[box]MUSIC
“Ten Long Years in the Saddle”
Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen
The Street Theatre until December 11.
Reviewed by Bill Stephens [/box]

THIS extraordinary ensemble of glum, pseudo-Balkan troubadours, have roamed the world for 10 years, and last week returned to where it all began, The Street Theatre, for a series of performances to celebrate, as they put it, “10 long years in the saddle”.

Now a finely-honed, world-class act, they perform in a raffish spiegletent-inspired setting, complete with flashing red and blue lights, to deliver a slightly repulsive repertoire of dark, sensual songs, often morbid and creepy, but frequently hilarious.

Their musicianship is dazzling and their musical arrangements inspired as they employ clarinet, accordion, guitar, violin, double bass and a variety of percussion and recorded sound effects, to create a quirky atmosphere of pulsating, repressed, gypsy sexuality.

While the incorrigibly vain, rich-voiced Mikelangelo, rightfully fronts most of the gallows-humour songs, often surprising unsuspecting patrons with quick forays into the audience, Rufino the Catalan Casanova, the Great Muldavio, Guido Libido and Little Ivan each has their moment in the spotlight to perform their unique repertoire of dark, self-penned songs, including the marvellous “Formidable Marinade”, which closed the first act.

Despite some over-generous programming in the second act, which failed to recapture the momentum, or indeed, the polish, of the first, these performances provided a welcome opportunity to enjoy an accomplished and original local act which has achieved international acclaim and enviable longevity.