Muriel's Wedding The Musical, Global Creatures and STC, Her Majesty's Theatre, Thursday April 25th 2019

Muriel's Wedding The Musical, Global Creatures and STC, Her Majesty's Theatre, Thursday April 25th 2019

"Muriel's Wedding The Musical"  was presented by Global Creatures and Sydney Theatre Company at  Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne on Thursday April 25th 2019.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.

"Muriel's Wedding The Musical" is based on the iconic movie "Muriel's Wedding" which has an emotional depth to the humour and the story.  The emotional depth and humour was sadly lacking in this production.  

Why?

I will outline the good things before I discuss what I did not like about the show.

Do not get me wrong, I liked the show, but we, as an audience should have been loved it and singing as we left the theatre.  We bumped into friends before the show began.  At interval, they said they could have left.  At the end of the show we left with our friends, and noticed no audience member was raving or singing any of the songs. To say the least we were all disappointed and we see a lot of theatre!

What I liked:

Updating the story of the film by P.J. Hogan to include references to social media, and the use of modern technology with smart phones, Facebook and Twitter and Instagram was a smart move to ensure modern day relevance.

Updating Muriels' job in the video store in Sydney to a photographic booth with life-size celebrity cut-outs was fun; as some of the younger audience members would not know what a video store was, let alone a VHS or Beta tape!  So this became a double joke for the older generation.  Mind you, no one laughed out loud at this change of location.

I loved the use of ABBA as Muriel's inner voice.

Music and Lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttal were good with reservations.  My favourite song was when Joanie, Perry and Malcolm sat on the couch with the monosyllabic grunts and reactions.  I loved the integration of ABBA's lyrics and tunes into other songs, that I found to flow better than in "Mamma Mia" where they were contrived and opportunistic. Here,  Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttal maximised the opportunities to get inside Muriel's thoughts without prostituting the songs.  This was done with homage and respect to ABBA.  See below for why I did not like this production element.

Costume Designs and Projection Design by Gabriela Tylesova.  In particular the "Sydney" costumes were fun.  The bridal outfits were beautiful.  Muriel's daggy costumes highlighted and differentiated the status anxiety of her school group.  The ABBA costumes were terrific in capturing the mid 1970's spirit.

Set Design also by Gabriela Tylesova had some elements that I loved and others that I liked. The best part was the proscenium arch that was decorated with mobile phones and leaves.   The mobile phones would display different themes for some scenes, including menus, selfie photos etc. 

The set comprised of many sliding walls and fly in curtains to create different locations.  This scenic design idea has been used numerous times.  I liked the idea of much of the set, but the execution left a lot to be desired.

The set also include two revolves centre stage, and there were two tracks running from upstage to downstage.

Some of the Choreography by Andrew Hallsworth worked better than other sections.  In particular, I loved the bridal mannequins moving in a music-box-dancer style, juxtaposed by the more natural dance moves of the other characters.  I loved the gestural dance of the evil girls swiping their smart phones and flicking their hair back, as they paid homage to "Kath and Kim".  


The acting displayed adequate characterisations of each role without capturing the heart and essence and soul.  Yes, the actors created iconic moments from the film and created larger than life characters; but the performances were wooden and pedestrian to say the least. 

Emotionally, Pippa Grandison as Muriel's mother, Betty Heslop stole the show for me. Her first solo was cut short by others to emphasise her status in the family unit.  This was the first emotional high for me in act one. In act two, her death scene talking to ABBA was the only magical moment in the show.  The way the scene was staged could have been a drug-trip, and paid homage to suicide victims' plight.  It was if Betty was going to heaven.

Jarrod Griffiths as Brice Nobes, the parking inspector captured the essence of Muriel's plight.  He did not upstage Muriel; he just gave a solid performance with more heart.  Sadly, though I think his role needs to be trimmed as his journey overshadows the main plot of Muriel's story.

Muriel's father, Bill Heslop played by David James with the right amount of gruffness.  When he arrived home and entered through a door that was later used for Muriel's exit to her bedroom belied credibility.  In hindsight, Muriels' exit highlighted that the staging gave the scene a creepy feel as if Muriel's father had just entered the scene from her bedroom!  I appreciate artistic license of using sets for multiple uses and locations, but I did not like this staging at all.  No door would have been better had he entered one way, and Muriel exited the other.  Or use two doors.  Simple! 


What I did not like"

It was not as much fun as the movie!

Programme design needs to include locations of scenes as in many Playbill programmes.  I found it disrespectful to the lead actors that they were relegated to the back of the programme.

The opening announcement could have been so much more theatrical to create a wonderful sense of occasion and anticipation.  Creating atmosphere and acknowledging the rules of attending the theatre was done so well by David Atkins' production of "Hairspray" with their opening announcement..  Sadly, the producers did not use this moment to set the sense of occasion.  Maybe they could have introduced with "Don't be "You're Terrible Muriel" and spoil the show for others.  Turn off, that means off your phones"!

