Musik

Wilton's Music Hall

Playing until 25th October 2025

Book tickets

Photo credit: Charlie Flint

{PR Gifted ticket}

A celebration of a fictional retired rock icon, Billie Trix (Frances Barber), Musik tells Billie’s journey from Berlin to New York City and to London. This self-indulged cabaret highlights the Billie’s arrogance and eccentricity, whether it is inspired or pure lunacy is beside the point. Billie is here to entertain whether you want her to or not.

Clumsily stumbling onto the stage, it was unclear whether Billie is confused, drugged or simply a reflection of the character’s age. Given the amount of drugs Billie takes throughout her life, none of the possibilities seem too farfetched. Regardless, Barber maintains this mannerism throughout, ensuring a consistent portrayal of the character. However, Barber is not just a powerful actor, she is also able to carry the music of the show, giving the audience hit after hit, including “Ich bin Musik”, “run girl run” and a song of tin can soup, all of which are utterly unhinged.

The highlight of the show is without a doubt Barber’s ability to personify a diva that simply does not give a f*ck about the people around her, the industry, or the audience watching her show. Billie is crass, larger than life and full of confidence in her own abilities, rejecting all criticisms and claims of her lack of talent. This self-indulged arrogance is justified given her ability to prove the naysayers wrong time and again, reinventing herself in any way she could.

The writers, Pet Shop Boys and Jonathan Harvey, have cleverly weaved in Andy Warhol and Donald Trump within the mix, bringing some relevance and political sensitivity to an already controversial character. What perhaps didn’t age well since the premier of Closer to Heaven in 2001, is Barber’s involvement in the transphobic conversations, undermining Billie’s allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community, and so when the LGBTQRESPECT sign is projected prominently to the back of the stage, it could be difficult to ascertain whether this is genuine or mockery. However, setting aside the views of the performer, Barber herself is fully committed to the role of Billie Trix, reviving a character in a whole new way in which it was first seen in Closer to Heaven.

Though Billie Trix is intended to be absurd and eccentric, and the production is fully commited to it to produce an entertaining character, it has perhaps tipped the balance to the other side a little too much. With Billie’s spiralling rhetorics and over the top drug abuse, the self-involved and arrogance could be difficult to swallow, and on occasions, perhaps Billie should have heeded her mother’s dying words and just stop!

Creatives

Writers: Pet Shop Boys, Jonathan Harvey

Director: Terry Johnson

Set Designer: Lee Newby

Lighting Designer: Jason Taylor

Sound Designer: Luke Swaffield

Movement Director: Rebecca Wield

Video Designer: Leo Flint