Creating Musical Comedy Amid Chaos: Charlie Barnett Discusses ‘The Last Days of Cleopatra’
Entering the world of Charlie Barnett, the creative force behind “The Last Days of Cleopatra,” a new musical comedy set in 1961, Rome, during the filming of Cleopatra starring the dazzling Elizabeth Taylor and her new co-star, famed Shakespearean actor Richard Burton. Set to be a huge blockbuster hit, it became this colossal disaster amid a torrid affair that ended Taylor’s marriage and drenched the production in scandal. Barnett has been enamored by the charisma of Elizabeth Taylor and captivated by the calamitous creation of the film, acting as inspiration for this piece.
We had a chance to speak with Barnett during rehearsal for a special NYC industry presentation. He reflected on the intricacies of crafting this unique musical comedy that is a testament to an era long gone.
Q: How would you describe “The Last Days of Cleopatra”?
CHARLIE BARNETT: It is a farce. Everyone on stage takes themselves completely seriously and thinks they are working on an Oscar-worthy project. The fact that it’s the biggest turkey of all time never enters their thinking.
Q: What inspired you to delve into the film Cleopatra for your musical comedy?
CB: First of all, let me say that I adore Elizabeth Taylor as an actress. I think she’s brilliant. But everybody makes mistakes. The same might be said for all the famous people involved in this film, including Rex, Harrison, Richard, Burton, and Roddy McDowell. But I think the thing that drew me to this was the flamboyance of the early 1960s. This was the very end of the Golden Age of that sort of cinema. They don’t make ‘sword and sandal’ epics like this anymore.
When the poster reads “a Cast of Thousands,” it is absolutely true that they used thousands of people to make this film. Of course, the thinking was that using thousands and thousands of people might make it better. It did not. There are many reasons to love this film and to laugh at its flaws.
Beyond the film, there was hysteria surrounding the affair between Taylor and Burton. So much so that the Pope actually issued an edict that named them. Everyone in 1962 had an opinion about Elizabeth Taylor and, of course, about their adulterous affair.
By today’s standards, this does not seem as salacious as it did then. Still, it’s incredible to realize that this affair had a polarizing effect. Nearly everyone took sides with Liz or Debbie Reynolds, Dick Burton, or Eddie Fisher. In retrospect, it all seems so frivolous, but it was very important to everyone at the time.
Top that with the introduction of the paparazzi and the power of the press, the candid pictures of Liz and Dick on the set of Cleopatra were absolutely shocking. I know that I’m looking at this through the lens of 60 years, but the worldwide trauma that this affair produced is still astonishing.
Q: Given your extensive background in composing for various mediums such as film, television, and theater, how did your experience in these fields influence the creation of the music and score for “The Last Days of Cleopatra”?
CB: I would say that my experience in writing for film and TV only has the effect of allowing me to write faster. Stylistically, there is nothing comparable between any of these mediums and musical comedy. That’s probably what draws me to it. I’ve always liked how music was orchestrated in the early 1960s, Henry Mancini, etc. I got to use some of my, dare I say, vast experience with the orchestrators from the 60s to orchestrate this show, complete with an accordion. It is Italy, after all.
Q: As both a playwright and composer, how did your creative process differ or intertwine when crafting the narrative and the music for this musical comedy compared to your previous works like “19: The Musical” and “When We Get There”?
CB: Honestly, it made it easier. As I was writing the script, I would simply insert something like “a song about this here. “ Then the next day, I would write that song. I’m a reasonably fast writer and, thankfully, did not have to wait for the script or the songs. What’s great about this is that the tone of each song would be instantly in my mind, rather than hearing from the librettist and having to translate his or her ideas about the scene to me.
Q: With your experience in various genres and collaborations, what aspect of “The Last Days of Cleopatra” sets it apart from other musical comedies, and what message or emotions do you hope the audience takes away after experiencing your production?
CB: Good grief! That is such a loaded question. If it stands apart from other musical comedies, and I hope it does, it is mainly because it is written in a golden age style. That is not seen on Broadway as much these days. The rest of this question needs to be answered by audiences, critics, passersby… I’m not sure.
Q: You’ve collaborated with diverse artists and musicians in your career. How did the collaboration with director Thomas Caruso and music director Matthew Smedal shape the vision and execution of “The Last Days of Cleopatra,” and what did each bring to the creative table?
A: They are both terrific at their craft. I’ve worked much more with Matthew on the music to date. We just started rehearsals, and I finally got to see why everybody loves Tom Caruso so much. He is like an actor–whisperer.
Q: Your career spans composing, performing, producing, and even occasional commentary on NPR. How have these multifaceted experiences informed your approach to storytelling in “The Last Days of Cleopatra,” and how do you navigate between these different creative domains?
CB: I will say that none of the other media that I’ve worked in much influenced this show. When I am working in the theater, I am only working in the theater. I’m not thinking about how this would look on film or sound on the radio. I think it’s important to honor the medium that you’re working in. The theater is unlike anything else. It is present. It is necessarily interactive. It’s in real-time.
Q: Finally, with the exclusive industry presentation on the horizon, what are your hopes and aspirations for the reception and future of “The Last Days of Cleopatra”? Are there any aspirations for further development or a potential broader audience beyond this initial showcase?
A: What’s next? The answer to that could be a million things. But let’s put a visual on it, shall we? Last summer, I visited the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. I would like to go there. There! I’ve said it!