Below us, sitting in the stalls, mobile phones were being used to text during the opening number with not an usher in sight.  I mean these women were holding up their phones texting for half of the opening number.  The light shone in our eyes so badly we could not see the stage properly.  Plus the distraction meant it put me in not a good head space.  I do not pay $155.00 per ticket to be distracted by such Bogans.  Don't worry, I complained at interval and the ushers were onto the perpetrators in the stalls area.

"Muriel's Wedding" is a magical film that transports you emotionally, and this did not happen with the musical.  The audience should have been laughing uproariously at one moment, and then in tears at other times.  Sadly, this was not to be.

Direction by Simon Phillips was reliable and adequate but missed so many emotional connections between the characters.   This show was not up to his slick production values as in "Dream Lover" or "Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical" as the staging was messy at times with poor co-ordination of the set, lighting and stage hands.

The show lacked pace and highlighted holes in the awkward pauses between set changes and scenes.  Segues were messy, and were not helped by the stark lighting.  No attempt at really transitioning occurred.  Our focus was drawn sometimes to areas on the stage by poor coordination of lighting and set changes.  We were distracted by extra and inappropriate action at times that drew our focus from the main thrust of some scenes.

Music and Lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttal were ruined by the location of the orchestra and the sound quality.  The film is rich in sound, while here it sounded distant, retarded and cheap.  The orchestra sounded if it was a small band for the local school production, using professional musicians and with a limited budget.   Wrong!  If Global Creatures want to take this show further, it needs a richer and fuller Broadway sound to the orchestrations.

The songs were not presented in their best way.  The songs and music were grating as we, including our friends said because we could not understand the lyrics as the diction was so poor on many occasions.  The songs would have been better had we had better orchestrations and lyrics that we could understand.  Thankfully the cast were not out of tune.

Sound Design by Michael Waters needs a lot of work with balance and execution of the coordination of turning on-and-off the microphones.  The clunkiness and sound quality was jarring.

The orchestra sounds tinny, thin and amateurish.  Orchestrations by Isaac Hayward need developing for a richer sound.  This is unforgivable when you are paying $155.00 per ticket.

Set Designs by Gabriela Tylesova were executed by stage technicians that were too clunky at times and disrupted the flow.  The screens and fly-in-curtains sometimes did not coordinate well. Some of the screens that slid in from the wings did not appear wide enough for Her Majesty's Theatre as they revealed entrances and exits in corners of the stage that took away the magic of theatre.

Set Design also by Gabriela Tylesova had some elements that I loved, and others that I liked.  In particular the proscenium arch was decorated with mobile phones and leaves.  The mobile phones would display different themes for some scenes.  I liked the idea of much of the set, but the execution by stage hands and technicians left a lot to be desired with clunky and jerky scene changes.  Exposed areas were revealed to show holes in the set design, and thus diminished what should have been magical theatre.  The stage crew should have been wearing blacks or other attire so as not to stand out as they tried to sneak and hide as they moved sets on and off the stage.  It was very tired and amateurish stage management.

Did I say - the magic was lost?

Lighting Design by Trent Suidest did not maximise the differences in location when the stage was split with two locations.    When ABBA appeared there should have been a private lighting change to emphasise we were entering Muriel's head.  The lighting seemed to be either on or off!

Choreography by Andrew Hallsworth does not highlight each character's quality as in other shows he has choreographed.  The group formations are safe, and have a good ballet school production quality, rather than slick Broadway style choreography.

The Act One scene in the Chinese Restaurant needs refining.  It became messy with ballet school like choreography and staging.  Though, the best aspect was the set as it brought back memories of the Chinese Restaurant and "Small World" scene from "Gypsy".

The reveal and entrances of Deidre Chambers played by Chelsea Plumley lost any surprise element.   She stood upstage centre, posing with her back to the audience.  There was no attempt at disguising her entrance, so the fun was lost.  It was too staged, and had an amateurish quality for her showgirl entrances.  Mind you, Chelsea Plumley had the best voice in the show!  She is too pretty and not haggard enough as she does not have the requisite wrinkles and face cream for the role.

The swimming sequence went on way too long.  Yes, double the length of time that the audience could tolerate.  Cull please.

Jarrod Griffiths as Brice Nobes, the parking inspector, sadly, though I think his role needs to be trimmed as the show is too long.  We could have done without the ten minutes of the "Never Stick Your Neck Out". 

Muriel Heslop played by Natalie Abbott was adequate but did not capture my heart.  Yes, she did the right moves and said the right lines, but lacked charisma.

When Rhonda Epinstall played by Stefanie Jones dropped her lighter, the average smoker would rescue their vital possession quickly.  She made no attempt to pick it up and could have done so and kept the dialogue happening naturally.  The more she ignored it, the more palpable the lighter on the stage became.  It was retrieved by a gentlemen and placed on the table later as he slid it under his left hand and then across with his right to where it should have been located.  Wow, this meant more to us than what else was happening.  This was an example of our audience focus being pulled away from the main action. Go with the flow and that is why actors study improvisation.  This highlighted that these performers were not in the moment, and gave pedestrian performances.

