This riotous romp through the scandalous life and legend of 17^th-century French opera singer Julie d’Aubigny revels in its own scrappiness. The fast-paced episodic narrative covers a lot of drama, including affairs, marriage, duels, death sentences, abductions and convent-burning, but the musical focuses ultimately on this much mythologised historical figure’s rebelliousness and bisexuality. 

The most contrived element is the romance between Julie and Marie, which becomes the focus towards the end, deliberately invented to add sentimentality and structure, which, admittedly, the piece really needs. Without it, Julie is a psychologically opaque figure whose actions lack direction. The musical is no panegyric, however, as it represents Julie’s more reprehensible behaviour alongside her marvellous courage. It is also impressively self-aware particularly when abruptly abandoning a song that referred to Julie’s sexual exploits at the age of 13. 

The spoken jokes in between songs serve somewhat to clarify the narrative, but they are somewhat lacking and delivered as though part of a children’s pantomime. However, led by Abey Bradbury (writer, narrator and title role), the whole cast is brilliantly fun, talented and funny, especially in the group scenes that involve dancing, singing, or musical accompaniment on a cracking assortment of instruments. 

The Space @ Niddry St, until 27 August, 10.20pm.