“A musical story of love and death through the lens of transhumanism and glitter”
Supersonic Man is loosely based on the incredible life of Peter Scott Morgan, who not only became part of the first English gay marriage, but also became famous for his bionic journey as he battled Motor Neuron Disease with boundary-breaking scientific experiments. The musical follows protagonist Adam (played by Dylan Aiello) as he charts his own journey with MND with his supportive partner Darryl (played by Dominic Sullivan) and their friends, set in the fabulously flamboyant gay scene of modern day Brighton.
Filled to the brim with 18 songs written by Chris Burgess, this show is surprisingly upbeat and full of camp. Adam, an extremely vivacious and confident man receives his untimely diagnosis early on, and it gradually weakens his body. The physicality on display is raw and unflinching from Aiello, so subtly at first and then it consumes him enough to take everything including his voice. So too is the enthralling acting from his partner. Conflicted and cautious, sensible and devoted; Sullivan was compelling throughout. I felt the show was strongest when they were in scenes alone, whether with dialogue or duet.
Alongside Adam’s glitzy ego are the couple’s three friends Ben (played by James Lowrie), Ruth (played by Jude St. James) and Shaz (played by Mali Wen Davies). Whilst all three were strong singers, I found their characters become more one dimensional as the show progressed. All three actors played multiple roles including media executives and medical professionals.
I wholeheartedly applaud this production for trying such an ambitious and weighty topic. A musical about motor neuron disease is probably a tough sell but this show has such tenderness and heart that I invested fully in Adam’s journey. His relationship with Darryl is essential to the success of the script and I would have loved to see a show just about their full journey as a couple before, during and after the diagnosis.
I also applaud Burgess for tackling the topic of transhumanism. Again, no mean feat to set it to music and lyrics but it is indeed a relevant subject. Watching Adam be so open to experimentally transforming himself was poignant. I would have liked the medical professionals- constantly trivialised throughout as generic nerdy “boffins”- given more weight as realistic characters. This is particularly ironic given Peter Scott Morgan himself was a scientific powerhouse in his own right and pioneered the field of robotics. To have Adam be so academically detached felt like a missed opportunity. I also would have liked to see this bionic futurism reflected in the music: techno, vaporwave and electronica motifs would fit the theme more than belting jazzy traditional musical theatre.
Whilst the vast majority of the score is uplifting, I found the tone of musical confusing. Jaunty numbers would jarringly interrupt heartfelt moments that were not allowed to breathe. It’s like they won’t let you linger on any sadness. The show is sometimes so hell-bent on projecting positivity that it becomes a hindrance for some of the key, human moments; particularly towards the end as Adam finally succumbs to his own breaking body.
Ultimately, this is the tale of two extraordinary men and the journey they make together through unimaginable pain whilst remaining resolute in their optimism and love for each other.