Arturo Brachetti
Change - Garrick Theatre, London 26.11.09

THE REVIEW

'Sensational. A jaw-dropping, dazzling, spectacle. I fell in love with Brachetti's showmanship' The Times

From mid-October to early January, on the wooden boards of the Garrick Theatre in London, Turin's own Arturo Brachetti takes center stage to present the worldwide premiere of his latest endeavor, "Change": a title, a guarantee.

I believe it can be stated without fear of contradiction that he rightfully belongs to that (ever-shrinking) category of Artists whom we can proudly honor by capitalizing the initial A in their title.

Quirky illusionist, multifaceted performer, and quintessential transformist, within almost two hours of his magnetic, dreamlike, ironic, and poetic performance, he offers a simply unique show consisting of a convoluted journey where imperceptibly quick costume changes reign supreme, and throughout which one is gradually enveloped in a dimension halfway between magic and lucid delirium. An endless and diverse series of quotes and inspirations (not only) from cinema emerges during the performance: the heartwarming tribute to the late Federico Fellini and the nod to his artistic Godfather, Leopoldo Fregoli, the quintessential Italian transformist straddling the 19th and 20th centuries, are particularly moving.

About a hundred characters chase each other frantically among lavish scene changes: Arturo, in addition to immersing himself costume-wise, dances, sings, plays, speeding both vertically and horizontally on the impressive and chameleonically changing mobile set that supports him, adhering perfectly and in the blink of an eye, to the artistic core of the character he portrays at each moment.