… threat to international security.
Today comes the exciting claim that Damon Albarn intends to stage a musical about the life and death of Osama Bin Laden. And, unlike Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom or Josef Tura and his acting troupe, there would no intended subversive joke.
This would not be the most barking mad production Albarn has put on.
No announcement yet on who has the lead role, although Omid Djalili has signed up for a “major role” and Stephen Fry makes his return to the stage as Smawi Upandunder, the wives’ gynaecologist, a double agent for the CIA, who visits them in Bin Laden’s compound.
The musical features original material as well as versions of hits like “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” reworked as “Don’t Cry For Me, Al-Qaeda”, Gary Glitter’s “Leader Of the Gang” and “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (the name’s Bin Laden).” One of the wives is an Essex Girl who Bin Laden married on a supposed visit to the UK in the 80s and is likely to be played by Denise Van Outen. Tyler, the Creator from rap group Odd Future, is lined up to play a fouled-mouthed CIA operative.
No Alexei Sayle?