Writers: Merilee Ettia and Robbie Hébert
Director: Robbie Hébert
Firebrand: A New Queer Musical at The Water Rats is being performed as a semi-staged concert of Act 1. The story begins in the Royal Court of Versailles in the home of King Louis XIV. Bandits are attacking the villages. In the court, the King couldn’t care less, and Julie has decided more has to be done about it. She hatches a plan to get all of the wealthy and powerful on her side and form a police force to protect the people.
As she goes, collecting the support of each aristocrat one by one, we meet an array of colourful characters. Eventually, she meets a beautiful seamstress and a bond begins. As they become closer, Julie realises the truth of her feelings and is left with the decision of living and loving authentically, or protecting herself. There is a question around a musical about queer liberation highlighting the police as a solution for public safety; however, this may be addressed in the second act.
Merilee Ettia and Robbie Hébert’s music sits in the musical theatre genre but doesn’t quite have a cohesive or distinct musical voice. There is somewhat of an excess of ballads early on in the show, although I Am Undone, a love duet between the show’s heroines, is a particularly moving highlight. The dialogue and lyrics are amusing, winning plenty of laughs, while the more sincere lyrical moments need more poetry or less obvious language for real emotional impact.
There are some powerful voices on stage, but overall the singers seem to lack confidence in the music. The workshop format does require a quick rehearsal period, but the music needs more attention. This lack of confidence makes it difficult to connect with the performers, and thus the characters, so we are left without feeling the emotional peak the show is clearly working towards. The performers do, however, have a great sense of hutzpah and there are very charming moments of audience connection when things inevitably go wrong. The Narrator does a surprisingly entertaining job while keeping the action moving.
A feat, as always, to get a new musical off the ground and a show with plenty of potential and room for development.
Runs until 19 August 2026
Camden Fringe 2026 runs until 30 August
