Girl from the North Country may have scored a slew of five star reviews during its Old Vic Theatre world premiere season, but on the West End stage it’s a case of The Emperor’s New Clothes, with the overwritten new musical looking decidedly underproduced.

In writing Girl from the North Country, Conor McPherson had the very good fortune to be given full access to the treasured, extensive music catalogue of Bob Dylan. With no artistic input from Dylan, McPherson has fashioned an original work, a gritty play in which the drama is soothed by the beautiful music.

Set in the Duluth, Minnesota (Dylan’s birthplace) at the height of America’s Great Depression, Girl from the North Country presents a cavalcade of characters residing at a run down boarding house, There are so many characters, in fact, that it takes the whole of act one (which runs an hour) to introduce them all; this first act is consists entirely of exposition, with no plot developments occurring until after interval.

There is a strong sense of Our Town, particularly with the local doctor serving as celestial narrator. Much of the pathos lands affectingly in act two, but the characters remain little more than rough sketches, despite the considerable acting talents of the cast.

In crafting this “play with songs,” McPherson’s decision to break all the rules of musical theatre is an artistic one; it is, however, jarring to have the songs performed by the actors, not the characters. Completely removed from the storytelling, the songs are sung to the audience by actors gathered around microphones on stands.

Despite misgivings about the style, it cannot be argued that the music is anything other exquisite. Drawing on compositions of Dylan’s from 1963 to 2012, Simon Hale as delivered truly beautiful vocal and instrumental arrangements that successfully add a heavenly atmosphere to the piece.

Rae Smith’s scenic design appears to have been created with the budget of a high school  production. Besides the use of a few small painted flats, the show is mostly performed in front of the theatre’s basic black cloths. Cast members carry chairs and tables on and off, and band members sit onstage around and about the action.

Smith’s detailed costumes clearly evoke the period, and are a given a further sense of sepia tone with Mark Henderson’s excellent lighting design.

Directing his own material, McPherson draws strong performances from the excellent cast, ensuring that the storytelling, slight though it is, lands with maximal impact.

Ciarán Hinds’ soulful eyes project boarding house proprietor Nick Laine’s sorrow and strain. Shirley Henderson is a delight as Nick’s twitchy wife Elizabeth, a woman whose dementia has freed her from the constraints of polite behaviour.

Sheila Atim brings an enigmatic presence to Nick’s adopted daughter Marianne, whose pregnancy derives from mysterious origins. Atim is well partnered by Arinzé Kene as wronged ex-convict Joe Scott. The gently affecting arc of this pair is central to the heart of the show.

There are doubtless a good many theatregoers who will find Girl from the North Country charming. A further off-West End season may have been more appropriate for the show in its current form.

Girl from the North Country plays at Noël Coward Theatre, London until 24 March 2018.

A stage musical of Pinocchio sounds like a brilliant idea, but all the magical stagecraft in the world cannot save a show if the book is weak.

The National Theatre gathered a blue chip creative team to bring this treasured title to the stage.

As seen in these production images, the design is stunning. Bob Crowley (Mary Poppins) designed both costumes and scenery, as well as co-designing the puppets. In a clever touch, humans are played by puppets, while an actor plays Pinocchio, the vivacious wooden boy. Directed and co-designed by Toby Olié, the puppets could have used moving mouths, but their scale and expression are very impressive.

One of the best special effects is the magical flying flame that represents the Blue Fairy. To cover the magic of this effect, a good part of the show is performed in front of inky blackness. The stage is filled with colour, however, in certain scenes, when Crowley provides grand set pieces and vivid costumes.

Director John Tiffany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) keeps energy high, striking an even balance between pitching the show at children an adults. The audience can readily suspend disbelief in regard to all the fantastical elements due to the level of commitment of the cast in selling the scenario with absolute conviction.

Movement director Steven Hoggett has worked closely with Tiffany to integrate ongoing movement and to bring a sense of believable physicality to actors playing marionettes.

All of this great work cannot overcome the flaccid book. Having the librettist of Matilda pen another dark children’s show should have been a perfect fit. Kelly’s episodic structure limps from scene with no tension, no humour and little or no character development. The plot basically follows the classic 1940 Disney animated movie, but there is no drive to the overall flow. Another mistake is changing Jiminy Cricket to a whining, nagging female character.

Ever since Beauty and the Beast took the world stages by storm, musicals based on Disney movies have added extra songs for the stage. Curiously, there are no added songs here, just the same handful from the movie sung over and over and padded with additional orchestrations. They are great songs, but not enough to sustain a musical of 150 minutes (including interval). Why bother paying a 15-piece orchestra and then not giving them sufficient music to play?

The cast of Pinocchio do their very best with the material on offer. Joe Idris-Roberts is plucky and  likeable as Pinocchio, carrying the show with the flair and confidence of an actor beyond his years.

Mark Hadfield captures the kindly, sympathetic nature of Geppetto. Annette McLaughlin brings class to the Blue Fairy, whose mysterious presence and motivation is never really resolved. David Langham brings a sense of enjoyment to the wily fox, a role expanded here to drive all of Pinocchio’s bad decisions (because, apparently, the Fox wanted the piece of wood that Pinocchio was made from).

Audrey Brisson successfully keeps our eyes on Jiminy while she provides the sweet voice.

It is unclear whether children would be particularly taken by this production of Pinocchio. The show would certainly need more work before transferring elsewhere, particularly Broadway.

Pinocchio was reviewed 7pm 11 January 2018 at Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, London where it plays selected dates until 10 April 2018.

Photos: Manuel Harlan

The world’s hottest musical arrives in London in a pristine production that is matched by a gleaming, newly renovated West End theatre that is far superior to the show’s Broadway home.

The Victoria Palace Theatre was closed for 20 months in the lead up to Hamilton’s December 2017 London opening. The centre aisle in the stalls (used as part of the action by the previous long-running tenant, Billy Elliot) is gone, leaving full width rows of very comfortably upholstered seats. The foyer is awash with gold trim and chandeliers, with an abundance of bars and bathrooms to easily satisfy the crowds to come. Work continues apace on the exterior, which is set to match the splendour within.

The production’s new secure ticket system works very simply, with staff at the theatre’s entrance printing tickets for patrons after scanning their credit card on a small portable device.

The concept and style of Hamilton are a perfect fit for London, a city steeped in history and a theatre industry completely accustomed to colour blind casting.

The London cast is nothing short of exceptional. Each actor successfully makes their role their own, which is no small task given the adulation centred upon the original Broadway cast. A notable achievement here is the crisp diction, which significantly aids comprehension and processing of the rapid-fire lyrics.

It has been almost three years since Hamilton premiered off-Broadway, and it is interesting to note that the composition and design are still blazingly new. Hollywood quickly cashes in on hit movies with strings of copycat films, but nothing on Broadway has yet matched the radical, bold style of Hamilton, with its through-sung, hip hop score, highly athletic, fully integrated choreography and cast of black/hispanic actors playing America’s all-white forefathers.

A masterpiece of composition, Lin Manuel Miranda’s extraordinarily intricate score and lyrics reveal new layers and details upon each viewing of the show. Listening to the Broadway cast recording is entertaining in its own right, but delivers only a fraction of the storytelling, such is the highly visual work of director Thomas Kail and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler.

Kail and Balnkenbuehler’s work is intrinsically tied to the open plan design of David Korins, flexible costumes of Paul Tazewell and lighting of Howard Binkley in a way that can only be achieved when a production is the result of rock solid collaboration between artists. There may be a fixed set for the show, but each song/scene has its own distinct look an feel, propelling the story with great clarity.

The London production has uncovered a terrific star in Jamael Westman. Apart from his performance abilities, Westman is also the tallest on stage, giving Alexander Hamilton a natural aura of leadership. Westman’s youth serves the initially 19 year-old Hamilton, but then his face changes subtly as Hamilton’s life progresses. Westman’s breakout performance will surely set him up for life on the stage, or whichever media he chooses.

Giles Terera has a very minor lisp, which may not sound relevant, and, indeed, is barely noticeable, but it brings a very slight edge of extra humanity to Aaron Burr, who is set up from the opening number as the ostensible villain of the piece. Terera conveys Burr’s frustration at not experiencing Hamilton’s success, keeping the man driven and hungry but just ever so slightly sympathetic.

Jason Pennycooke is particularly successful at claiming his roles for himself, putting a delightful personal stamp on both the dandy Lafayette and the assertive identity Jefferson (Pennycooke’s drop the mic moment is the best I have seen).

Obioma Ugoala brings a strong presence to George Washington, clearly conveying the stature of a born leader.

Tarinn Callender contrasts the brutish presence of Hercules Mulligan with the more pensive figure of James Madison. Fresh faced Cleve September endears himself to the audience as John Laurens, and is suitably adorable as Philip Hamilton, Alexander’s dear, ill-fated son.

A particularly clever part of Miranda’s writing is the introduction of the Schuyler sisters. Following the introduction of all of act one’s male characters, the sisters inject a much-needed female voice, as well as providing a touch of glamour in the pale pastel silk gowns.

In an ingenious touch, oldest sister Angelica is equally as fleshed out a character as romantic lead Eliza, who marries Hamilton. After Hamilton meets and marries Eliza in “Helpless,” the next song, “Satisfied” rewinds the scene and plays it again from Angelica’s perspective. Being the oldest, Angelica was compelled to marry rich, but having Alexander marry Eliza, she sings “at least I keep those eyes in my life.”

Rachel John is beautifully cast as Angelica, neatly balancing the young woman’s plucky confidence with her latent vulnerability. At this performance, the role of Eliza was played by Marsha Songscome. Songscome has the sweetheart beauty of Eliza, and sings and acts the role with fresh appeal and lively presence. The role of Peggy is a cute but minor one; Christine Allado is featured again in act two as Maria, the woman with whom Hamilton has a regrettable affair. Allado maintains a sense of mystery as to Maria’s true intentions.

