Musical Myth Takes to the Campaign Trail | Absurd Hero | ⭐⭐⭐ | April Alsup Productions | Willow Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court

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Camus imagined the “absurd hero” in the form of Sisyphus, condemned to push his boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down for eternity. Absurd Hero: The Musical takes that myth and spins it on its head: in this 2025 reimagining, Sisyphus becomes “Sid,” a would-be mayor of Corinth navigating gods who have fallen on hard times and political conspiracies that feel uncannily familiar.

The production bursts with energy. The score, a mix of jazz, blues and classic musical theatre, gives the cast room to show off their impressive pipes and sharp choreography. Even on a small stage, the ensemble overflows with enthusiasm, their camaraderie radiating through every number. It’s clear this is a cast that loves performing together, and that joy is infectious.

But while the performances soar, the story sometimes stumbles. In the show’s one-hour runtime, too many subplots jostle for attention. It feels like every character is handed a moment to shine (and they do), but that generosity comes at the cost of clarity. Promising threads—like the Muses stepping in as a Greek chorus—get swallowed by the show’s busyness, while others, like the “street gang” of homeless gods, feel undercooked. You can’t help but wonder what the show could achieve with a full-length, two-act structure where these ideas could truly breathe.

Thematically, the piece is ripe with potential. Instead of a homeless gang the writers might consider Sid’s campaign against Zeus’s posse, reimagined as a modern Republican rival and his ruthless campaigners. This would set up an intriguing allegory for the cyclical tug-of-war in American politics. The current ending, where Sid wins the election and solves Corinth’s homelessness crisis, feels a little too neat. The myth of Sisyphus is one of endless struggle, and a more daring finale could lean into that resonance – Sid’s rise and fall echoing the pendulum swings of recent presidencies from Bush to Obama, Trump to Biden, and back again. A bittersweet ending would underline the absurdity at the heart of the story: that progress is always hard-won and always fragile, but always worth the fight.

For now, Absurd Hero: The Musical feels like a work in progress – but an exciting one.

With development and further workshop time, it could evolve into something truly special like a modern-day Hadestown that dares to challenge not just myth and musical theatre tradition, but our own political moment. The boulder may keep rolling back down the hill, but this is a show with the grit—and the heart—to keep pushing.

The Arts Business Top Tips

1. Give Everyone a Moment to Shine — But Don’t Overcrowd the Story

·       Just like the cast each had their spotlight, businesses often try to showcase everything at once. I myself am awful for doing this!

·       Focus on a core message or product. The same way that too many storylines perplex the audience, too many services or products released at the time cause confusion.

2. Strong Teams Sell Themselves

·       The ensemble’s chemistry was infectious.  During the bows you could see them beam with pride for one another which bled into the audience and echoed in their applause.

·       In any business, it is important to recognise the value of a team who all get on with one another and help each other go from strength to strength. This is one of the best assets your business can have and is something money can’t buy. If you find it, protect it.

·       Another winning factor is that generally people buy into people who clearly love what they’re doing together. This makes your already great business asset a powerful marketing tool as well.

3. Blend the Familiar with the Fresh

·       Blending Greek myths with modern politics creates intrigue, which will bring in a curious audience.

·       Successful marketing often comes from remixing what people already know in a surprising new way or combining two separate elements into a product or brand which makes something unique.

·       Maybe you’re a sculpture who only creates art using recyclable products, a traditional museum curator who transforms simple exhibitions into immersive experiences or a vlogger who reviews theatre using interpretive dance. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box

4. Music (or Style) is a Hook

·       The show’s jazz and blues vibe stood out. The unique combinations of musical styles is something that the show should include as part of their branding and marketing.

·       For brands, having a distinctive “voice” or “aesthetic” makes you memorable — whether it’s sound, visuals or tone.

·       As a freelancer your distinctive voice is you, your history and all your experience which all culminate to make your wonderful and unique personality.

5. Know Your Medium’s Limits

·       An hour at the Fringe wasn’t enough to fully explore the storylines put forward in this show, some editing of plots mix with a dash more exposition would have taken this musical to the next level.

·       In marketing, pick the right platform for the message for example: TikTok for quick hits, Linkedin is for mini articles and promotional imagery, newsletters can go more in depth.

·       Be sure to tailor and remaster your content dependent on the platform it is going out on.

6. Satire Sells When It’s Relevant and Lasts When It’s Timeless.

·       Framing ancient gods in 2025 politics made the story instantly relatable. If they were to edit it to reflect the pendulum that is politics constantly swinging from left to right it would traverse decades.

·       The same applies to marketing: tie your product or message into current conversations for instant resonance. Solve a problem which has always been there with a service you offer, or create a product which has always been wanted or needed and prolong the life of your business.

7. Build Worlds, Not Just Products

·       The gods, the muses, the campaign posters — even if the story was messy, the world-building was rich.

·       Brands that create an immersive world (Apple, Disney, Netflix) invite loyalty and long-term engagement.

·       With the rise of immersive entertainment it is important to think about the entire journey your audience, clients and customers go on. Think about creative ways you can make your brand immersive from that first impression on social media to the aftercare for repeat business.

8. Workshop, Don’t Wait

·       Absurd Hero is clearly a work-in-progress — but it’s on stage, being tested, and evolving. Don’t be afraid to give things a go and learn how it lands before taking it away for refinement.

·       In business too, don’t wait for perfect. Launch, learn and iterate.

·       Learn to read online analytics to help brand refinement

9. Make the Struggle Part of the Story

·       At its heart, the myth of Sisyphus is about persistence. In the words of Miley Cyrus: “There’s always gonna be another mountain.”

·       Businesses and creators alike can use their struggles in storytelling — showing the climb makes victories relatable and inspiring.