By Lucy Komisar
This musical about the iconic painter Vincent Van Gogh at the Edinburgh Fringe brings a new political understanding as you see him at a workers protest.
Music, lyrics and book by Tony Norman, director and choreographer Sarah Dormady.
Yellow flames make a stunning background, showing how the colors became art. The magic of this play is that events in the artist’s life take place in front of backdrops of his painting at the time.
Vincent (Alex Bloomer) starts out religious, even mystical. His brother Theo (Richard Dawes) is the solid one who keeps him on an even keel. He changes in Brussels with five drinking buddies. In letters to his brother, we see the stories behind the changing paintings.
There is the lady of the streets he marries (Maren Ovidia as Sien) who sings in fine voice, “Why does he stay with me? I’m no good.”
Then he leaves her for Paris. Those scenes are charming, the courtesans smashing, especially Agostina (Jordan Frazier). But the conflict with his brother turns into the “Starry Night” painting.
Van Gogh joined a painters’ group in the south of France. It included Paul Gaughin (Patrick Jennings), often drunk and hostile.
We see “Sunflowers” at the moment where Van Gogh cuts off his ear. And his decent into madness. But even in the asylum, he paints characters who are twisting on the floor. You see disturbance in his brush strokes.
During his life Van Gogh was belittled, dismissed as a vagabond.
The narrative is told with sensitivity and passion. The music, sometimes with a beat, sometimes schmaltzy, fits the story.
Vincent lived from 1853 to 1890, Theo from 1857 to 1891, their deaths being as close as their lives.
The cast of eleven are stunning performers. The music and lyrics are of Broadway quality. (The Brits would say West End!)
The show was written for two hours and cut to one hour for the Fringe. The original belongs on Broadway.
“Vagabond Skies.” Music, lyrics and book by Tony Norman, director and choreographer Sarah Dormady. The Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh. Runtime 1hr. July 30 to Aug 21, 2025.