Pop singer Pixie Lott takes on the role of Marilyn Monroe in the new play "Who Killed Marilyn?", which delves into theories surrounding the iconic actress's death. The play, written by American writer Sharleen Cooper Cohen, suggests that Monroe's demise in 1962 was not a suicide or accidental overdose, but rather a murder orchestrated by various powerful entities.
Cohen's narrative posits that Monroe's affairs with President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, led her to possess knowledge that put her life at risk. The play's plot suggests involvement from organized crime, the FBI, and the CIA in a conspiracy to silence Monroe. The official account of a drug overdose is presented as a cover-up, with FBI Chief J. Edgar Hoover allegedly involved in eliminating Monroe and subsequent figures like JFK and Bobby Kennedy.
Despite the play's ambitious conspiracy theories, Lott is noted for her performance as Monroe. Reviewer Patrick Marmion describes her as a "ringer" for the role, capturing the visual essence of the star with the signature blonde wig, pearl necklace, white dress, and red lipstick. However, Marmion points out that Lott's portrayal sometimes leans heavily on Monroe's well-known breathy vocal style and flirtatious mannerisms, reminiscent of her performance in "Some Like It Hot."
"The author, however, has big ambitions," Marmion writes. "As the title suggests, Cohen doesn't believe Marilyn took her own life in a tragic overdose in 1962. It was Hollywood, the Press, the Mob, the FBI and even the CIA what done it."
Marmion notes that while Lott's impersonation grows more emotionally charged over the 140-minute runtime, the production itself, directed by Philip Wm. McKinley, is described as "zestless." The setting of the Emerald Theatre on the Embankment in London, a former cabaret club redecorated to resemble a high-end brothel, is also mentioned as a potentially incongruous venue for a serious examination of conspiracy theories.
"It's hardly the sort of place for a serious reappraisal of stereotypes and deep state cover-ups," Marmion comments. "The performance is much more likely to sauce up whatever we already believe."
The play aims to explore Monroe's complex life and celebrity, offering a dramatic interpretation of events surrounding her death. "Who Killed Marilyn?" is currently playing at the Emerald Theatre in London.