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	Pleasance Dome (venue website) Musicals 1-13, 15-27 Aug, 6:50pm-7:50pm Reviewed by Lee Zhao
Recommended for age 16+ only.

Wild West End is a parody musical, from the creative team that brought FRESHER the Musical to the Fringe the previous two years. With characters including a homosexual Phantom and a sexually frustrated Dorothy, the show deconstructs its entire genre using well-known songs from West End musicals fitted out with original lyrics.

For me, most of the fun came from hearing how the words to classics such as 'I Dreamed a Dream' and 'Over the Rainbow' have been rewritten, and the sentiments re-routed to another continent. I know I was giggling with anticipation as soon as I recognised the opening chords of a song about to be re-imagined. And the writing is of the quality you would expect from this award-winning team: dripping with biting lyrical wit and sprinkled with the just the right amount of camp.

Audience members with less exposure to musicals will probably find the show less rewarding, since the satire is so pointed at the genre itself. But I believe most people will recognise at least one of the songs, and some of the commentary, such as overpriced programmes, can easily be carried over to theatre in general.

I am also happy to report that the cast, who clearly relished the chance to launch into the big musical theatre melodies of the past years, were uniformly on song and, perhaps more importantly, excellently balanced. With the lyrics being the highlight of the show, it is crucial they are not lost by poor vocal amplification.

There are, however, a few issues with the pacing. With the plot nothing more than a frame that supports the show's satirical heart – the songs and the finale's merciless lampooning of Andrew Lloyd Webber – I wished the expository dialogue were slightly shorter. I felt that Wild West End was one or two rewritten songs short. Also, the comedic barbs strayed at times into the territory of mean-spirited; there were perhaps too many one-liners directed at individual persons just casually made in passing.

Other than that, Wild West End is a hugely enjoyable romp, affectionately crafted by people who clearly love musical theatre. The digs at the genre itself are all good-natured – with the overall tone being that musicals are at their best when, like this show, they are unashamedly over-the-top. I also noted the show stays quite firmly on this side of the Atlantic; that other giant of musical theatre, Stephen Sondheim, comes through this parody nearly unscathed. Perhaps there’ll be a sequel with more tunes from West Side Story or Sweeney Todd? Yes, please!