FLOP! – Wilton’s Music Hall
A musical can close early, lose money and still leave behind a song worth hearing. That is the appealing idea behind FLOP!, Arthur Hull’s cabaret devoted to songs from musicals that failed to find an audience, and at Wilton’s Music Hall, his London debut, he makes a convincing case for giving each of them another chance.
Hull is an engaging tour guide through this collection of theatrical misfires. He introduces each show with a clear sense of its story and fate, giving the songs enough context to stand on their own, with narration that is lively without overwhelming the music. His selection of songs feels carefully curated, with each offering a fresh reason to be curious about work that might otherwise have been forgotten.
His singing is the evening’s greatest strength. He...