The following scenes could be reduced in length and tightened:  Life Is A Competition and S.O.S numbers, and the wedding-dress-store scenes.

The language could have been curtailed and use of "Fuck" once to emphasise the moment.  The other times made it feel like "I would have preferred to watch the dvd again".

The bows at the end were very ho-hum and the reprise of "Sydney" was appropriate, but the audience wanted an ABBA song to sing as they left the theatre!  The audience felt cheated as no one was singing as they left the theatre.  It is a musical, AND they should have been at least humming a song from the show! It was just too long!  Way, way too long.  The audience were exhausted after nearly three hours.  It became a chore, and audience members could at least tick off another "bucket-list" show to see. 

Now remember: the audience barely laughed at this performance.

"Muriel's Wedding" the movie is one hour and forty six minutes long.  It snaps along, while the musical just dragged on for nearly three hours.

Snap and slick will keep the show moving, as it dragged in both acts.

Revise, cull and shorten.  The script and production numbers need pruning.   Ensure the audience is begging for more!

Broadway:

"Muriel's Wedding The Musical" would be ideally suited to The Palace Theater on Broadway (where "Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical" played) but needs some work if it is to proceed to Broadway.

A friend, who attended the same performance, summed up the show and said "You're awful, "Muriel's Wedding The Musical"".

The show lacked the warmth of the film, and was a cold rendition lacking the emotional heart of Muriel.

"Muriel's Wedding The Musical" obtained a 7/10 while my partner gave it a 6/10.

Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical, State Theatre, Thursday January 11th 2018

"Dream Lover:  The Bobby Darin Musical", State Theatre, Thursday January 11th 2018

"Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" was presented at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Thursday January 11th 2018.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.

"Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" was presented by John Frost (Gordon Frost Organisation) and Gilbert Theatrical at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne  on Thursday January 11th 2018 is a sublime show.

I wrote the following paragraph onto Facebook as soon as I arrived home after the show:

"Congratulations to the cast and crew of "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical".  I have seen over 60 shows on Broadway and it is up there with the best.  A great night at the theatre.  I bought front row seats accidentally thinking I was five rows back and these performers could not hide.  Wow - great honest and heartfelt performances.  Yes, David Campbell is sublime as Bobby Darin, but the whole cast were terrific.  The choreography was fabulous and paid homage to the 1950's and 1960's.  Highly recommended."

The "Childhood" and "Road to Rock 'N Roll" sequences provide the background to Bobby Darin's story and set up the characters and their emotional relationships.  These two sequences provide so much musical and dramatic action to build the sense of anticipation and tension.  The staging and dialogue is so tight that you do not want to miss a line.

The "Vegas" sequence is short.  The Las Vegas showgirls scene showcased female dancers who were slicker and more polished than those that I saw in "Jubilee" at Bally's in Las Vegas in 2008. 

During the "Hollywood" sequence, the Clapper-board used in Italy with Scene 74 and Take 1 was not changed for each of the various shots.  Pedantic, yes but not unnoticed!

The finale to Act One with "Dream Lover" sung by Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee was an appropriate cliff hanger break for those who do not know his story.

Act Two opens with the "On Tour" sequence and a reprise of "Dream Lover" by Bobby Darin and the ensemble.

The "Multiplication" song is next, and begins in full voice, fading to be mimed to juxtapose a scene where Sandra Dee's mother confronts her daughter.  The ensemble miming creates a musical silence that is deafening against the dialogue.  So brilliantly effective with the ensemble resuming the vocals to counterpoint and punctuate the finish of the scene.

The "On Tour" sequence continues with four more songs which pays homage to the "Gypsy" stripping sequence where Gypsy Rose Lee sings "Let Me Entertain You" sporting quick-change gowns.  In "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical", they use a similar theatrical sequence by announcing different venues where Bobby Darin will perform: "Live from (fill in the venue)...."; but instead of repeating the one song as in "Gypsy", a medley of Bobby Darin songs is used.  This sequence also pays homage to the historical reverence to some old classic songs that Bobby Darin had reworked.

The "Copacabana" sequence, although short, more importantly allows the story to move forward by providing the realisation of Bobby Darin's childhood dream.  This realisation of his dream emphasises the significance of the show's appropriate title.

The "Slippery Slide" sequence included a reassuring and educational song of experience by Polly "Everybody Has The Right To Be Wrong" that pointedly highlights how wrong Bobby Darin's choices had become.

Bobby Darin's son, Dodd played admirably by Oscar Mulcahy reprised "Splish Splash" and received an enthusiastic ovation for his slick dance moves and impersonation of his father.

