Roisin Murphy, Shakespeare's Globe, London, review: A surreal blast

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Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

Initially it's surreal seeing former Moloko singer Róisín Murphy stomping across the stage at London's Globe Theatre. This historic riverside venue normally lays on faithful recreations of Shakespeare plays, but tonight it's hosting a one-off pop concert as part of Lauren Laverne’s Wonder Women season. After a couple of numbers, it all starts to make strange sense.

Irishwoman Murphy, enjoying a career renaissance thanks to 2015’s Mercury Prize-nominated Hairless Toys album and this year's slightly less well-received Take Her Up to Monto, has a natural theatricality that suits the beautiful wooden surroundings. As she and a four-piece band deliver the shape-shifting prog-disco tunes of those albums alongside older songs like electro gem “Dear Miami” and Moloko's deathless dance hit “Sing It Back”, Murphy never stops changing her outfit. At her feet lay a bewildering array of hats, headpieces, scarves and outer garments (including a construction worker's hi-vis jacket) to try on and discard at whim. It's a bit like watching the world’s most hyperactive drag queen, who just happens to have a lovely soulful voice too.

During the final song, “Pure Pleasure Seeker”, she dramatically destroys a bunch of red roses by bashing the flowers onto the stage floor, which by this point resembles a messy fashion student's bedroom. Pity the person who has to tidy up afterwards, but everyone else has had a blast.