaset, and was the first to bring foreign programming to Italy on a large scale, introducing the country to The Smurfs, Dallas, Dynasty, and Baywatch. Other programs included pro-Berlusconi news channels and game shows featuring scantily-clad showgirls. In 1986, he purchased AC Milan for 40 million lire; in 2018, Forbes ranked him as the 190th richest man in the world, with a net worth of almost 7 billion pounds.
In 1994, he was elected prime minister of Italy. The role gave the first-time politician legal immunity — an important perk as his businesses accrued legal allegations. The government crumbled after seven months, but resumed control from 2001-6, crowning Berlusconi Italy’s longest-serving prime minister since the second world war. He served a third term from 2008-2011.
He was known for his “Bunga Bunga” parties, where young women danced and stripped in competition for his attention, with grand prizes including large sums of cash or promotion onto one of his television channels. His sex scandals were many. The collected embarrassment prompted public denouncements from and divorce with his second wife, Veronica Lario, in 2012. But Berlusconi’s abuses towards women extended beyond his private life: as prime minister, the few women he promoted to government positions were exceptionally beautiful and exceptionally unqualified. His tastes were also instrumental in creating a media climate in Italy that #MeToo whistleblower Asia Argento said made women into “bodies to be used.” Feminists rallied throughout his reign in reaction.
In 2012, when Ilda Boccassini was chief prosecutor Berlusconi was taken to trial for tax fraud and embezzlement in Rome. It was only one of dozens of criminal cases levied against the mogul throughout his career
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Videos
‘Secrets and Lies’ performed by Emma Hatton
The cast play ‘Trump, Boris or Berlusconi?’
With Special Thanks To
The Production would like to thank Alford House, Atlas Couriers Ltd, Autograph Sound Ltd, Blue-i Theatre Technology, Della Vite, Lily Cornell, Kater Gordon, Limoncello Di Capri, Pirate Crew, Select Aparetivo, Southwark Playhouse Sparks Theatrical Lighting, Theo’s Pizzeria and Young Vic Theatre.
The Wishful Thinking friends, family and colleagues – past and present – who have been on the journey of Berlusconi: Jason Badrock, Molly Barren, Matthew Davies, Tara Finney, Ruth Hunduma, Joseph Hunt, Alistair Lindsey Renton, Celia Meirow, Jack Pollington, Natalie Pound, Cottia Thorowgood, Max Vaughan, Tim Whitnall, Peter Woodroffe and Pauline Zheng.
Final thanks to all the cast and creatives involved in the development phase of Berlusconi: Nathan Amzi, Florence Andrews, Hadrian Delacey, Jacob Fisher, Rosie Fletcher, Siubhan Harrison, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Oisin Nolan-Power, Stephen Rahman-Hughes, Jeremy Secomb and Parisa Shahmir.