I have been a keen fan of Michael Jibson ever since seeing him star as Joe Casey on my first visit to London back in early 2003. Jibson nails the delectable role of King George III, lapping up the adulation from the “home” crowd, who clearly appreciate the King’s position in relation to America’s quest for independence. The character is now a buffoon in context rather than just a buffoon (albeit a rather powerful and malicious buffoon).

Hamilton is the very definition of must-see theatre. Secure a ticket by any means possible.

Hamilton was reviewed 2.30pm Thursday 11 January 2018 at Victoria Palace Theatre, London where it plays an open-ended run.

Man in Chair also reviewed the original Broadway production of Hamilton.

Photos: Matthew Murphy

Everyone’s favourite tap dance musical is back on the West End, and, really, shouldn’t 42^nd Street always be playing somewhere in the world at any given time?

The West End season of this Tony Award-winning revival has been a long time coming. The Broadway revival of 42^nd Street played at the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts (now the Lyric Theatre) for almost four years in the early 2000s. The large-scale production looks terrific in Theatre Royal Drury Lane, one of London’s grandest West End theatres. The space is filled by towering scenery, a massive cast of 43 performers on stage and an orchestra of 18 musicians in the pit.

The production is showing its age just slightly, but once all those dancers get going it really doesn’t matter. The sets and costumes are certainly not of the dazzlingly creative standard seen in 42nd Street in Paris this time last year.

It makes sense that Douglas W. Schmidt’s scenic design features painted backdrops for show-within-a-show Pretty Lady, but there are a few too many painted backdrops for the backstage (ie “real life”) scenes as well. The main backstage set even has two stagehands painted onto it. Two scenes that feature constructed sets, decorated in gleaming art deco style, are Dorothy Brock’s dressing room and the two-story Regency Club in Philadelphia, and these are highlights.

The innumerable costumes of Roger Kirk are undeniably incredible, but their period simplicity is missing the edge seen in more recent Broadway shows such as Nice Work If You Can Get It and Bullets over Broadway. Still, the parade of pastels in ensemble daywear and the shimmering rainbow created by the gowns in “Dames” are sights to behold. Other highlights include the use of signature colours, such as lilac for Peggy and hot pink for Anytime Annie. Immaculately styled wigs complete the picture with a flourish.

The 2001 revival added new songs to the original version of the score. “Keep Young and Beautiful” was interpolated into “Dames,” turning it into even more of a showstopper. Also, tap number “Plenty of Money and You” was added for Peggy and the boys to flesh out the leading lady’s role in Pretty Lady. This production adds another song for Dorothy so that she has a scene to play in Pretty Lady before she breaks her ankle. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is a suitably pretty torch song, but its Paris setting makes no sense at all to the internal logic of Pretty Lady, which is clearly set in New York.

Ready Skinner’s sensational tap choreography remains an absolute highlight of the production, and it is pleasing to report that Gareth Owen’s sound design picks up every tap beat with delicious lickety-split clarity. The Busby Berkeley sequence in “Dames” (in which a large art deco mirror reflects the girls’ floor patterns) is just as thrilling the time around. Tapping on the massive stairs at the end of “42^nd Street” still lands with great impact. The post-bows tap finale remains a very welcome bonus.

Having co-written the book with Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble is well placed to direct his own material. Bramble keeps the pace brisk (to get us to each subsequent song more quickly) and uses an appropriate vaudevillean style of delivery in which almost every line is boldly delivered straight out to the front.

1980s pop singer Sheena Easton makes a fabulous Dorothy Brock. Easton has such a good legitimate singing voice that one wonders why she has not taken to the musical stage before. Easton looks great in the role, and her English accent adds an extra haughtiness to diva Dorothy.

Petite powerhouse Claire Halse has the physique of an Olympian athlete, along with the stamina. Halse makes it very clear why Peggy Sawyer makes it all the way to the top, fitting all the stated criteria, ie she’s a looker, she can chirp like a bird, and she’s pretty hot stuff in the steps department. Halse has a lovely moment in the big “42^nd Street” number in which she takes a quick moment to catch her breath before Peggy really launches into the song; this moment was well directed and equally well performed.

As Julian Marsh, Tom Lister has the imposing physical presence but not quite the commanding voice to suit the role. In the current social climate, Julian’s treatment of Peggy could be seen as inappropriate, but the scenes are played in the way they were originally written, with both actors fully committing to the authors’ intentions.

The status of 42^nd Street as a Major Production is indicated by the fact that an all too rare London cast recording has been released.

42^nd Street is multi-million pound entertainment that will leave all but the most cantankerous theatregoer with a big grin and a head full of toe-tapping tunes.

42nd Street was reviewed 7.30pm Monday 15 January 2018 at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London where it plays an open-ended run.

With a focus on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sumptuously melodious score, the new chamber-sized production of The Woman in White avoids the excesses of the original staging, allowing the gripping Victorian melodrama to be enjoyed purely on its own merits.

As artistic director, Thom Southerland is carving out a special place for Charing Cross Theatre on the London theatrical landscape. Scaled down productions of musicals with beautiful scores allows full attention on the singers, and Southerland, as director of The Woman in White, has gathered another set of beauties.

The original 2004 staging of The Woman in White made use of new technology to create the scenery entirely from animated projections. There was a novelty to this approach but, ultimately, no lasting benefit. With well-placed faith in the strength of its material, this lean production respects audience intelligence, striking a human connection that is further enhanced by the relative intimacy of the performance space.

Adapted from the serialised 1859 Wilkie Collins novel, the collaboration of Charlotte Jones (book) and David Zippel (lyrics) has resulted in an efficient and entertaining telling of a genuinely gripping mystery. The through-sung musical includes sufficient charming Lloyd Webber melodies as to provide elegant accompaniment of exposition scenes, avoiding the sometimes clunky effect when dialogue is set to music. The Big Songs, neatly embedded in the continuous flow of music, are eminently hummable.

After an ominous prologue, a love triangle promptly springs between half-sisters Marian Halcombe and Laura Fairlie and their handsome new art tutor Walter Hartright. The first four songs establish these young characters, and culminate in the gorgeous duet “I Believe My Heart,” as Laura and Walter realise their love.

The Woman in White is best enjoyed with no further knowledge of the surprises and secrets in store.

Southerland makes excellent use of the Morgan Large’s deliberately simple scenic design, creating the sense of distance and adjacent spaces through the actors’ positioning and focus. The actors’ complete commitment to their characters allows the audience to easily suspend disbelief and enjoy the thrilling ride.

Rick Fisher’s lighting design creates a brooding atmosphere, and his creative use of coloured back lighting creates a range of modes for the main rear arch design.

Costume design, by Jonathan Lipman, is a clear feature of the production. Lipman provides a very impressive number of gorgeous gowns for the female characters, and conveys the wealth of the lead male characters with rich, dark colours. Highlights include each of Laura’s white gowns, Sir Percival Glide’s green velvet coat, and Glide and Count Fosco’s decorative vests while gambling.

Musical director Simon Holt expertly leads an orchestra of ten musicians, creating a full, rich sound despite the somewhat reduced orchestrations. Andrew Johnson’s sound design is comfortably loud and perfectly balanced between vocals and instrumentals so that every precious word is easily heard.

The beautiful singing starts with highly experienced actors Carolyn Maitland and Anna O’Byrne as sisters Marian and Laura, joined by Ashley Stillburn as Walter. The quality continues with Chris Peluso as Sir Percival Glide and Greg Castiglioni as Count Fosco. The pleasure of hearing these voices sing Lloyd Webber’s music is a chief attraction of the production.

Maitland drives the action with great conviction as she portrays Marian’s deep sisterly love for Laura and her unrequited love for Walter. (Think of Marian as Angelica Schuyler, where Laura is Eliza and Walter is Alexander Hamilton).

O’Byrne is heavenly casting as Laura, garnering full audience sympathy and affection for the imperilled, fragile young woman.

Sophie Reeves captures the helpless frustration of Anne Catherick, enhancing the mystery with her portrayal of Anne’s impervious anxiety. On the couple of occasions that Reeves, O’Byrne and Maitland sing together, the sound is absolutely angelic.

Stillburn deepens the heroic Walter with unflagging intensity. Stillburn’s delivery of act two ballad “Evermore Without You” provides the strongest possible case that the song should be as highly rated in the Lloyd Webber canon as hits such as “Love Changes Everything.”

Peluso plays against type as the villainous Sir Glide, eschewing the moustache twirling to simply play a relentless, immoral man who believes he is in the right.

Castiglioni reinvents Count Fosco as a vainglorious hedonist with a bubbling undercurrent of good conscience. Castiglioni’s delivery of “A Gift For Living Well” and “You Can Get Away With Anything” are joyful highlights, providing much-needed moments of levity amidst the heavy drama.

Anthony Cable provides strong support as curmudgeonly elder Mr Fairlie, creating a rounded character from the broad strokes provided.

To enjoy the best musical theatre singing in London at off-West End prices, The Woman White is highly recommended.

The Woman in White was reviewed 7.30pm Thursday 18 January 2018 at Charing Cross Theatre, London, where it plays until 10 February 2018.

Photos: Darren Bell

A joyful celebration of the power of embracing what makes a person special, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is one of the most exciting new British musicals in a long time.

The tale of a working class boy who just wanted to be fabulous, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie could be looked at as a prequel, of sorts, for Kinky Boots, a kind of “origin story” for a Lola-type character. In 2017, a traditional teenage coming out story is all too passé, but the new angle of schoolboy Jamie New coming out as a drag artist has all the same potential for strife and sorrow plus extra lashings of glamour.

The project began when the fifteen-year-old real life Jamie wrote to a swag of documentary companies proposing coverage of him attending his high school prom wearing a dress. The musical was commissioned by Sheffield Crucible for a February 2017 season. Prolific producer and West End theatre owner Nica Burns caught the final matinee, and has brought the show to Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of London’s West End.

