Book, Music, Lyrics and Directors: Finn Tickel and Sam Trotman
Operation Mincemeat began its journey at the small New Diorama Theatre in Euston. It’s now showing on the West End and Broadway. The Dance Plague of 1518 begins its journey at Camden Fringe at Upstairs at the Gatehouse. Like Operation Mincemeat, Finn Tickel and Sam Trotman’s musical has the potential to conquer the world. Clever, funny and stuffed with memorable songs, this plague is definitely worth catching, in both senses of the word.
Initially, as a cast of terrible actors begin rehearsing for a play about the dance plague in 16th-Century Strasbourg, it seems as if this will be musical slapstick, in the same vein as The Play That Goes Wrong, but with added songs. However, as the four actors begin their first number, The Entirely Real And Totally True (Kind Of) Dance Plague Of 1518, any similarities with that long-running show are quickly dispelled. The Dance Plague, using minimal props and supported by a three-piece band, conjures musical mayhem par excellence.
Tickel and Trotman’s story, of course based on fact, is silly. In meta ways, they introduce a princess to the narrative to make their show, which is to have its premiere at Milton Keynes Comprehensive for Boys, more palatable to the masses. They give the princess a father who wants to marry her off to the King of Portugal. And they also give her a love interest closer to home.
The dance plague may take some time to arrive, but the songs like Get Away and Who’s That Girl are so joyously performed and catchy that it’s worth the incubation period. Tickel and Trotman’s numbers cover many genres: pop, musical theatre and cabaret. But they are complex numbers too, with duets and ensemble pieces. The disco-inspired Dance Fever, with the lyric “Dance fever, I’m panting like a golden retriever”, is inspired. Let’s just hope the Bee Gees don’t hear it.
The cast works hard, and there are more costume changes than a Cher farewell concert tour. Trotman is utterly hilarious in every role he plays, especially the priest who has a thing for young castrato Domino. Tickel is also very funny in his roles as the King of Strasbourg, pulling every gag he can from his Scottish accent, and a beggar woman who shuffles on stage on her knees.
As the princess and her lover, Caoimhe De Brun and Harrison MacDonald-Taylor have wonderful voices and their duet Love Is Not A Slow Dance has echoes of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s Shallow in its romantic nature. However, the songs are mainly comical ones like the X-rated O.I.A.F. (Orgy in a Field, if you’re asking) and the very camp Time For The Dance To Die. And the final number, Fill In The Gaps, is completely infectious.
Not all of the jokes land, but there’s always another right around the corner. And perhaps the first half has the better songs, but even in its early stages, this plague could become a pandemic.
Runs until 13 August 2026
Camden Fringe 2026 runs until 30 August