"Rainin'" was a poignant funereal tribute to Robert Kennedy.  The staging with all of the umbrellas was a bit cliche as it reminded me of each of the funeral scenes from  "Blood Brothers" and "Chaplin".  What is it with the umbrellas that highlight the pathos of a funeral and to provide the subliminal message of tears from heaven?  The transformation of the white coffee table from the previous scene into a coffin was simple, and visually and emotionally moving.  (See Getty images for Charlie Chaplin funeral).

The emotional finale with the characters surrounding Bobby Darin is poignant.  The suitcase opening is magical stuff.  Watching the cast was very moving.

Every ensemble member played a fully blown out character.  There were no two dimensional performances here!

The choreography by Andrew Hallsworth captures the essence of the 1950/1960's era with his combination of steps and staging.  He has created layers of texture into his choreography by using various qualities.  The formations he uses with the six entrances provide interest, spontaneity and surprises.  (The six entrances include the two wings, the doors, upstage - down the stairs, and from under the piano!)  Occasionally the dancers will sneak or explode onto the stage.  While other times they will parade, or pas marche in a solemn funeral procession.  "That's The Way Love Is" sequence climaxed with some clever swaying and pulsating body thrusts - suggestive and appropriate for the choreography to also move the story along as in Agnes De Mille's iconic choreography for "Oklahoma".

Lighting by Paul Jackson provides focus and clarity with the use of colours to distinguish locations.  The slim rail flown-in was lit to provide a clear sense of separation of distance and location.  This was achieved in combination with the Set Design by Brian Thomson.  The set looked simple and was ingenious in its simplicity to create the sense of various locations - particularly in the many showrooms, theatres and venues that Bobby Darin played in.  The white lounge setting had a white coffee table that transformed into Robert Kennedy's coffin.  This was tastefully achieved with honour and respect.  The kitchen scene with the family during the "Childhood" sequence transported you back in time to the 1950's.

The big band set with the sweeping staircase is nothing new to Hollywood or Broadway musicals and reminded me of the wonderful set from "Catch Me If You Can".  Brian Thomson is a classy designer for his ability to create focus and gravitas to the essence of a story.  I have seen many of his set designs and the simplicity in "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" is not to be under-rated as it provides clarity to the story and seamless segues between scenes.

Sound Design by Michael Waters provided an appropriate and contrasting sound mix.  The crisp, clean sounds for soloists and ensemble numbers contrasted when the performers used the larger silver microphones as in showrooms, which provided a realistic concert- not so polished 1950's sound.

Costume Design by Tim Chappel transported me to my childhood as I remembered some of the various patterns and textures of fabrics.  When Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee's son, Dodd, played by a Oscar Mulcahy, appeared in his blue and white pyjamas the audience had a chuckle of recognition that the pyjamas were the same fabric as the dancers had worn in the previous scene.

David Campbell was Bobby Darin.  He was totally believable and is a tour de force.  The genuine emotional connection to the material and his relationship to the other characters could not be fabricated.  We sat in the centre of the stall's front row where David Campbell and the cast were under the radar.  He has an honesty interacting with the other characters.  His ability to listen to the other performers created honest emotional connections that were palpable.  His tears trickled down his face on at least two occasions as he allowed the depth of revelations to sink in.  And this was his sensational acting!  Wait until you hear this man sing!  He knows how to adjust his voice to create so many qualities and emotions.  David Campbell is a master in phrasing and brings the lyrics to life. He can change his voice from a teenage idol, to a more mature sound and finally to a man gasping for breath!  Broadway would want to see him play this role.  No - Broadway should be begging to see him play this role!

I am loath to use the term supporting cast as Bobby Darin's story would not come to life without the other performers.  Marina Prior plays the dual roles of Polly and Mary and makes each character physically, vocally and emotionally distinguishable.  At times when the deceased Polly reappears it reminded me of "The Secret Garden" when Lilly would reappear.

Marney McQueen plays Nina and provides us with a definite journey of pain, sharing and discovery.   David Campbell would not have been able to create his believable reactions without their acting relationship.  The revelation scene was magnificently poignant and gut wrenching, while earlier scenes were full of joy, support and love (obviously with an underlying secret).

Rodney Dobson as Charlie was upbeat, blokey and supportive.  He has a terrific stage presence and showed  "That's The Way Love Is" song as a great number that compares with the "Oh What A Night (December '63)" scene from "Jersey Boys" providing a similar dramatic through line.

Martin Crewes played manager Steve Blauner with style, flair and the appropriate amount of cockiness.

Hannah Friedriksen played Sandra Dee by capturing the 1950's innocence.  Her journey from naivety, to alcohol abuse to rehabilitation was believable.  Hannah Friedriksen had a vulnerability that was respected with tenderness by David Campbell and allowed for an honest relationship.

The dual role of a Young Bobby (Darin) and Bobby Darin's son, Dodd was admirably played by a Oscar Mulcahy. He mimicked his father's moves with dexterity and confidence.

I was disappointed that the other minor roles were not named named in the programme as in Dion, Frankie Avalon, Buddy Holly etc.  I can understand that with swings and understudies these can change, but I wanted to acknowledge what a super ensemble provided so much depth to this show.  Every one of the ensemble cast created clearly distinguishable personalities for each of their cameo roles.