Writers Dan Gillespie Sells (music) and Tom MacRae (book and lyrics) have expanded the original concept of director and co-writer Jonathan Butterell to craft an uplifting musical that touches the heart while never really feeling like an issue-based story. Although every musical ever written should feel natural when characters break into song, it is a credit to the skill of the writers, and testament to the suitability of the concept for the show, that Everybody’s Talking About Jamie has this quality in abundance.

Another special quality of the show is the fact that all 19 members of the ensemble cast play distinct, diverse characters. There is a “chorus” of students, but each of them is unique, a fact that is recognised by giving every member of the cast their own bow in the curtain calls.

Butterell keeps energy high, then reigns the focus in for a set of moving moments in act two. Humour is well judged, with lines of dialogue that could be somewhat simple sounding all the funnier with the sarcastic Northern delivery.

Choreographer Kate Prince delivers high voltage moves that capture the explosive energy of restless adolescents. Watching students in uniforms dance on school desks brings to mind the high point of such numbers: “Baggy Trousers” in Our House (2002).

Anna Fleischle’s design maximises the moderate budget with a flexible playing space that is enhanced with projections and props. The working class grey of Sheffield is omnipresent, helping to explain the allure of the fabulous world of drag.

Jamie seeks to try out his style as a drag artiste at local Sheffield club, Legs Eleven, where he encounters a gaggle of fellow performers. As a point of difference to the likes of Kinky Boots and La Cage Aux Folles, the drag queens of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie are a tad older and broader of beam.

One interesting difference in specific comparison to Kinky Boots is in the turning point conflict in act two of each of these shows. While Charlie’s outburst of frustration and anger in Kinky Boots comes across as rather forced and artificial, Jamie’s harsh words to his dear Mum cut right to the heart. Margaret, mother of Jamie, follows this fierce moment with the beautiful anthem “He’s My Son,” making the daily conflict all the more affecting.

John McCrea originated the role of Jamie, and has the role in his blood at this stage. Jamie is quickly established as a resilient youth with a loving, supportive mother. There are issues with Jamie’s father, and McCrea deepens the character by showing Jamie’s inner fragility, which can bubble up in anxiety at any moment. McCrea portrays Jamie as an extraordinary example of self confidence and self belief that would surely be inspirational to any young audience member.

At this performance, Margaret New was played by Rebecca McKinnis, who unleashed powerhouse vocals and a wholly relatable persona as Jamie’s self-sacrificing mother.

Mina Anwar brings enormous warmth to the role of Margaret’s neighbour and best friend, Ray.

Lucie Shorthouse enhances the role of Jamie’s best friend Pritti to make her more interesting and intriguing than a conscientious Muslim student. Similarly, Luke Baker deepens the role of bully Dean, bringing out the boy’s simmering insecurity. All of these characterful aspects, of course, originate from the insightful writing and skilful direction.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a fun night at the theatre, and is well deserving of its place in the pantheon of culturally significant original musicals. The new musical would surely be just as well received in Australia.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was reviewed 7.30pm Monday 22 January 2018 at Apollo Theatre, London.

Photos: #1, #3, #4, #5, #7 Alastair Muir; #2, #6 Jonah Persson

Having been embraced upon the world stage, Priscilla Queen of the Desert makes a welcome return home for a tenth anniversary victory lap of Australia.

A rather decadent guilty pleasure, the show is as glossy, tuneful and cheeky as remembered. If Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical drew on nostalgia and affection for the 1994 movie, this return season now has additional nostalgia and affection for the impact and enjoyment of the musical’s original 2006 production. A significant note of pride should also be added to the mix, with the musical having played in an extraordinary list of countries.

As well as boasting an utterly infectious score of perky pop songs, the return season of Priscilla Queen of the Desert brings back its wardrobe of incredibly lavish, eye-popping costumes. In terms of inventiveness and sheer numbers, Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner’s costume designs fully retain their dazzling impact; a feat of this scale has not been matched in the intervening years.

The original production team returns for this anniversary season, in which only the smallest of tweaks have been necessary to keep the show in prime condition. The degree of verve and vivaciousness in Simon Phillips’ direction keeps the laughs flowing and the action engaging. An aspect of the show’s quality has always been that affecting, intimate scenes sit alongside the big show-stopping moments. Without this heart, no amount of disco and drag would raise the status above that of a hollow spectacle.

The original playlist has been slightly altered in the passing years. “It’s Raining Men” is a more potent opener than the more downbeat pairing of “Downtown” and “I’ve Never Been To Me.” With a strong focus on Felicia’s Kylie obsession, “Better the Devil You Know” easily replaces “Venus” as Felicia’s first number. I preferred the three leads reflecting on their first exposure to country attitudes with “Both Sides Now,” but the majority of audiences will surely be just as happy with “True Colours” in this moment.

Returns seasons often bring some manner of relevance or fresh perspective. A line that had been a throwaway gag received roars of support on opening night when a drag artist complained of the demoralising effect of being constantly harassed and his colleague shrugged “Makes you feel like a real woman.”

Priscilla Queen of the Desert looks terrific in the mighty Regent Theatre. Designer Brian Thomson meets the challenge of portraying the vast Australian outback by beginning with a claustrophobic feel for the city before opening to a full stage of hazy red back drops. Priscilla herself remains Thomson’s star achievement, and she (the bus) now has the added technology of a skin that is an LCD screen, allowing all manner of colours and images to be displayed.

Reflecting changes in somewhat smaller spaces overseas, the staging now has a front travellator rather than a full revolve. When Felicia boards the giant silver high heel for her iconic opera therapy, the shoe no longer moves out over the heads of the front row. One last change sees the three leads no longer able to stand on top of the bus together; this not only reduces the climactic climb of Ayers Rock to a simple scene on stage level, but also, more disappointingly, robs the three leads of their full applause as the audience is not aware of who they are when they walk on stage in the curtain calls rather than appearing atop the bus.

Ross Coleman’s legacy lives on in the niftily joyful choreography. His audience participation practical joke at the top of act two remains a delightful moment. Andrew Hallsworth, now co-choreographer, responds to the increasing talents of Australian musical theatre performers with an additional degree of difficulty along with characteristic wit.

Australian theatrical royalty, Tony Sheldon returns to play Bernadette, the role he created here and played on Broadway and the West End. Sheldon’s finely honed performance is an absolute joy. His comic timing is immaculate, and he has the ability to flip from a withering put down to raw compassion in the blink of an eyelash. Sheldon has shaped the role from the grittier portrayal in the movie to an endearing character of tender humanity, making the show all the richer. All this, plus the energy and agility of the cast’s full set of twentysomethings put together.

David Harris returns to Australia to play Tick/Mitzi, the role with the strongest and most emotional arc. The legalization of gay marriage is a massive societal shift since the show was created, but the concept of a father who feels uncomfortable for his young son to be aware of his drag career is still convincingly tense. The son’s guileless reaction, of course, humbles all of us. Tick’s vocals benefit immensely from Harris’ richly burnished musical theatre tenor, which is a pleasure to hear again.

In a role seemingly tailor made for his talents, Euan Doidge fully inhabits mischievous sprite Adam/Felicia, bringing an extra level of dazzle with his brilliant dance skills. Adam sets out to be annoying, and Doidge expertly balances the brash aspects of the character with a raw, endearing vulnerability.

Robert Grubb captures the characterful warmth of everyman Bob. Emma Powell proves there are no small roles as buxom bogan Shirley. Lena Cruz returns to the audacious role of “talented” mail order bride Cynthia, a role that could potentially be a cringe worthy stereotype in lesser hands.

Angelique Cassimatis, Samm Hagen and Clé Morgan deliver powerhouse vocals as the three Divas, always leaving the audience cheering for more.

Full credit to the entire company for pulling off the complexity of playing a multitude of chorus roles, not only singing and dancing up a storm but also moving swiftly a mind boggling number of costumes and styles.

Recent new Australian entry Muriel’s Wedding has the added benefit of an original score. While we eagerly await our wedding invitations, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a guaranteed blast of theatrical pleasure.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert shakes her groove thing at Regent Theatre, Melbourne before touring to Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane.

Photos: #1, #5 Sam Tabone; #2, #3, #4, #5 Ben Symons

Perfectly suited to a boutique scale production, cherished Broadway musical Falsettos shines in this in intimate, meticulously directed new staging.

The musical known as Falsettos is actually the combination of two one-act musicals, March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, which are set two years apart but were written nine years apart. (There is also a first act in the trilogy, In Trousers, which is rarely produced.)

March of the Falsettos concisely and creatively explores the fallout of Marvin having left his wife Trina and son Jason for a young man named Whizzer. A romantic relationship develops between Trina and psychiatrist Mendel, while Marvin and Whizzer’s relationship crumbles. Set in the early 1980s, Falsettoland sees Marvin and Whizzer reunite under the spectre of the ferocious new condition that is killing gay men.

The dazzlingly intricate lyrics and infectiously melodious sung-through score of Falsettos won 1992 Tony Awards for Best Original Score (William Finn) and Best Book of a Musical (Finn and James Lapine).

Local musical theatre aficionados remember, with great affection, the original Australian production and its extraordinary cast. John O’May (Marvin), Gina Riley (Trina), Simon Burke (Whizzer), Michael Smith (Mendel), Valerie Bader (Charlotte) and Sharon Millerchip (Cordelia) played Sydney in 1994, with Michael Cormick (Whizzer) and Tony Sheldon (Mendel) joining the cast in Melbourne. Looking back, the Melbourne venue of Alexander Theatre, Monash University, Clayton now seems an unusual choice.

