Clinton the Musical

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“I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” claimed a certain President some 15 years ago. But, if Clinton the Musical is anything to go by, those words may not have come from the man we thought they did. Indeed, Egdoh Theatre’s new musicomedy examines the tenure of not one but two Bill Clintons: separate entities struggling to decide whether satisfying the American people, or their own loins, comes top of the agenda.

A whistle-stop tour of Clinton’s presidency through the eyes of both Bills charts his inauguration, marital life and the Lewinsky scandal, rapturously retold through jazzy musical numbers. The undeniable highlight of the show, surprisingly, is neither of the Clintons but one Ken Starr – the lawyer whose investigations were instrumental in the President’s fatal decline in popularity. Forget suited and booted, this Starr (Paul Hodge, who wrote the show’s music and lyrics) is a thong-and-chains toting egomaniac with a penchant for dancing on tables. 

As a concept alone, the ideas behind Clinton the Musical have the ability to reach dizzying satirical heights. But while a number of the songs are engaging crowd pleasers, the dialogue tends to fall short, occasionally becoming slow and predictable and detracting from an otherwise lively piece. With a few tweaks, and a more substantial cast to truly showcase the big numbers, Clinton the Musical, much like its namesake, has the potential for global appeal.