Musically - what a show!  The big band led by Richard Montgomery was sensational.  Before the show began the band played to create a sense of occasion, as if entering a Las Vegas showroom.  Thank you for creating atmosphere.  A huge compliment to the orchestra was that most of the audience sat during the exit music.

Congratulations to Simon Phillips on directing such a wonderful night at the theatre.

The only reason I did not stand in a well deserved standing ovation was that I would have blocked David Campbell being seen as I am so tall.  I could not take block the audience seeing him in his well deserved standing ovation.

The programme is a great souvenir and is good value with some terrific articles.

Overall, "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" obtained an 8.5/10.  I would have preferred to sit further back to relish this lush and clean production.  

PS In fact I am returning to see the show again on February 21st and will sitting about six rows back in A row.

Ladies In Black, QTC at MTC, Sumner Theatre, Wednesday February 17th 2016

Ladies In Black, QTC at MTC, Sumner Theatre, Wednesday February 17th 2016

"Ladies In Black" is a production by QTC at MTC.  This is one of the best Australian musicals I have seen in years, and, one of the best musicals I have seen full-stop in years.  Much laughter, sighs of recognition and moments of poignancy created one of the best experiences at the Sumner Theatre on Wednesday February 17th 2016.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I also mainly write for my memories of what I have seen.

I want to see this musical again as it is so rich in the Australian history of manners, and highlights how the way of life is so different from today.  The main story revolves around Lesley/Lisa working at Goode's department store and her dreams of going to university to study literature.  There are themes of sexism, wage discrimination and feminism. Other themes include the clash of European culture and fitting in to the Australian way of life.  One of the most poignant themes is that of inclusion into the workforce and being invited into co-worker's private lives.

The script by Carolyn Burns is tight and develops each of the characters's stories as if we are a fly on the wall.  The musical has hilariously funny moments contrasted with stories of  hope, despair and being Australian.  This is one of the tightest scripts for not only a new production, but any production, without any extraneous action or dialogue.

I loved the structure of the script and how the four main stories neatly and confidently concluded. The musical allowed us to empathise with the hopes and expectations for a better future for each of the characters.

The music by Tim Finn is memorable and hum-able.  The lyrics at times are corny but are so much fun.  They are typically Australian and pay homage to the 1950s larrikinism as well as the sophistication of Stephen Sondheim.

The orchestrations and musical supervision by Guy Simpson brought Tim Finn's music to a theatrical life.  Musical Director, David Young led the small orchestra with gusto.  The singing by the cast was terrific with the occasional off note - that did not bother me, as the various accents used in the production added authenticity to the character's voices.

The designs by Gabriela Tylesova are sublime paying homage to her earlier work "Love Never Dies" with the columns and also "Aspects of Love" designs by Roger Kirk with the use of the revolve and the sweeping curtains. Gabriela Tylesova's costume designs are sublime ranging from the glamorous to the 1950's practical.

The direction by Simon Phillips is rich in details without superfluous histrionics.  Simon Phillips has a way to allow his actors to transform themselves into real characters.  His transitions between scenes are seamless and some of the best that I have ever seen by creating clear  focus for the audience.  

The choreography by Andrew Hallsworth was not distracting but intertwined and assisted to carry the story.

The opening song "Got it at Goodes" sets the tone for the musical while the second song "Soon I Will Be Me" also sets the tone for the insights into the various female characters.  This song comprises three solos by three of the characters that intertwined towards the end of the song.  Beautiful and it reminded me of "At The Ballet" structure from "A Chorus Line."

Lisa Morrison as Lesley (re-imagines herself as Lisa) is superb in this Cinderella role.  Lisa Morrison lives the struggles with her hopes of attending university competing intellect and family and societal expectations.  Lisa Morrison sings and acts with sincerity and has us following her journey whilst working over the Christmas holiday at Goode's department store.

I had tears in my eyes on a few occasions with the humanity shown by various characters. Deidre Rubenstein's two main characters (Miss Jacobs and Mrs Crown) were poles apart in identities. Diedre Rubenstein immersed herself into each of these characters that differed with such depth and reality that made my heart beat and tears well up.   Her characters differed in voice, posture, mannerisms, centre of energy, gait, and soul were so rich in their detail.  Miss Jacob's final interaction with Lisa was so believable in their connection and relationship - it had my heart pumping and tears welling in my eyes.  Thank you Deidre Rubenstein for bringing these characters to life. 

Mr and Mrs Miles played by Carita Farrer Spencer and Greg Stone with authentic 1950s sexism and status.

Kate Cole played Miss Cartwright with grace and elegance and then counter-pointed this with her very ocker characterisation of Joy.  A terrific difference of body, voice and characterisation.

