One might argue that having to Google which characters to include in your work is a clear sign that there will be a lack of emotional connection to them, but writer Neil Bastian seems to disagree. 

His new musical ‘The Rise & Fall of Vinnie & Paul’ is currently playing at The Glitch SE1and centres around a duo we all know well. Vincent Van Gogh is in the early stages of his art career and, apparently, gay awakening. For either of these reasons - the production never quite explores the latter in full - he invites fellow artist Paul Gauguin to his home in France for company. 

In this hour-long version of what is currently being developed into a full length musical, we hear 9 songs from Max Alexander-Taylor (Vinnie) and Nicholas Carter (Paul). These were all much of a muchness, and it is hard to recall any of the melodies or lyrics after leaving the theatre. This is with the exception of the third number ‘Like A Painter Man’ which could easily become one of those typically overused audition pieces for a bland male protagonist.

This is exactly how one might describe both characters in The Rise & Fall of Vinnie & Paul, as neither are given deep enough story arcs to allow the audience to develop any kind of attachment. An unfortunate consequence of this, aside from a general lack of entertainment, is that the stakes are reduced to almost none, with the most pertinent example of this being when Van Gogh slices off his own ear. Such a form of mutilation really should evoke a reaction of some sort and it just... didn't.

Part of this problem could be put down to the space itself; with a maximum of one chair between you and the performers, there was a sense of awkwardness instead of the intimacy one might presume was Jonathan Harrion-Walsh’s intention for the venue. 

It feels unjust to critique the technical elements of the piece given hired sound equipment and no lighting designer credited in the programme, but it is safe to say that many other small scale productions have begun in similar circumstances and left much more of an impression.

The script is minimally to blame for this, as the story has brilliant potential but the present format of the book means it is simply sharing facts. A historical retelling should be just that, a REtelling. This production about artists featured very little artistic interpretation which limits its ability to include new or exciting themes.

Imagine an upsettingly weak glass of squash - as if the water has possibly glanced at the bottle of juice before pouring itself into your cup. That's the flavour of this iteration of The Rise & Fall of Vinnie and Paul. So, while I can’t say I have been left wanting more, knowing that there are grander plans for this production does spark some intrigue as it is clear there is so much room for growth. 

This show was reviewed on the 17th April 2025 at The Glitch, London where it runs until the 28th April 2025.  Tickets available here:  The Rise and Fall of Vinnie & Paul

Review written by Katie-Anna McConnell

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