The most bonkers night I have ever spent at the theatre
The Diary of a CEO Live London Palladium, London W1 ★★★★★
Is Steven Bartlett starting a new religion? I’m genuinely left wondering after experiencing his extraordinarily grandiose stage show, in which the entrepreneur and youngest-ever Dragon on Dragon’s Den presents his life story like evangelical testimony. But he’s not the Messiah – he’s a very haughty boy.
Admittedly, the 29-year-old Bartlett is due some self-aggrandisement. Born in Botswana, he moved with his family to Plymouth where his parents struggled financially and he was the only black kid in school. He then dropped out of university and founded the social-media marketing business Social Chain, which went public with a valuation of £300million; he has an estimated net worth of £50million.
He’s since published a memoir and hosts a business podcast, The Diary of a CEO, which reportedly generates over £1million a year in advertising. High-profile guests have included Jimmy Carr, Joe Wicks, Love Island’s Molly-mae Hague – who sparked controversy with tone-deaf comments about poverty – and, coming up soon, former health secretary Matt Hancock.
Now, Bartlett has sold out a live tour based on his podcast. The show consists of the entrepreneur, accompanied by heartstring-yanking piano music and the fervent House Gospel Choir, delivering chunks of autobiography. Clad in a long, black top and artfully ripped jeans, the entrepreneur sermonises on listening to your inner voice and taking risks, even if people think you’re crazy (cue: the choir singing Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy).
But it’s not just a rags-to-riches tale. On what should be the happy day (choir: Oh Happy Day) when he makes millions, he instead feels miserable, because seeking external validation hasn’t cured his insecurities.
And there is a lot more therapy-speak where that came from. Bartlett hands down well-worn wisdom – work-life balance is tough, relationships need good communication – with the portentousness of Moses unveiling the stone tablets. Sometimes he shifts into tortured verse or clunky alliteration, like “Pain is a pathway to purpose”, the choir punctuating it with whoops and finger snaps. At the climax, a stainedglass window is projected above Bartlett with a divine light.
It’s truly the most bonkers night I’ve spent in a theatre. Bartlett boasts that he’s discovered “mature”, ego-less love with girlfriend Melanie, yet mounts an eye-wateringly self-indulgent display.
The most impactful moments of the night are clips from the podcast, perhaps because they feature different voices, and a candid segment on mental health, addiction and suicidal ideation – the latter based on the experiences of Social Chain co-founder Dominic Mcgregor. But will Bartlett, the cuddly capitalist prophet, be so content to feature others now that he’s had a taste of the spotlight? After all, his faith boils down to one word: “Me”.
Until Feb 23. Tickets: lwtheatres.co.uk