Battersea Bardot

Meet ✨Carol White✨ - a starlet who once dazzled the film industry before plunging into obscurity. 📽️ "Battersea Bardot" seeks to reacquaint us with this forgotten gem of the Swinging Sixties, retracing her dynamic journey from the gritty #London scrapyards to the glittering screens of #Hollywood…

🎭Directed by Elizabeth Huskisson, the production undeniably gives Carol a voice once again. The narrative, rich in its exploration, delves into Carol's relationships—from torrid affairs with cinematic legends like #FrankSinatra to her tender ties with family—all painting a stark picture of the challenges faced by women in the limelight…

Yet, the play's expansive canvas sometimes stretches too thin. Though billed as a musical, it often seems an uneasy fit. Carol White's life story, rife with dramatic highs & lows, appears confined by the choice of genre. Ewen Moore's compositions, veering more towards cabaret than a genuine '60s rhythm, seem out of sync with Carol's stirring tale🔀 Moreover, the narrative's leapfrogging timeline—from 1991's tragedy back to a fateful 1969 evening and further into memory lanes—occasionally leaves one feeling adrift amidst Carol's intense recollections📆📆📍

However, there's no denying the palpable heart of Carol's tale; she’s a woman grappling with her past, fighting to reclaim her narrative amidst the ghosts that haunt her. The melancholy tone evokes shades of "Sunset Boulevard" or even #TennesseeWilliams' tragic heroines, vainly battling against a world eager to forget them…

"Battersea Bardot" is a sincere tribute to a forgotten luminary. It’s a meaty tale, rich in potential, yet missing key notes in execution. 2/5

📸 Josh McClure

#newwriting #lifestory #star #cinema #musical