Falsettos is in expert hands with Tyran Parke as director. Parke’s exacting approach sees every lyric wrung for full meaning. In place of dialogue scenes to conveniently impart exposition, Parke respects the intelligence of the audience and loads performance of the lyrics with all the backstory, subtext and motivation required to round out the multifaceted characters. The success of this intense focus on the work itself is far more valuable than any further production elements that may have been afforded with a higher budget.

While the oomph and colour of the full orchestrations is missed, musical director David Butler pulls off a miracle with his accompaniment on grand piano. Positioned out of the line of sight of the performers, Butler’s intuitive, highly supportive work results in an impeccable performance of the deceptively fiendish score.

In a clever touch, Butler and Parke introduce handheld instruments for the four males in act one’s “March of the Falsettos,” which provide a link to act two when they are seen and heard in the brief musical entr’acte.

Parke celebrates the chamber musical concept in act one by keeping all five characters on stage for much of the time. The show receives an inbuilt lift in energy in act two when two new characters join the ensemble cast. The “lesbians from next door” balance out the couples to a neat combination of two men, two women and a man and woman. The evening is at its peak in electric act two scenes that feature the interaction of all seven characters. Finally, Parke delivers an inventive coup de théâtre for the story’s tragic climax, balancing an emotional punch with a very neat piece of staging.

Set designer Daniel Harvey takes his cue from Jason, Marvin and Whizzer’s act one focus on chess. Corresponding to the questionable aspects of morality in the tale, grey squares are also included amongst the black and white tiles. A few simple pieces of furniture are all that is needed to represent the various locations on the ever-flowing story.

Somewhat less successful is Meredith Cooney, who only manages period looks for approximately half the costumes.

There are always difficulties and impediments behind the scenes in mounting a short-run season, but give that there was a preview performance the night before, it was disappointing for all involved that designer Tom Davies did not have the lighting on opening night. Davies seemed to be changing lighting on the fly, but too often actors were dimly lit (or, worse, in the dark) when their full expression needed to be seen. This situation is sure to improve as the season progresses.

A highlight of the casting is the uniformly strong vocals, with each performer confidently adept with harmonies, rhythm, and all-important diction. Marcello Lo Ricco’s reliably pristine sound design is a boon given the level of detail to be gleaned from the lyrics.

In moments where dance is required, choreographer Madison Lee provides amusing movement with a strong theatrical bent.

Don Winsor provides a steadfast anchor in the central role of Marvin. If Windsor’s performance as an assertive alpha male is slightly lacking in magnetism, he makes up for this with a surfeit of tenderness and compassion.

Sam Ward brings a level of sweetness and sincerity to the caddish Whizzer, creating a likable character. Ward and Winsor’s chemistry is a little slow to develop, but Marvin’s gorgeous act two ballad “What More Can I Say?,” crooned to Whizzer as he sleeps snuggled against Marvin, is a moment of pure beauty.

Sarah Shahinian conveys the manic frustration of Trina without overplaying her hand, allowing fleeting shadows of pain and disappointment to pass subtly across her face without drawing undue attention. “I’m Breaking Down” is up there with “Rose’s Turn” in all-time great female musical theatre ballads, and it is to Shahinian’s credit that she allows the song to speak for itself without overdramatising her performance. In act two, as Trina copes with Jason’s prevarication about his bar mitzvah, Shahinian’s performance is all the more affecting for its naturalism.

Nick Simpson-Deeks again shows himself to be one of our most under-rated musical theatre actors. Blessed with arguably the best singing voice in the cast, Simpson-Deeks deftly balances verbal and physical humour with understated pathos, elevating Mendel to a more significant character, and one that the audience can readily relate to and connect with.

Although only fourteen years of age, this is already the fifth production in which Man in Chair has seen Ben Jason-Easton (including mentions in reviews here and here). Blessed with astute emotional intelligence, Jason-Easton more than capably conveys the full spectrum of feelings Jason experiences in his arc in each of the two acts. Jason-Easton performs with utter confidence alongside his adult co-stars, displaying natural and well-honed talents that portend a long future on the stage.

Highly experienced performer Francesca Arena brings abundant warmth to doctor Charlotte. Charlotte comes to realise that the fast emerging deadly “disease” is affecting her dear friends Marvin and Whizzer, a situation Arena handles with tender sincerity. Jenni Little is adorable as kosher caterer Cordelia, conveying an underpinning of fragility beneath the character’s perky sweetness.

Long time lovers of Falsettos will appreciate the chance to see the show on stage again, while the musical’s unique quality is sure to also win new fans.

Falsettos plays at Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne until 11 February 2018.

Photos: Belinda Strodder

Just as the castaways need rescuing from an uncharted desert isle, so too do the cast and crew need rescuing from the disappointingly dull book and score of Gilligan’s Island the Musical.

Running only three seasons in the mid-1960s, Gilligan’s Island is widely known thanks to endless television reruns, making it a prime title for a theatrical production. While projects such as the mid-1990s Brady Bunch movies found a tone and an angle at which to successfully play the comedy, Gilligan’s Island the Musical has no irony, no subtext, no post-modern interpretation. Song after song stops the show, and not in the good way.

Perhaps the problem is having series creator Sherwood Schwartz at the wheel. Schwartz’s son Lloyd J Schwartz co-wrote the book, with songs by Schwartz’s daughter Hope and her husband Laurence Juber. The zany, one note characters are simply presented as they were, with the scenario featuring traces of plots that are similar to the original episodes but do not generate much interest in their own right.

Having resoundingly proven his ingenuity and flair with gems such as Titanic and Parade, director James Cutler struggles against the tide with this lighter material; to be fair, so would any director. Cutler has the cast work at high energy, but the effort shows through and undermines what little comedy there is. Still, there is a pleasant vibe to the performance, and Cutler adds one modern touch near the end when the appearance of the alien matches that of the United States’ current punchline of a world leader.

As well as being chosen for their potential likeness to the original characters, the seven principal cast members are clearly very talented, making easy work of the songs and of Kai Mann-Robertson’s deceptively slick choreography. Leading a five-piece band, musical director Xavier McGettigan brings an invaluable punch to the rather generic music.

Adam (Gus) Powers has embraced the aesthetic of the original series, creating an array of props that are creatively crafted from bamboo. The set design itself is a very impressively constructed bamboo stage, which brings to mind the makeshift stage for the “Thanksgiving Follies” of South Pacific.

Jodi Hope’s costumes are equally impressive, matching the original looks and also providing touches of humour, such as the impossibly vast scope of the Howell’s wardrobe.

Riley Nottingham bumbles at full pelt as lovable, well-meaning first mate Gilligan. Sam Marzden blusters and bellows as the Skipper, recreating the original Skipper’s habit of eyeballing the audience to share his frustration.

Joshua Monaghan delivers Thurston Howell III’s self-involved smugness with a well-judged straight edge. Lauren Jimmieson garners audience affection as dear Lovey Howell.

Ginger has one of the best running gags, in that she frequently recites key speeches from her stage and screen career. Alexia Brinsley throws herself into this aspect, as well as deliciously capturing Ginger’s endless posturing, preening and posing.

With a list of qualifications as numerous as Mrs Dolly Levi’s services, the Professor is also a bit hotter here, as played by Kaya Byrne. Byrne also has neatly understated delivery and a very fine singing voice. Molly Fisher captures the sweet, wide-eyed innocence of Mary Ann, whose romance with Gilligan progresses a little further in the musical than in the television series.

Nostalgia aficionados may enjoy the trip down memory lane of Gilligan’s Island the Musical. The talented cast and crew deserve better material in future stage outings.

Gilligan’s Island the Musical plays at Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne until 4 March 2018.

With a vocal talent that can only be described as phenomenal, Bernadette Robinson returns to the stage in tailor-made new crowd pleaser, The Show Goes On.

Her theatrical star firmly established by the extraordinary success of Songs for Nobodies (2010), a show that just toured and toured, audiences know what to expect from Robinson, and The Show Goes On certainly delivers.

Melbourne Theatre Company struck gold with Songs for Nobodies, penned by renowned Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith and guided confidently to the stage by director Simon Phillips. The company reunited Robinson with the dream team of Murray-Smith and Phillips for Pennsylvania Avenue, but the result was a classic example of the law of diminishing returns. In place of deft simplicity was a more convoluted emotional story, and although Robinson’s talent shone through, the new show did not engage on the same level.

Fortunately, The Show Goes On applies the tried and true approach of “less is more,” keeping the focus squarely on the music and Robinson’s extraordinary voice. Serving as co-creator, with Robinson, director Richard Carroll facilitates a streamlined approach that keeps the action flowing from song to all-time classic song.

Robinson could very easily make a star’s entrance to rapturous applause, but we are not here to see her; it is the myriad of iconic female singers she is about to summon that are the chief attraction. Robinson simply inhabits each woman, subtly changing her body language and facial expression as her singing voice progresses through a rather incredible variety of styles.

Transitioning swiftly from woman to woman is amazing enough, but in one unforgettable number, Robinson sings a duet between Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand, “Get Happy / Don’t Rain On My Parade,” flitting from voice to voice with flawless dexterity.

Technically, the dialogue from each singer is a series of anecdotes, yet Robinson makes the words seem to flow spontaneously. More significantly, the stories and messages have been chosen for their uplifting values, progressively conveying a sense of optimism and aspirational virtue. Robinson and Carroll have nothing but respect for their subjects; nothing is sensationalised and nothing is done for mere laughs.

Carroll has helped to shape the show as a journey, saving some key vocal highlights for the latter part of the program. Edith Piaf standard “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” is a real showstopper, and Tosca’s “Vissi d’Arte,” as sung by Maria Callas, reveals further facets of the beauty and power of Robinson’s voice. While a cabaret venue would probably be the optimal setting, the curved, raked auditorium of Fairfax Studio allows a close connection between audience and star. The straightforward setting places three musicians behind a scrim, with the perforance space marked out by studded floor globes. Lighting designer Trent Suidgeest has made excellent use of these lights, telling a story with colour and patterns. In a highlight of the staging, there is a recap of the show told in a musical mash up as each singer’s signature colour and pattern in lights is recapped with evocative precision.