Lucy Maunder as Patty played opposite Andrew Broadbent as her husband Frank.  Their relationship has a conflict in their desire to have children.  Their story arc is thread throughout the musical.  At times it felt like watching an episode of "The Sullivans" with their turmoil and desires.  This is a compliment as they played with sincerity and created a tense atmosphere.

Kathryn McIntyre ably played Dawn with the requisite ocker-isms and mannerisms.  Her characterisation was endearing and warm.

Bobby Fox played Rudi with theatrical pizzazz and flair.

Madga played by Christen O'Leary had fiery European theatrics and gesticulation.  Stefan played by Greg Stone was in total contrast to his role as Mr Miles.

Naomi Price created a terrific journey for her character Fay.  The opening scene of Act Two was fun and transported us between her fantasy of "Anna Karenina" to her reality at Goode's department store.  Her hopes of finding a husband were poignant as she possibly was going to be left on the shelf waiting for her man.  She did not play this role with desperation but with hope and expectations.

The bar scene between Frank (Andrew Broadbent) and the barmaid (Kathryn McIntyre) created an atmosphere that shifts to uncomfortable.  The transition to the men's urinal is revealing on two fronts: showing the inner sanctum of the men's toilet and the inner thoughts of Frank.  

Act Two opening was a scene from "Anna Karenina" that quickly transformed into Goode's department store. This quick scene explained the fire of passion and absorption that a book can have on its reader.  The transformation from fantasy to reality received wonderful acknowledgement with the audience laughing.

It was also magical how the snow transformed into the sands of the beach for Christmas Day.  The audience loved Christen O'Leary's accent for Magda and how she would drop in the occasional ocker-ism pronunciation.   This paid homage to every migrant who has struggled with the Australian accent.

The post Christmas Sale scene was memorable with the sales staff all lined up across the stage; some even holding hands to brace themselves.  The lighting changed to red as the customers ran into the store.  This was hilarious as was the horror on the faces of the sales staff.  Such a simple and effective scene.

The programme had informative articles and biographies of the cast and crew.  Best of all it had the song list like an old fashioned musical programme.

I cannot wait to buy the cd of Tim Finn's "Ladies In Black" to recall the beautiful music and telling lyrics.

I would love this show to travel to Broadway with this cast to show what an Australian story is, rather than having an Australian musical modified to make it more accessible for American audiences.  A programme would need a glossary of Australian sayings and include a map of Australia with Manly, Mossman and Wagga Wagga highlighted.

I cannot wait to see "Ladies In Black" again.

My partner gave this show a 9/10 and the following morning changed it to 9.5/10.  I gave the show a 9/10.

Sweet Charity, Playhouse Theatre, Saturday February 28th 2015

Sweet Charity, Playhouse Theatre, Saturday February 28th 2015

"Sweet Charity" with a book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields plays a short season at the Playhouse Theatre at the Arts Centre Melbourne.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.

Overall I loved this production of "Sweet Charity" from the Hayes Theatre Co in Sydney, but I have reservations which I will elaborate upon.

Buying the tickets was easy, as was seat selection.  The price of the tickets was commensurate with the quality of this production.

Upon arrival at the Playhouse Theatre it was great to see the foyer display cases full with posters from  "Sweet Charity."  This is unlike many previous ventures to Playhouse Theatre where these display cases are empty and create the ambience of a post war Prague railway station with their coldness and lack of a sense of occasion.  So congratulations on using these display cases to showcase "Sweet Charity."

The bar was closed upstairs which is such an omission of John Truscott's vision for the Arts Centre Melbourne. As stated in my previous posts, he would be turning in his grave at the lack of service and the lack of occasion.  His vision was for audience members to have a WOW before, during and after the show event.  People were milling around and some wanted a drink both before the show and at interval.

As you walked into the Playhouse Theatre, some of the performers were on stage.  The ladies were teasing the audience and displaying their wares.  Theses dance hall hostesses would encourage a gentleman on to the stage to have a dance. This was a terrific prologue to the show.

It is sad that they did not also use this time to have the ladies warn patrons not to take photos of them for copyright reasons etc.  They could have also used their seductive skills to entice people to turn off their mobile phones and iPADS.  The show had officially started once we walked into this fine cast creating an atmosphere.  "Stop twanking sir!" or "Please stop playing with yourself and dance with me!" or whatever appropriate phrases to embarrass the shit out of these ignorant self absorbed FOMO ("Fear-of-missing-out") social media junkies.

I do not pay $85+ per ticket to watch flashing distractions and hear their vibrating adult toys! Let alone conversations during any show!  The Eagles recently played at Rod Laver Arena and had very explicit signs stating that people may be evicted for such behaviour.  This needs to be the standard.

The programme was a reasonable $15 though it lacked the traditional song list.  I would have liked some of the fabulous publicity photos displayed in the foyer to have been included in the programme. There was an insert with an update of the director and lighting designer's biographies.

From an historical perspective, I wish more programmes actually stated the year of the production.  The flyer for this show did not say 2015 and it is great to be able to verify such information for future theatre historians.

