REVIEW: I BELIEVE IN ONE BACH by Chris Brannick, Camden Fringe at Etcetera Theatre 5 – 9 & 11 August 2024

‘There are grand operatic themes here which are condensed into a 50-minute stripped back production.’ ★★★ ½

The ‘driven musician’ trope will always be welcome as it’s accompanied by superb music. In this case, it is German composer Johann Sebastian Bach, a musician of the late Baroque period, known for creating some of the most sublime music, here abridged to just one piece: Bach’s B Minor Mass. 

Aging violinist Alan Gottlieb is coming to the end of his career, when a change of conductor, heralds the advent of an unsettling appraisal in which the weakest musicians are given notice. Alan and another second are in the frame, and both of them react in very different ways which leads to a psychological examination of what it is to be a musician and begs the question: ‘If they are denied their musicianship, then what is left?’ There are grand operatic themes here which are condensed into a 50-minute stripped back production.

Both players are convincing in their roles. The writer, Chris Brannick, also features as Alan, giving a solid performance as a man so blinded by his own love of Bach, he cannot acknowledge his own shortcomings as a musician, preferring to share in Bach’s glory.  Brannick mimes playing the violin, and this works well as a metaphor for his belief in Bach’s divine presence. Karen Kirkup plays the three other characters: Alan’s fellow second violinist, Alan’s former music teacher, and the orchestra’s director. She uses phrasing, intonation and accents on certain syllables to differentiate between the three women.   It’s mainly done through voice rather than body language or costume, which is quite impressive. The writing undoubtedly helps as the violinist has a wicked sense of humour (and talks ten to the dozen), the teacher is a diva who loves sexual inuendo, and the director is typically henchman-like, unfeeling and tricky.   

There is a reveal in the show which audiences may not see coming, but unfortunately it loses some power as there hasn’t been enough time invested in the development of this peripheral character to really unsettle, shock or sadden. Nevertheless, it is crucial to the storyline and says more about Alan and his state of mind. It is an essential piece of the mystery which draws the show to its close.

Kirkup’s characters certainly add flavour to the story but overall, the show just doesn’t quite work. There is the feeling that more is needed, more lighting effects, better sound quality. It is a beautifully written script, which was originally written as a short story, but it feels as though something is missing. Would the show work better cross genre, with some film included? It needs vision to take the show to the next level. It certainly holds tremendous promise as a feature film, with a real orchestra and the visual glory of Alan’s fantasy world, and fully developed characters. 

On the other hand, the movable scenery works extremely well to suggest various locations and the actors use the scenery to make the best use of the space in the small theatre. Perhaps if more time could be given to Kirkup’s second violinist, and let her lines land, so that the audience has time to catch the humour. The banter between the pair could be more engaging, in other words, a little more attention to stage skills could help the play to feel more complete. 

I Believe in One Bach

Presented by Two Foolish Productions

Etcetera Theatre 7 -9 & 11 August 2024

Box Office: https://camdenfringe.com/events/i-believe-in-one-bach/

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