Musical director Martine Wengrow joins two fellow musicians in a creating a deceptively lush, and very flexible, accompaniment.

Bernadette Robinson: The Show Goes On plays at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne until 11 March 2018.

Photos: Bob King

A musical to be cherished, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical arrives in pristine form, packed with lively singing talents who have honed their roles to theatrical perfection.

Leading lady Esther Hannaford triumphs on her hometown stage, establishing a connection of mutual love with the audience that transcends the bounds of regular adulation. Gradually becoming the Carole King we know from the 1970s, Hannaford is alternately plucky, demure, passionate, driven, vulnerable and empowered.

Nailing laughs on lines that are not even gags, Hannaford’s comic timing and delivery are impeccable. Her vocals progress from breathy and youthful to a mature soulful belt. These gifts aside, love remains the intangible ingredient that elevates her work to unforgettable status.

On the Melbourne entertainment landscape, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a seamless follow up to summer hit Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical. The Broadway pedigree gives Beautiful something of an advantage. Broadway books are generally finessed to perfection, and Douglas McGrath’s deft, pacy storytelling is no exception.

The two shows shares an abstract, multipurpose scenic design, with Derek McLane having the scope to give Beautiful a glossier, more technical setting, which is enhanced by the deliciously rich colours of Peter Kaczorowski’s integrated lighting design.

The production looks superb in Her Majesty’s Theatre, a large venue with good sightlines to support the intimacy of the very human tale.

The latest jukebox musical to tell the story of its songwriters. Beautiful boasts an extraordinary catalogue of hit tunes from which to draw. Carole King & Gerry Goffin and Cynthia Weil & Barry Mann are responsible for a healthy proportion of the greatest pop songs in history. Every time a character or group begins a song, it is another one the audience knows and loves. Eventually, King went on to record her own material, and the show sharpens its focus on its star for the Tapestry period.

Music director Daniel Edmonds leads twelve terrific musicians in creating a range of pop styles, all coloured with a touch of Broadway.

Leading man Josh Piterman delivers a finely nuanced performance as King’s husband and writing partner, Gerry Goffin. Piterman’s initial accomplishment is in showing that a handsome young man can suffer self-doubt and anxiety. Piterman goes on to give an exacting portrayal of Goffin’s pain and confusion over the progression of his mental illness. To say that, at times, this is hard to watch is a compliment to the raw honesty of Piterman’s performance and the powerful impact he creates.

Lucy Maunder joins the cast as glamorous lyricist Cynthia Weil. Maunder brings maturity and warmth to the role, and has the magnetism to hold audience attention when the character of King is off stage. While not given the material to display the full beauty of her singing voice, Maunder nonetheless shines in the snippets in which Cynthia sings. In a show that celebrates the success of women, Maunder’s well-balanced blend of femininity and confident assertion in the role strike the ideal note.

Relative newcomer Mat Verevis is in full bloom as Barry Mann, holding up strongly next to his more experienced stage counterparts. Verevis crafts a likable, subtly flawed character, and sings with unwavering beauty. His rendition of “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” is a deserving highlight.

Master of the dry zinger, Anne Wood has perfected the brittle persona of Genie Klein, devoted, if long-suffering, mother of Carole King.

Special mention goes to Ruva Ngwenya for her wonderful lead vocals when The Shirelles perform the hit of a generation, Will You Love Me Tomorrow. Rebecca Selley also stands out for the quality of her belt, heard to great effect in “Uptown.”

Beautiful is expertly produced entertainment. Whether audiences are familiar with the original versions of these songs or later incarnations in their multiple covers, Beautiful is bound to entrance music lovers across all ages.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical plays at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne

Photos: #1, #4, #5, #6 Ben Symons; #2, #3, #7 Joan Marcus

Transplanting a punk pop album onto a musical theatre stage proves an inspired concept as Melbourne embraces the electric energy of Green Day’s American Idiot.

Green Day themed their iconic 2004 album on the soul scarring effect of George W. Bush and the fallout of growing up under the spectre of the tragedy of 9/11. There is a new American Idiot in the White House now, and this ever-evolving production wastes no time in projecting his image and lampooning his ludicrous hair.

The 2010 Broadway staging of Green Day’s American Idiot was nominated for Best Musical, going on to win two Tony Awards. Director Michael Mayer shaped the show for the stage, working with Green Day, particularly lyricist Billie Joe Armstrong, to add snippets of dialogue to flesh out the story.

In presenting the Australian premiere, producers shake & stir theatre could have just as easily followed other unimaginative Australian producers and done a tried and true revival. (Rent could have been staged with basically the same cast, musicians and set.) The producers’ second bold move was to stage a brand new staging of American Idiot, rather than import a franchised production. Full credit to shake and stir theatre for having the courage to follow their artistic vision.

Director Craig Ilott keeps energy sky high, while always deftly drawing the eye to key action. The broad storytelling is snappy and clear, with bitter life lessons hurtling along as we zoom through some three-dozen songs (some of which are taken from American Idiot follow up, 21^st Century Breakdown).

Collaborating with designers Matthew Marshall (lighting) and Craig Wilkinson (video), Illot creates a music video effect, distinguishing the songs from each other with varied use of playback, projections and lighting. Highlights include the soaring angel in “Extraordinary Girl,” and iOTA’s guest video appearance in “Favorite Son.”

Josh McIntosh’s set design initially looks like a faded urban streetscape, yet actually contains multiple flat panel screens and also works as a slick canvas for the projections.

Choreographer Lucas Newland contributes variation in dance to these changes in tone for each song, also contributing to the high wattage emanating from the stage. Although it is clearly very well rehearsed, Newland’s choreography has a fresh, spontaneous feel.

Playing guitar, music director Glenn Moorhouse joins the half-dozen musicians on side stage to provide blazing accompaniment. Regular readers of Man in Chair may have accurately surmised that I am not necessarily a listener of this particular music. Nonetheless, there are a handful of very well known hits, and the music overall has an infectious vibe that makes it easily accessible.

Working as a tight, interwoven ensemble, the cast members are terrifically talented and have been selected with a pleasing degree of diversity.

Mirroring the three members of Green Day, the fictional story focuses on three friends: central antihero Johnny (Ben Bennett), ill-fated soldier Tunny (Connor Crawford) and trapped teen father Will (Alex Jeans).

Grinspoon front man Phil Jamieson brings an authentic rock presence as St Jimmy. Jamieson shares the role with Adalita and Sarah McLeod (performance schedule can found HERE).

Phoebe Panaretos has a genuinely alluring presence as Whatsername, the mysterious girl Johnny falls for in the city. Panaretos crosses over to rock with ease; hearing more of her voice would have been very welcome.

Kaylah Attard performs the overhead acrobatics of Extraordinary Girl with gracious flair.

Magnetic ensemble member Christopher Scalzo makes his performance so vibrant that all he needs is a character name to be considered one of the lead roles. Fellow ensemble member Maxwell Simon may not take centre stage this time, but remains a dynamic leading man in the making.

Fans of the original album are the key audience for Green Day’s American Idiot, and they are sure to love the imagination and energy that has gone into the show. Traditional musical theatre fans may struggle, but a background in watching shows like Rent and Spring Awakening will be sufficient preparation for an enjoyable 90 minutes in the theatre.

Green Day’s American Idiot plays at Comedy Theatre, Melbourne until 11 March 2018, before continuing its tour to Brisbane and Darwin.

Photos: #1, #2, 4, #5, #6 Ken Leanfore; #3 Dylan Evans

It may be the first day of autumn, but the smiles of a summer night can be enjoyed in this welcome revival of rapturously melodic musical A Little Night Music.

This chance to return to Stephen Sondheim’s lush score and Hugh Wheeler’s unabashedly romantic book brings a reminder of the level of delicious humour in the libretto. Direction, performances and, most importantly, excellent diction draw hearty laughter from the audience. Wheeler’s eye for human foibles sets the scene for character-based humour, while Sondheim’s pithy, dexterous lyrics have the extra delight that only rhymes can bring.

National Theatre provides a gracious home and a grand playing space for this elegantly spare staging. With the band placed upstage, set designer Christina Logan Bell uses filmy gauze curtains in place of solid sets, adding a touch of flair by matching the colour of all the furniture.

Director Nicholas Cannon confidently fills the space with his ensemble cast of fourteen performers. Characters are sharply drawn, with much humour deriving clearly established traits and connections. Romance is ever in the air, yet passion is handled with deft restraint.

Musical director Daniele Buatti, himself on keyboard, draws a rich sound from a tight band of five fellow musicians. The music is a pleasure to hear, and it is impressive to note that the musicians have headshots and biographies in the program,

Buatti has also prepared the vocals to perfection. The Quintet is particularly strong, with the singers (Adrian Barilà, Kate Louise MacFarlane, Greta Wilkinson, Kerrie Bolton and Raphael Wong) pitching notes almost from thin air and flawlessly maintaining exposed harmonies.

Emily Collett’s costumes delineate class and make use of an attractive palette of pastel colours. Befitting her grand theatrical lifestyle, Desiree’s capes are a visual highlight.

Twenty years after the unforgettable Melbourne Theatre Company production, distinguished Sondheim expert John O’May returns to the role of Fredrik Egerman, bringing polish and class to the haplessly charming lawyer. O’May’s perennial freshness in the role befits Count Charlotte’s accusation of Fredrik that men get away with their age far more than women.

Nadine Garner is wonderfully cast as aging actress Desiree Armfeldt. Garner successfully endears the brittle actress to the audience with her playful performance, making her heartbreak in “Send in the Clowns” all the more affecting. The sentiment behind every lyric in “Send in the Clowns” was probably the clearest I have ever experienced in decades of seeing this beautiful show.