The direction by Dean Bryant gave us a solid production with some superb performances. I particularly liked how he used the smaller cast of 12 to create an ensemble playing multiple characters. The Greek style chorus of the ensemble observing from the sides is reminiscent of Greek drama and a device also used in "Equus" by Peter Shaffer.

Some of the timing was laboured and needs to be tightened with some slowness in picking up cues and entrances.  There were a few line fluffs with the reversal of "him and her" in some of the dialogue in Act Two.

Musical direction by Andrew Worboys provided an up to date electronic sound to "Sweet Charity".   What lacked in brassiness of the orchestra was made up by the sublime singing of the women.

The choreography by Andrew Hallsworth was in a pseudo Bob Fosse style.  Andrew's choreography paid homage to Fosse without being dictated by his style.  I did miss the sharp snaps of the head turns and hip thrusts in "Hey Big Spender" and the angular definition of wrist and elbow displacement.  Andrew created some incredible routines to fill the stage of parquetry flooring.  I felt some of the execution of the choreography was a bit laboured and pedestrian.  My partner commented that it looked like they were walking through their paces a bit as it lacked a crispness and bite to the dance moves.

My favourite piece of choreography was the opening of Act Two with "Rhythm of Life."  I preferred this sequence to the movie which I loved.  But the zaniness of this sequence in the 1969 film is not as confronting as this beige-break-out version.

Costumes by Tim Chappel honoured the 1960s (as I remember it well!)  I would have liked gloves in the "Rhythm of Life" number to be more historically accurate.  The choice of beige colouring in this scene reminded me of the opposite of the women wearing black in "Nine."  The beige costumes gave this song a blandness to break out of and rebel.  Also the beige highlighted the entrance of Charity wearing the shocking and socially-tainted red outfit, which signifies many religious themes.  Compare this to the film version and Charity's black dress blurs into the scene, where-as here with Tim's design we have Charity making a bold statement.

What I find so historically interesting is that this production had the cast shed most, but not all of their clothing during "The Rhythm of Life" which was shocking enough in 1965/66.  This is relevant as it was "Hair" about two years later in 1968 where the cast fully bared their bodies.

The singing, overall was adequate by the ensemble, but when the men joined in for the big numbers the songs sounded flat and lost their vibrancy.  The best singing was by the whole cast of women and Martin Crewes in his various roles.

The set design by Owen Phillips was minimalist and clever. Owen had a signature neon sign, two whiteboards converted with see-through-mirrored-panels, chairs and a chaise lounge.  Simple and so effective to create various locations and atmospheres.

Lighting design by Ross Graham provided great support to the atmospheres and locations.  One continuity flaw was the exit from the elevator. It would have been terrific to see the elevator outline again at the conclusion of the scene and when Oscar walked from the elevator to create a lighting change, rather than the flood lit stage.  I think the lighting designs would have been more suited to the original smaller Hayes Theatre in Sydney rather than the larger Playhouse Theatre.

Sound design by Jeremy Silver was terrific, particularly creating a hallucinatory drowning sequence.  Though the levels for the start of Martin Crewe's Vittorio solo were too loud with his rich full voice.

The book by Neil Simon needed pruning by the lapse in concentration of some audience members who had to fulfil their "Fear-of-missing-out" social media mobile phone itch!  Thankfully one person was sitting near me in her B28 seat and allowed me to request turning off her "twanking" device!  She promptly apologised for her rude and distracting behaviour!


I thought the venue was too large for this production.  It would have suited a smaller theatre but larger than Chapel Off Chapel.  A theatre of about 300 plus like the MTC Sumner Theatre with a seating capacity of about 500 would be perfect for this production.  It was a shame that only about half the Circle was occupied on a Saturday night.  It is more exciting to attend a theatre that is full, for both the performers and the audience. 

Martin Crewes was terrific in the multiple roles of Charlie, Oscar, Vittorio.  Martin provided different characters each with their own physical characteristics, mannerisms and idiosyncrasies.  Each character had a different voice and vocal quality to enhance each character.  As Vittorio, he seemed too loud in the opening of "Too Many Tomorrows" and was on the verge of yelling.

Verity Hunt-Ballard was sublime in the role of Charity Hope Valentine.  She captured the mood of the 1960s with her naivety and her quest for a better life.  Her renditions of each song were fresh and honestly performed with such sincerity and conviction.  I loved her excitement in "If They Could See Me Now" and the pizzazz in her crisp attention to detail in her enthusiastic dance.  She emotionally connected the words to her actions in such a coherent way that was spell binding.

"I'm a Brass Band" was sung with gusto and excitement for her new life.  Verity has a way of engaging the audience into the palm of her hand.  Her performance was so sincere, honest and compelling.  As Michael Chekhov would say - she radiated.

The scene where Charlie and Oscar are trapped on the Ferris Wheel (Wonder Wheel) at Coney Island was changed from the "Parachute Jump" ride.  This made sense as most people instantly recognise the term - Ferris Wheel.  (Note that the "Parachute Jump" is still at Coney Island but has been decommissioned for safety reasons.)

