The story of Gino Bartali – Italy’s iconic resistance hero, champion cyclist and rescuer of Jews from Mussolini’s fascists – is told in this vivid new musical
Father/daughter duo Victoria and Todd Buchholz – the former a singer-songwriter, the latter a best-selling author, inventor and senior White House economic adviser – have collaborated on this exciting new musical. It tells the story of the wartime rescue missions undertaken by Italian cycling legend Gino Bartali.
Glory Ride is bookended by Bartali’s cycling exploits, as ‘King of the Mountains’, a title he won in the Giro d'Italia numerous times, and winner of the first stages of the Tour de France pre-war, then two-time overall winner post-war. But his secret heroism – regularly risking his life to save Florence’s Jews from deportation by providing papers and even hiding youngsters in his home – remains the central focus. It’s notable that his chief collaborator in these dangerous missions is the Florentine Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa. So although the story is of interest to a Jewish audience, it is the Gentiles who play a vital part, after Bartalo's death in 2000, in getting him recognised as ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ from Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.
Opening in Florence in 1935 to an evocative cityscape panorama (set, video and costume design by PJ McEvoy), from the get-go this has the feel of a big show. The robust urbanites, clad in rustic browns and reds, women with aprons, and all with credible Italian accents (to my untutored ear at least) make their mark with a full-chorus opening number. Director and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Kelly Devine (Come From Away) marshalls her cast magnificently here and the live band of five (led by MD Dave Rose on keys) makes an impressively big sound, more like a full orchestra.
Enter Josh St Clair’s Bartali, on two wheels, of course, and ingeniously pedalling more or less on the spot. Tall, slim and clad in shorts that show off an authentic pair of muscular cyclist’s legs. Adriana Bani, who becomes his wife (of 60 years) is played Amy Di Bartolomeo, a performer with a huge voice and Italian credentials too. Wily resourceful wingman and accountant Giorgio ‘Nico’ Nissim (who goes by Nico, for he is one of Florence’s Jews) is played with gleeful panache by Daniel Robinson. Niall Sheehy’s honourable Cardinal Dalla Costa is a pious Catholic in word and deed. These are the leaders who make good the rescues of at least ‘800 souls’ as one of the powerful songs has it. To Fed Zanni and Ryan Bennett fall the roles of those who find themselves more compromised.
There is real tension as Florence’s gates are closed at night by order of Mussolini’s fascists. No one may enter or leave, but Bartali has a ‘get out of Florence free’ card. He needs to train in the treacherous dark to retain his title as ‘King of the Mountains’. The audience really comes to care about the fate of Florence’s Jews, especially the youngsters hidden thanks to Bartali and the Cardinal. The suspense is matched by illuminated signs on each side of the stage giving the count of the secret missions and the purpose of each, such as ’Mission: Florence to Assisi – 3 passports’. Just as well the show runs to late-July. The word will spread as will Bartali's well-deserved fame.
By Judi Herman
Photos by Marc Brenner
Glory Ride runs until Saturday 29 July. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Wed & Sat). From £25. Charing Cross Theatre, WC2N 6NL. gloryridemusical.com