REVIEW: Lulu -The Tiger Lilies: Dome

Lulu: A Murder Ballad

The Tiger Lilies

Written by Martyn Jacques
Performed by The Tiger Lillies and Laura Caldow
Directed and Designed by Mark Holthusen

Mon 30 Nov, 8pm

The Tiger Lilies’ genre-defying brand of other-worldly vocals and unnerving performance style have carved them a unique niche in the cabaret and music theatre scene. After a sell-out run of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the cult creators of the award-winning Shockheaded Peter now stage another adaptation of a macabre classic.

Ah, the Tiger Lilies, my favourite crepuscular music makers and all round darkly dark cabaret trio, who’s music, songs and personas are as twisted as a Prime Ministers arguments for war and just as deluded, bloody and deadly. Presenting their new show Lulu at the Brighton Dome to a full house of enthusiastic Brightonians; it’s been a while since I’ve seen so much badly dyed hair.

Constructed from the main character in Wedekind’s ‘Lulu’ plays lead singer and writer-composer Martyn Jacques narrates ( or reads from AutoQ depending on where you’re sitting) this miserable wretched tale of Lulu interspaced with eighteen ballads each one different and highlighting Jacques intensely strange and compulsive voice, one moment crooning sweetness the next Dame Edna on poppers, they are nothing if not watchable, and the wonderfully strange use of playing the saw and the Theremin to add an edge of odd to the ballads was evocative. The story however is problematic and with an all male presentation apart from mute dancer Laura Caldow who dances the descent into misery and despair that is Lulu’s life. It’s called Lulu, but she doesn’t get a voice, its all about the men, pimps, Johns, abusers , step fathers, sugar daddies, druggies, pushers, perverts and eventually ( in a touch too much of the clichéd ending) murdering brutish men who ruin her. The men control our view of Lulu and it’s uncomfortable viewing. We are forced to become voyeurs, peeping and being entertained by misogyny as porno entertainment.

See further info on this production here

Director Mark Holthusen has created a visual spectacle through projected sets interlace with a Victorian music hall clockwork style that constantly changed, all projected and sophisticated with a multi layered approach that enhanced the show with these large scale virtual sets that create an immersive and richly atmospheric environment. They were great.

Overall I had mixed feelings about the whole thing. Bleak truths examining the male gaze and relentless exploitation in pursuit of a fantasy of unrealistic female marionette, creepily referred to as ‘my doll’ throughout. Lulu is never allowed to mature into a more wily whole woman. The narrative urges us onward relentlessly into deeper and more unpleasant abusiveness. One interesting part was where one of Jacquese’s ballad eluded to Lulu being unable to sustain a relationship with one man as she craved male attention, this promised to illuminate Lulu’s life but it was a cul de sac of insight.

Erin Prizzey from the women’s refuge movement would describe Lulu as ‘prone to violence’, brought up with damaging negative attention she is drawn to it rather than live without.

Either way it left a nasty taste and even though I’m a Tiger Lilies fan I wouldn’t go and see it again. I hoped for redemption, if not for Lulu then for her soul as it lifted itself up out of her hell, but the Lilies are too cruel and honest for that and we were left with the brutal broken truth as we waddled out into the chilly seaside air.