The supporting players were a true ensemble and each created a distinctive character.  Some of the players did not waver in their character's identity.  They did not upstage but truly supported the journey and story of Charity.  Debra Krizak, Kate Cole, Samantha Leigh Daemaide and Rowena Vilar need to be acknowledged for their consistent characterisations.  The plainness and naivety of Francesca O'Donnell's characterisation of Rosie, the new dancer left an indelible mark as she too could easily be trapped in the Fandango Ballroom.

Debra Krizak as Nickie was sublime.  "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" was another show stopper performed by Debra Krizak and Kate Cole.  They had me engrossed and sadly Debra was interrupted by the mobile phone distraction from Circle Seat B28.  I was mesmerised by her performance and felt so cheated by the inappropriate "twanking" in the audience.  I long to see you on our Melbourne stages again soon and thought your performance was sheer brilliance.  Your alternate character, Ursula was superb in characterisation, so vocally and physically different to the raw Nickie.

"There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" reminds me of "If I Could've Been" from "Working" which premiered some 13 years later in 1978.  Both are classical "I want" songs full of longing and desire.  They are both songs of regret, and both balance the fine line of not wanting to live a life of regrets.  To me both of these songs explore the human spirit of resilience and hope.  "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" is so good that it is the song that emulates this production.   I repeat I am disgusted at the behaviour of "twankers" who rudely show disrespect to the majesty of these performances.

Staging surprises:  There is a sequence with grapes and if dropped these grapes can be a hazard on any floor, and even more so with dancers and performers.   Debra Krizak's Ursula provided the perfect distraction for Martin to clean up the grape.  Martin Crewes picked it up when our focus was upstage on the sublime rantings of Debra Krizak's Ursula. His timing was sublime and not distracting.

Charity's phrase of "fickle finger of fate" was a reminder of the "flying fickle finger of fate" as used on  Rohan and Martin's "Laugh In" which started in January 1968.  Interestingly they do not acknowledge that this phrase was used in "Sweet Charity" prior to "Laugh In."  I wonder about the religious/atheist connection to the "hand of God" and the "fickle finger of fate."  Is Charity teaching us that some things are within our control and out of control.  Is fate Charity's religion?   The journey for Charity appears to be her self-help-guide.  I would love to know if  the character Charity had any inspiration for Martin Seligman in his positive psychology work, particularly "What You Can Change and What You Can't." 

The other memorable extra surprise was when Charity threw off her hat at the end of "If They Could See Me Now."   Her top hat landed with other costumes on the top of the costume rack.  How often does this occur?  Sheer magic!  These little things make every performance unique and memorable and so special.

I liked the Fairy God Mother character in the final scene which reminded me of the tragedy of fantasy and reality coming together.  It also reminded me of "Angels In America" and the reality and gravity of her own situation finally sitting with Charity.  This Fairy God Mother figure also reminded me of our internal dialogue/conscience. I disagree that this was a feel good ending as the silence and the lone figure of Charity on this vast stage was palpable.  It is a more realistic ending showing Charity has hope and possibilities.

The ending was more thought provoking as it reminded me of "The Nance" in that you could question what happened if he suicided or just faded into oblivion etc.  While in "Sweet Charity" people were questioning as they walked from the theatre: Did she suicide, or was it a nightmare, or like Groundhog Day repeating itself, or another drowning or was she resilient and full of hope and ready to move on?  The drowning analogy is relevant as if she has been re-born, not as a new-born Christian but re-born wiser and more resilient.

The finale curtain calls were too slow.  They also needed a reprise of "Hey Big Spender" and "Rhythm of Life" to have the audience on their feet and joining in with bumps and grinds to make it a fun finish to a good evening.  This would make it even more memorable and fun and allowed people to really savour the juxtaposition of the poignancy of the ending.

I was so impressed with the acting in this production from every cast member.  They captured the essence of the atmosphere of hope and resilience.  Various American accents were convincingly portrayed and they captured the essence of the early 1960s with sincerity. Most important of all was how the whole cast worked as an ensemble to take us on a journey of the human spirit.

This production of "Sweet Charity" honoured the 1965/66 period as I was a child and it captured the loss of innocence and the quest for hope.

Note: Twanking = Is a contraction of Twitter and wanking!  It is the act of "Fear of Missing Out" by continually fidgeting with their mobile phone or iPAD or Tablet.  Twanking also covers those on Facebook and other APPS.  "They are twankers, those who twank and continue twanking!" Twanking is a term devised by my partner P.J.T.

Labels:

Sweet Charity, Playhouse Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Martin Crewes, Hayes Theatre Co, Dean Bryant, Andrew Hollsworth, Andrew Worboys, Tim Chappel, Debra Krisak, Kate Cole, Samantha Leigh Daemaide, Rowena Vilar, Francesca ODonnell, fear of missing out,  Hey Big Spender