Jackie Rees is the picture of refinement as Madame Armfeldt, conveying a mysterious sparkle in the eye of the woman who has lived a full and fascinating life. Grace O’Donnell-Clancy is extremely convincing as a young girl, bringing a perky energy yet grounding Fredrika with wisdom beyond her years so as to avoid cloying sweetness.

Johanna Allen delivers delightfully droll humour as Count Charlotte, skillfully making the most of every wicked line uttered by the bone weary young woman. Eddie Muliaumaseali’i is a terrific choice to play Count Carl-Magnus. Not only is his powerful voice an asset, but also his imposing physical presence suits the man who tends to act first and think later (if ever).

Nelson Gardner uses well-judged physical comedy to convey the simmering sexuality bubbling just below the surface in seminary student Henrik. Carina Waye maintains a high level of physical and vocal energy in Anne, distinguishing the role from the more mature women in the tale.

Anna Francesca Armenia unleashes a sturdy belt to bring down the house when young maid Petra’s inner thoughts are finally revealed in “The Miller’s Son.”

A cherished favourite of many a musical theatre lover, A Little Night Music is in Melbourne for a very brief visit so fast action is required to catch a performance.

A Little Night Music plays at National Theatre, Melbourne until 3 March 2018. It plays at Whitehorse Centre, Nunawading March 9-10 2018.

Photos: Jodie Hutchinson

Whip crack away! The Deadwood Stage has made a very special trip down from Sydney to deliver this rollicking hit production of Calamity Jane to the musical-loving theatregoers of Melbourne.

Scouts have ridden ahead with news of the brilliance of this daffy delight, and the current Melbourne season of Calamity Jane sold out before it even opened. Lucky indeed are the forward-planning ticket holders, who are set for an absolute treat. Director Richard Carroll capably demonstrates the riches to be mined when a traditional musical is infused with fun while the material is still respected.

The 2016 presentation of Calamity Jane by Neglected Musicals was so successful it spawned a 2017 season of its own at Hayes Theatre, and this sold-out season was so successful it led to the current tour, which plays half a dozen venues.

Tinkering with the presentation of a musical is a tricky balancing act. Results vary from the hilarious off-Broadway inventiveness of The Robber Bridegroom to the woefully unfunny misjudgment of The Production Company’s The Pirates of Penzance. As mentioned above, the success of the venture all comes down to respecting the original material.

Blessed with a tight team of terrific talents, Carroll laces the performance with meta theatrical gags, internal running jokes and unbridled physical comedy, yet returns time and again to the beating heart of the relatively simple piece of musical comedy. Falling hard for those that show her kindness, calamitous Calamity learns to love herself before realising the identity of her secret love.

At the centre of the production’s success, particularly in its respectful treatment of the material, is the extraordinary performance of Virginia Gay in the title role. Gay fairly beams with love for her craft, her fellow actors and the audience. Gay’s ability to switch from winking humour to touching authenticity is incredible, and she grounds the show with her unabashed vulnerability and affectingly tender sentiment. In a performance for the ages, Gay nails the singing, acting and comedy of the irrepressible Calamity, bringing her roaring to life with the sweetest undercurrents of humanity.

The conversion of chorus hymn “Black Hills of Dakota” to soulful torch song is just one of the ingenious moves from musical director Nigel Ubrihien, and Gay pulls it off marvelously, extending the depth of her talents by accompanying herself on ukulele. Carroll cannot resist layering the subtext of act opener “A Woman’s Touch” on the top; Gay takes a simple charm song and turns it into a three-act play as Calamity explores her attraction for pretty new housemate Katie Brown.

In the guise of a bar musician, Ubrihien plays piano on stage all night, occasionally contributing vocals as well. The cast inhabits Cameron Mitchell’s choreography to the point that it seems improvised as the show unfolds.

Lauren Peters’ design has a deliberately rough and ready feel, which ably supports the impromptu feel of the frenetic performances. Variation in looks for actors playing more than character are well realised, and Calamity’s eleventh hour transformation draws all the right reactions. Lighting designer Trent Suidgeest creates a festive vibe with strings of tiny warm globes, which create a wonderful sense of intimacy in the Fairfax Studio. It must be noted that incredible use is made of the various levels and entrances of the space, with the cast playing out not only to all angles of the curved auditorium but also to the brave lucky people seated on stage.

In a choice piece of casting, Christina O’Neill lands the cheeky tone of the production perfectly, moving seamlessly from occasional ringmaster to female or male chorus member, and from local sweetheart Susan to vampish diva Adelaide Adams.

Laura Bunting enhances the simpering sweetness of Katie, avoiding melodrama with sharply focused sincerity. Bunting’s compelling delivery of Katie’s big stage number “Keep It Under Your Hat” brims with the sense of improvisation that is a hallmark of this staging. Bunting also reveals a polished level of flair on piano.

Anthony Gooley brings an authentic, down to earth masculinity to Wild Bill Hickock, throwing in just enough insecurity to keep the character sympathetic and free of caricature.

Rob Johnson proves a lively young comedian as song and dance man Francis Fryer. Matthew Pearce brings a smoldering touch of matinee idol handsomeness to lovelorn Lt. Danny Gilmartin. Pearce and Bunting deftly avoid the saccharine possibilities of Danny and Katie’s love duet “Love You Dearly.” Tony Taylor maintains peak energy as frazzled inn proprietor Henry Miller.

Best wishes to those who already have tickets. To everyone else, book now for the Melbourne encore season of Calamity Jane!

Calamity Jane plays a sold out season at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne until 25 March 2018, where it will play an encore season 12-23 December 2018.

Photos: John McRae (note: photos show Sheridan Harbridge, not Christina O’Neill)

A slick production, excellent direction and an incredibly talented cast elevate the material on offer as cult favourite Bare makes a return to the Melbourne stage.

Having played around the world since its 2000 premiere, Bare is best seen in an intimate boutique staging such as this latest gem from creative Melbourne production house StageArt. While adopting the tag Bare the Musical rather than Bare a Pop Opera, the production wisely eschews the changes made to character and plot for the 2012 Off-Broadway revival.

Although the central tension of high school students discovering a gay male relationship is dated to the point of being basically irrelevant, the self-focused turmoil of adolescence is timeless. The concept of frustration at not being heard, crystallised in the final number “No Voice,” is very timely, and director Dean Drieberg has created a powerful final image to go with this song.

While Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo’s book is wise in its gradual unveiling of character traits during act one, the result is a rather slow pace of storytelling. This is compounded by a general lack of originality. In act two, however, the story really clicks into place, and although there are a couple of soap opera-like twists, it would take a very hard heart not to be affected by the finale.

Providing a vocal highpoint in act two, and pretty much grounding the drama of the entire show, is the superb performance by Mandi Lodge as Claire, well-meaning mother of schoolboy Peter. In the blink of an eye, Lodge switches Claire from a flighty, garrulous ball of nerves to a steel magnolia, racked with pain yet unwilling to be crushed. In an evening of stellar singing. Lodge’s powerhouse belt in “Warning” is the jewel in the crown.

Devastated that his mother refuses to listen and afraid of losing his great love, Peter is calmed by sassy Sister Chantelle. If there is any roof left after Lodge is through, Vanessa Menjivar finishes the job as she gloriously belts out “God Don’t Make No Trash.” Menjivar also scores some very welcome laughs along the way, and her mischievous Whoopi Goldberg smile is just gorgeous.

Drieberg houses the action on an effectively simple set of his own design. The raised stage cures the sightlines of the intimate auditorium, and it just takes two sets of lockers and some chairs to create all the scenes. In a clever and attractive touch, the actual stained glass window of the Chapel (before it became a theatre) is used, lit beautifully by Maddy Seach and Jason Bovaird. The dynamic lighting design raises visual appeal significantly, with a terrific effect of laser floor patterns coming in an early scene where the boarding house students break out to attend a rave.

Costume designer Jodi Hope enhances the realism of the school uniforms with some attractive individual touches. Hope goes to town with the flashy costumes for the student production of Romeo and Juliet, which has an aesthetic inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet.

Kirra Sidel’s choreography has a natural, spontaneous feel and adds to the general vitality of Drieberg’s direction.

Musical director Caleb Garfinkel creates a solid rock sound, and has brought out killer harmonies from the cast. It is difficult to think of a boutique production where all of the singing voices were of such an evenly high standard as they are here. It was a wise decision indeed to allow every cast member to take an individual bow.

Adam di Martino captures the fraught pain of love in the shadows, never letting up on the unease that slowly consumes Peter, and never allowing Peter’s focus to stray from his beloved Jason.

Finn Alexander has a natural charm that makes popular stud Jason impossible to dislike, even when his crippling caution and poor decisions break Peter’s heart.

Hannah McInerney brings out the fascinating dark side of Ivy, colouring the pretty girl who leads a supposedly charmed life as an angry, relentlessly brooding young woman.

Hannah Grondin completely wins over the audience as self-deprecating overweight teen Nadia, a girl who hides a heart of gold behind a surly, uncompromising manner.

Jake Fehily conveys a raw vulnerability in Matt, an average guy who craves attention and affection that do not come his way.

Further highlights include, but are not limited to, Hany Lee’s delightfully dippy Diane and Tom New’s lively, likeable Lucas.

Well deserving of being a cult hit all over again, Bare is an ideal chance for younger theatregoers to connect with the stage.

Bare plays at Chapel off Chapel until 15 April 2018.

Photos: Belinda Strodder

It’s Sydney’s turn to discover the joys of In The Heights, and this electric new production is the ideal introduction.

Actually, it is just the lucky few organised ticket buyers of Sydney who will be introduced to In The Heights, as the current season, at boutique venue Hayes Theatre, sold out before it opened.

