Fashion Victim - The Musical!

THE Devil Wears Prada meets Dynasty down at the local H&M. That is how writer Toby Rose describes his latest show Fashion Victim - The Musical! which has just opened at the Cinema Museum in Walworth.

The show follows the fortunes of Mimi Steel, a girl on the make in the world of London fashion and who will do whatever it takes to get to the top of the tree.

And when she meets Cedric Chevalier, a Parisian Londoner who easily falls victim to her charms she sees a chance to do just that.

However, his friend, the brilliantly named Jake Spangle, and stylist to the stars realises Mimi may not be all she seems and that she may have alterior motives.....

"It is a real roller coaster ride through the world of fashion in contemporary London that is all set around a young girl on the make and who uses her womanly wiles to get ahead," says Toby cheerfully.

"People will definitely recognise some of the characters because they are all of a type - the fashion industry is full of people known for their diva and devious ways," he adds.

"It's a parody of those types especially those voraciously ambitious people who are seduced by the glamour of the fashion world.

"But it's also a lot of fun, has a lot of dancing and singing and plenty of humour and is the closest you will get to in a theatre setting of what it's like at a fashion industry catwalk show."

It's being staged at the Cinema Museum which Toby says was the perfect place because the space allowed him to create a catwalk runway as an integral part of the stage.

"I'm really excited we managed to get this amazing building," he says. "It's unusual and interesting in its own right, with gorgeous high ceilings.

"I'm not sure what Charlie Chaplin would have thought about his old workhouse being used in this way, but it's it's perfect for this show.

"We wanted somewhere where we could create an impression of a groovy fun fashion show that was taking place around the audience and this has allowed us to do just that."

It's the second show Toby has written and has been inspired by his time as the Standard's Paris correspondent and at NBC reporting on all the fashion shows.

"I know the industry pretty well and thought as a backdrop for a farcical fun story it was perfect," he says.

He wrote the story and the lyrics and collaborated with Michael Webborn on the music. It is directed by Robert McWhir, artistic director at Clapham's Landor Theatre, which Toby is thrilled about.

"The Landor is the gold standard of musical theatre in South London," he says warmly. "Robert is brilliant and the best and the safest pair of hands I could have wished for."

And he's not ruled out a sequal.

"This was quite easy to write," he laughs. "I had great fun writing it and I've already written another show so who knows...!"

Fashion Victim - The Musical! takes place at the Cinema Museum in Dugard Way off Renfrew Road until Sunday, July 6. Tickets cost from £10. Visit www.fashionvictimthemusical.com