Eastern Bloc Roc. – Mikelangelo as the Balkan Elvis.
Written by Mikelangelo. Musical direction by Mikelangelo and Dave Evans. Accordion and piano by Dave Evans. The Playhouse. Canberra Theatre Centre. For one night only. July 5. 2018.
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
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| Mikelangelo as the Balkan Elvis. Photo by Claudio Raschella |
Mikelangelo is probably best
known to Canberra audiences as the front man for Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen, that motley band of troubadours
with an East European flavour. But as Elvis? Well not exactly Elvis, but a Balkan version
of The King, a boy from a secluded mountain village in the former Communist
country of Yugoslavia. Introduced to contraband American music by his much
older sister and nanny, Lada, he called himself Johnny Presley and dreamed of
being King Croatia. Well, why not? Why can’t an eight year old boy from the
village dream of becoming a King of Rock ‘n Roll. And why can’t Mikelangelo be the Balkan Elvis?
He’s handsome, sexy, charismatic and with a voice two octaves lower than Elvis
can seduce with a ballad or set your heart on fire with rock and roll desire.
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| Mikelangelo is the Balkan Elvis. Photo Claudio Raschella |
And that’s just what MIkelangelo
with the backing of the Moochers Inc. and The Brass Knuckle Band did with his
cabaret show, Eastern Bloc Rock. His story
of the boy, from his life in the village to his escape from the draft to wartime
service at the Front and his return to the village segues into classic Elvis
songs as he finds himself surrounded by Suspicious
Minds, or dreams of being King
Croatia or, surrounded by polka dancers in gorgeous national costume revels
in the high life of Viva Dubrovnik. But
ambition comes at a heavy price as Johnny Presley discovers In the Ghetto. If you really want
something badly enough It’s Now or Never.
But If I can Dream, then anything
is possible thinks the Balkan Elvis. Fortunately, unlike his idol, Johnny finds
true happiness when he asks Marie to Love
Me and live together in Peace in the
Valley.
Mikelangelo has come up with a
winner of an idea – take the familiar and favourite songs of the King, and give
them a new and novel twist. The hits are pure nostalgia and the storyline a
tantalizing cocktail of the old and the new. With a quiff and dressed in a
white jacket or complete black, Mikelangelo plays the crowd as a rock legend,
stirring them to clap, stand and dance in the rows. This Dionysus has his devoted
Bacchae in the palm of his hand, and the band of accordion, tuba, sax, trumpet
and drums whips up a dervish of folkloric fever that at the close has the
audience caught up in its jubilation. Canberra goes wild over the Balkan Elvis
and Mikelangelo is their Svengali.
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| Mikelangelo in Eastern Bloc Roc. Photo: Claudio Raschella |
There are the usual sound and
lighting hiccups that result from such a short rehearsal time on the stage, but
they did nothing to dampen the enjoyment and Mikelangelo and his backing
musicians under the musical direction of Dave Evans and the folk dancers took
it all in their stride.
Sadly, like other cabaret shows
that have come through from the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Eastern Bloc Roc was a one night stand. The show deserves a longer
season and I look forward to a revival. Long live the King and long live the
Balkan Elvis!