Like all international cities, change is a constant in Sydney; developments spring up and neighbourhoods change their identity. Sydney also has a multicultural vibrancy, and both of these aspects mean that the themes of In The Heights are a very good fit for the city.

The brainchild of wunderkind Broadway composer/performer Lin-Manuel Miranda, In The Heights’ profile benefits from the zeitgeist of Miranda’s Hamilton, but is a distinct and cleverly conceived musical in its own right. Miranda is joined by book writer Quiara Alegria Hudes in crafting an highly engaging set of characters whose voices and stories ring true. While the original New York staging drew on a larger contingent of Hispanic actors, local producers Blue Saint Productions have matched the 2015 Melbourne cast in terms of cultural fit without compromise.

The high-power show has significant impact in the intimate Hayes auditorium. Sound designer Anthony Lorenz strikes a deft balance between vocals and instrumentals, and the detailed lyrics are heard with clarity. Simon Greer’s detailed set design makes excellent use of the space, housing just a representative element of each of the local businesses and creating a sense of depth with diagonal side scaffolding.

Director Luke Joslin shows a sure hand with the material, guiding the audience through the dense, rapid-fire lyrics by ensuring key exchanges are front and centre. The colourful family of characters is clearly established with memorable distinction. Joslin keeps energy high, while keeping one foot on the ground, so to speak, for moments of poignancy and tenderness.

Working with some extremely talented dancers, choreographer Amy Campbell adds to the explosive energy, particularly in thrilling company numbers such as “96,000,” “The Club” and “Carnaval del Barrio.” These numbers features Miranda’s writing at its very best, with dazzling use of intricate counter melodies and breakneck rhythms.

Staging for “The Club” adds an extra level of visual interest, in that the rear wall is parted to show musical director Lucy Bermingham and six fellow musicians who are bringing the infectious score to life with such joy and panache. Chaos ensues at the nightclub when the sizzling weather brings a “Blackout,” giving expert lighting designer Trudy Dalgleish the chance to create an impressive effect, when revellers in the darkness are gently lit by the colours of fireworks exploding high overhead.

Costume designer Elizabeth Franklin strikes a neat balance between the natural and the highly theatrical, aiding the brisk storytelling with a well chosen key look for each character.

Each of the performers is very well cast, and the performances coalesce for an authentic air of community spirit. As with the polished instrumentals, Bermingham has ensured that the vocals are performed with the degree of confidence and flair that usually comes after months of performing a new score, especially one as challenging as this.

Ryan Gonzalez gives a terrific breakout performance as Usnavi, generating abundant warmth as the bodega owner at the heart of community in this little corner of Washington Heights. A terrific dancer, it is very amusing to watch Gonzalez perform Usnavi’s restrained, modest dance moves as he tries to impress longterm crush Vanessa at the nightclub.

Recent graduate Marty Alix has an elfish sprightliness that makes Usnavi’s young cousin Sonny all the more adorable. Luisa Scrofani has an open frankness that facilitates a strong audience connection to the young woman’s familial, financial and academic struggles. Tim ‘Timomatic’ Omaji brings a thrilling energy to Nina’s suitor, Benny.

Margi de Ferranti captures the earthy tenderness of weary Abuela Claudia, a longterm resident who is loved dearly by all the locals. Monique Montez brings a delightful sparkle to gossip-hungry salon owner Daniela.

The standout of the supporting characters is Ana Maria Belo as Camilla, steely matriarch of the Rosario family. Belo crafts a unique characterisation for the determined woman, who can potentially be portrayed as merely long suffering. Belo’s Camila knows her mind and is not afraid to speak it, but has a heart of gold, with all her actions underpinned by a burning love for her family.

Unlucky theatregoers who have missed out on this season of In The Heights should light a candle and hope for a return engagement.

In The Heights plays at Hayes Theatre, Sydney until 15 April 2018.

Photos: Grant Leslie

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s 1990 musical Once On This Island is back on Broadway in an immersive, in-the-round production that brims with warmth and invention.

Director Michel Arden notes the significance of a story that begins with a great flood at a time when natural disasters seem ever prevalent. The people of this French Antilles in the Caribbean believe in the power of religion and the healing of storytelling, beliefs that respectfully recreated in this production.

Brought up by islanders after being washed ashore in a great storm, Ti Moune meets Daniel, an exotic white boy from the other side of the island. For a story of such joy, the tragic denouement is surprising, but the message is ultimately uplifting.

A brisk 95 minutes, the sung-through one act musical is immediately accessible and beautifully sung. Five musicians are perched overhead, and cast members often add percussive accompaniment to the infectiously rhythmic songs.

The auditorium has been completely transformed with design elements, including many hidden tricks. The main stage is covered with sand, and there is even a bay of water at one end. Intricate lighting transforms the performance space time and again, as well as drawing the eye to key moments in the action-filled staging.

Aptly cast as a goddess, beloved musical theatre star Lea Salonga shows incredible humility by being a member of what is essentially an ensemble cast. Alex Newell (Glee) sings up a storm in well known showstopper “Mama Will Provide.”

Hailey Kilgore is luminous as Ti Moune, embraced by the audience from her very first entrance. Isaac Powell is a terrific new discovery as Daniel.

A relatively simple, yet affecting and inspiring show, Once On This Island is ideal for family audiences. The creativity will particularly inspire teenaged students of Drama.

Once on this Island was reviewed 8pm Thursday 29 March 2018 at Circle in the Square, New York.

The jewel in the crown of Broadway’s golden age, My Fair Lady is masterfully revived by director  Bartlett Sher and his dream team of collaborators.

**Check back later for production images**

A Hymn to Her, this production re-calibrates the dynamic between Professor Henry Higgins and flower girl Eliza Doolittle by keeping the majority of Eliza’s transformative arc within her own power. Circumstances of society have placed, and seemingly trapped, Eliza in a different class, but her innate intelligence sees her grasp hold of the opportunity to better her station. Higgins has the knowledge that Eliza requires, but they are otherwise seen as equal.

Sher’s foundation for this more equitable dynamic began with casting a pair of actors of roughly the same age. British import Harry Hadden-Paton has the handsome good looks of a romantic musical theatre leading man, yet successfully portrays Henry’s stilted, socially misanthropic countenance. Henry’s realisation of Eliza’s disturbance of the world he has created is all the more powerful for the fact that she ultimately retains the upper hand.

Lauren Ambrose is a revelation in her first Broadway musical role. Five seasons of Six Feet Under certainly never revealed that she possessed such a lovely soprano voice. Ambrose’s cockney Eliza is less shrill, and in the scenes where Eliza retrains her speech, Ambrose portrays the language work itself as the challenge, rather than focusing on the struggle against Higgins.

As Eliza finally masters the rounded vocal tones, Ambrose conveys a clear sense of chrysalis as Eliza rises from where she has been slumped on the floor, shedding her old skin as a new Lady emerges.  Sher’s final nod to Eliza’s significance comes in breaking with tradition and giving Ambrose the final bow.

Sher has made tweaks to the musical, based mostly on the source material of Shaw’s original play Pygmalion but also with a bit of a nod to the classic 1964 movie musical.

Michael Yeargen’s incredible design for Higgins’ home is the centrepiece for the production, and may very well be the most spectacular piece of stage scenery that I have ever witnessed. The two-story study is similar to many other productions, with a lovely high Victorian arched window looking out one of those celebrated lilac trees. The surprise comes when the set rotates, initially to show us Eliza about to be given her first shower.

In Sher’s most successful original sequence, the set revolves during each verse of “The Servants’ Chorus,” allowing the passage of time to be conveyed by changes in costumes, positions and props between scenes. This is a stunning sequence, and builds up “The Rain in Spain” as even more thrilling showstopper.

The focus on the Higgins home does, however, leave the remaining scenery somewhat lacking, especially in the massive performance space of the Vivian Beaumont. The flexible stage space is given a false proscenium arch (coloured with the marketing design for the show), yet the lack of wings robs the usual impact of moments such as Eliza’s entrance at Ascot.

Mrs Higgins’ conservatory is a particularly two-dimensional set piece, and the Ascot club tent is a simple piece of awning hanging high overhead. The absence of scenery at Ascot is covered by having the ensemble enter in silhouette and stand with their backs to the audience for the scene between Pickering and Mrs Higgins (who is deprived the luxury of an actual car).

A curious short scene is added in front of Higgins’ home after Ascot before Freddy appears to sing “On The Street Where You Live.” Mrs Higgins berates Higgins for the way that he and Pickering are playing with Eliza like she is a live doll.

Sher has moved the position of interval, ending act one as Eliza leaves for the Embassy Ball. This facilitates an ingenious design idea, in that the orchestra is discovered on stage in a glamorous tiered bandstand for the Embassy Ball at the top of act two. Instead of serving as the act one cliffhanger, Zoltan Karpathy’s investigation of Eliza ends scene one of act two. In an odd move, this interaction occurs all the way downstage as the scene is changed back to Higgins’ study. Eliza then steps back onto the set from the front as “You Did It” proceeds.

The aspect that will cause much discussion amongst theatregoers is the change of direction in the final scene. The original script is followed, with an additional piece of direction that will not be spoiled here. It will be noted, however, that the change is entirely in keeping with the overall tone of the revival.

Catherine Zuber’s costumes are reliably dazzling. Mrs Higgins’ feathered creation for Ascot gives grande dame Diana Rigg an eye-catching first entrance. Always a design highlight, the sumptuous Ascot costumes are reimagined here in shades of pale grey and lilac. Eliza’s hat for Ascot is a gravity-defying wonder, and her elegant ballgown is gorgeously matched to her strawberry blonde hair.

