A charming mess of music, mischief with some total confusion
I went into La Bella Bimba! without understanding a single word of Italian, and I left in exactly the same state. Even so, I had a great time. The whole thing is chaotic, funny and strangely endearing, even when you have absolutely no clue what is being said.
The show introduces us to Carlotta and Cecilia, two Italian performers who have just landed in 1930s New York and are doing their best to make their mark. They bounce between live music, comedy, flirtation and general mischief, all while constantly tripping over the English language. The confusion feels deliberate. Staged at Baron’s Court Theatre- basement of a pub, they want the audience slightly off balance, and they certainly succeed.
Even though the Italian sailed straight past me, their expressions did the storytelling. Their eyebrows, hand gestures and exaggerated reactions were practically their own language. Both performers are talented physical comedians with excellent timing, and that carries the show a long way.
The piece jumps through several dance styles, sometimes polished and sometimes intentionally messy for comedic effect. The shoe dance was genuinely good, and the mix of cabaret, clowning and slapstick kept things lively. That said, there was a section in the middle that dragged on far too long. It felt dull and almost endless, as if the play lost its rhythm for a moment before picking up again towards the conclusion.
One of the highlights was their attempt at American accents. It felt like a cheeky dig at the pressure to assimilate and the absurdity of changing your voice to fit in. Beneath the silliness, the show has something to say about the dreams big cities promise and what people sacrifice while chasing them. The commentary is subtle, but it sits there underneath all the feathers and chaos.
Everything was clearly well rehearsed, and their energy never really dipped, aside from that slow mid-section. The live music, played by the musicians who also were the characters in the play, added its own charm even when I could not understand the lyrics.
The ending, however, was abrupt. After all the bouncing around and escalating chaos, the show suddenly stopped. I am still not sure whether that was the intention, but it left me just as confused as I had been throughout, thanks largely to the language barrier.
Despite the confusion and the slightly saggy middle, La Bella Bimba! is bold, playful and very funny. It may not give you clarity, but it will keep you entertained. And honestly, that is often enough for a cabaret.