Choreographer Christopher Gattelli contributes regimentally precise work for “The Embassy Waltz.” This is contrasted by the rambunctiousness of “Get Me to the Church on Time,” in which Music Hall chorines, in vivid fuchsia, are joined by men in similar drag costumes as the number becomes more raucous. Gattelli is the link between this revival and the superb 2016 Australian production of My Fair Lady, in which Julie Andrews (Broadway’s original Eliza), helmed a meticulous recreation of the original 1956 production. (Curiously, this credit is not listed in Gattelli’s biography in the Playbill.)

Jordan Donica sings foppish Freddy Eynsford-Hill with a luxurious vocal tone. The audience is treated to an extended reprise of “On The Street Where You Live” while Ambrose changes from Eliza’s ball gown back to daywear.

Have we lived long enough that an actor who portrayed heartthrob prince Fiyero in Wicked can now play Eliza’s father Alfred P. Doolittle? Apparently we have, and Norbert Leo Butz brings abundant energy and well honed comic chops.

Allan Corduner is all class as Colonel Pickering. Linda Mugleston adopts a forbidding Irish brogue as Mrs Pearce.

The revival of My Fair Lady is set to be an extremely hot ticket for lovers of classic musical theatre. The scope of the staging means that it will best be seen in this current venue.

My Fair Lady was reviewed 8pm Saturday 31 Mac 2018 at Vivian Beaumont Theater, New York, where it officially opens on 19 April 2018.

Photo: Joan Marcus

A guilty pleasure that leaves the audience on a giddy high, Mean Girls is set to be the next Broadway smash propelled by the box office power of teenaged girls.

With the cult classic 2004 film as source material, Mean Girls follows in the fertile footsteps of Hairspray, Heathers and Legally Blonde. The new musical packages an appealing young cast, vivid design, catchy music and an abundance of laughs, sneaking in the odd inspirational message for good balance.

Adapting her movie script for the stage, Tina Fey proves that there is no medium she cannot master. Fey sprinkles the book with her trademark take on the cultural zeitgeist, yet sets aside her usual self-referential tone to adopt an authentic teenaged voice. Even better, Fey completely avoids the common trap for young players who place too much importance on their text; Fey has clearly allowed songs to cannibalise her scenes, jettisoning spoken text to allow brisk transitions between songs, and the show is all the stronger for it.

Having previously been home-schooled in Kenya, new girl Cady Heron faces survival against a new set of predators at well-heeled North Shore High. Initially adopted by fringe dwellers Damian and Janis, Cady soon infiltrates popular clique the Plastics only to find the power so seductive that her own behaviour spirals out of control.

Exposition unfolds at such a breakneck pace in act one that a faint fear takes root as to whether the second act can tie all the threads together. Allaying any such concerns, act two has its own twists and turns, ultimately delivering an immensely satisfying conclusion. Characters are keenly observed and sharply drawn, and behaviour stays ever true to form. Actual teen issues are given just enough air time to be impactful but not preachy.

Well-loved phrases from the film are met with grateful glee from the crowd, and the text is updated to include a couple of jibes at the country’s current administration (without mentioning any names). The Kenyan theme provides a point of difference to other teen comedies, with plenty of mileage deriving from Cady’s viewing of teen packs alongs the same principles she used in Africa.

Jeff Richmond (husband, and frequent collaborator, of Fey) has fashioned a score which is catchy if not quite as instantaneously infectious as gold standards Hairspray and The Book of Mormon. Lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) successfully matches Fey’s tone, allowing a seamless transition between sung and spoken word.

Continuing his blistering peak form, director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw once again delivers the goods. Mean Girls is almost entirely set at school, and, as such, there is barely a song that does not feature the ensemble. Nicholaw has crafted a choreographic vocabulary that draws on the teen tendency to have energy that must be released. Specific highlights include a percussive number using red plastic cafeteria trays, and a terrific tap number at the top of act two.

Every aspect of the show is tightly choreographed; not just the performers, but also the movement of set pieces and even the transitions between images in the colourful animated video design (by Finn Ross and Adam Young). The foundation of Scott Pask’s scenic design is rear curved LCD screens, allowing rapid-fire flow between locations.

Gregg Barnes’ costume design pinpoints teen stereotypes with flair, still giving every ensemble member a distinctive look. Barnes adds to the humour with lashings of visual wit, especially the Halloween costume party.

Act two opens with “Stop,” in which the girls make each other promise to think carefully before acting. Cady proves the biggest failure at this, and consequences follow swiftly. Erika Henningsen underpins Cady’s devilish ascent with sincerity, managing to keep audience affection even when the young woman is at her worst.

Likewise, Taylor Louderman finds a trace of humanity in queen bee Regina George, in part gaining sympathy when a prank causes her weight to balloon.

As Regina’s right hand beyotch Gretchen Wieners, Ashley Park captures the relentless will to please of a young woman suffering from low self esteem. Even at her gossiping worst, Park holds our sympathy for Gretchen.

Kate Rockwell is delectably vapid as air headed beauty, Karen Smith. Rockwell’s comic delivery is superb, and she scores the biggest reaction of the night when Karen speaks out against sexting.

Having worked seven years to be an overnight success, Barrett Wilbert Weed will now finally be on the map thanks to her standout work as Janis Sarkisian. In a cast of excellent singers, Weed’s belt is the bomb. She brings down the house a couple of times, most notably in teen anthem “I’d Rather Be Me.”

Every drama department has at least one chubby gay guy, and Damian Hubbard is the best new role for such boys (when the show eventually enters the high school circuit) since Edna in Hairspray. Grey Henson plays Damian with unaffected charm, singing and dancing with effortless flair and loads of character.

In one of Fey’s most subversive twists, the male heartthrob is a keen Maths student rather than the usual sports star. Kyle Selig is entirely charming as Aaron Samuels

Kerry Butler has the distinction of playing both the Tina Fey and the Amy Poehler roles from the movie, switching swiftly from pushy Maths teacher Ms Norbury to flighty cool mom Mrs George.

Mean Girls has commenced its Broadway run as a hot ticket, a situation likely to escalate as positive word of mouth spreads. The new musical is sure to play London, Australia and beyond, with a prolific non-professional life to follow.

Mean Girls plays at August Wilson Theatre, New York.

Footnote: having solved the final Mathletes question before the characters, Man in Chair had not felt such a giant nerd since the time he was the only audience member to laugh at a particular maths joke in the play Proof.

Photos: Joan Marcus

Gently understated and leisurely paced The Band’s Visit is the antithesis of the current Broadway musical, and is all the richer for it.

Based on 2007 arthouse movie The Band’s Visit, the new musical opened off-Broadway in late 2016 and promptly opened on Broadway in November 2017. Book writer Itamar Moses follows the style of a movie, presenting the touching tale in one act without the trappings of a singing/dancing chorus. The show could practically be called a play with songs, but it must be noted that the musical numbers are not artificially interpolated – the characters do break into song.

Set over a roughly 24-hour period in 1996, the band in question is the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra and they have travelled from Egypt to play at the Arab Cultural Centre in Petah Tikvah. Shame, then, that they board a bus from the airport to Bet Hatikvah. It just so happens that many of the restless inhabitants of the tiny town are at a crossroads, and the band’s visit serves as a catalyst for some subtle but necessary changes and awakenings.

The score proves an excellent fit for the talents of Broadway composer David Yazbek, highlighting his strengths with fascinating rhythm and with intelligent lyrics. The songs derive organically from scenes, giving vent to characters’ inner voices through music. The Egyptian band members and Palestinian town members speak to each other in halting English, but, in line with the conceit already in place that breaking into song is natural, their English flows unchecked in song.

Cafe manager Dina billets the band members at various homes while they wait overnight for the bus to Petah Tikvah. Conservative band leader Tewfiq spends time with Dina, a romantic beauty who has craved companionship since her husband departed. The pair bonds over movies starring “Omar Sharif,” and Tewfiq slowly opens up over his perception of his role in his recent family tragedy. Unaccustomed to spacing time with a respectful, modest man, Dina notes that she feels “Something Different” with Tewfiq.

In line with the languid pace of the storytelling, Scott Pask’s scenic design involves deliberately slow transitions between scenes, allowing the content and characters space to breathe. Band members are heard and seen practising and jamming on their instruments, and as the musical proceeds, the form becomes freer in that these musicians often stay on stage on the edge of scenes in which they are not involved.

Costume designer Sarah Laux provides crisp powder blue uniforms for the band, and conveys Bet Hatikvah’s casual way of life in the townsfolk’s motley dress. Artful lighting (Tyler Micoleau) suggest hazy warmth and revels in the romantic dusk of evening.

One of the through lines in the story is a young man who waits at the phone booth for his girlfriend to call. Not since Stephen Sondheim gave maid Petra the 11 o’clock number in A Little Night Music has a periphery character whose inner voice has heretofore not been heard provided such a stirring end to a show. Telephone Guy (Adam Kantor) sings the achingly romantic “Answer Me,” which eventually opens into a full reflection from all the characters as to where they have travelled on this long, seemingly uneventful evening.

Katrina Lenk embraces the opportunity for a fascinatingly flawed female character to anchor a Broadway musical. Dina is a woman for today, glamorous by her own choice, independent, self-sufficient and in control of her actions and destiny. Lenk conveys naturalism with a beautifully underplayed performance, revealing intriguing layers of Dina yet still retaining an air of exotic mystery.

Dariush Kahsani avoids all the trappings of the usual Broadway leading man, portraying a cautious, introverted man who detects the scent of romance but is in no place to act upon it.

John Cariani shines in the role of flirtatious charmer Itzik, a character who is a source of much humour yet is far from a buffoon. Of the many supporting roles, Alok Tewari impresses as humble clarinettist Simon, a frustrated concerto composer.

Attend The Band’s Visit for a glimpse of the non-Disneyfied, non-megabudget possibilities that Broadway can achieve through true art.

The Band’s Visit was reviewed 8pm Friday 6 April 2018 at Barrymore Theatre where it plays an open run.

Photos: Matthew Murphy (note: photos show original cast member Tony Shaloub as Tewfiq)