Reefer Madness, RL Productions, Chapel Off Chapel, Tuesday November 29th 2016

"Reefer Madness",  RL Productions, Chapel Off Chapel, Tuesday November 29th 2016

"Reefer Madness" was presented at Chapel Off Chapel by RL Productions.  We saw the Tuesday November 29th 2016 performance.

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.

Buying tickets for "Reefer Madness"via the Chapel Off Chapel website was easy enough.  They offer good value tickets for lesser known works and usually with reasonable quality casts.

The programme for "Reefer Madness" was $5.00 and very good value.  I am impressed that they are one of the few shows at Chapel Off Chapel to heed my feedback and print the year of the show on the cover of their programme.  The song list is laid out in a legible font.  Some of the cast and crew biographies need to be edited to provide a more mature outline of their experience.

Sadly there is only one small paragraph that mentions RL Productions.  I found their website and Facebook page.  We had seen their production of "Crossroads" and were very impressed with it.

Stephen Wheat directed "Reefer Madness" and at times it shone.  Otherwise, it dragged and was not as funny as it could have been.  The humour was laboured and very cartoon-esque with no resemblance of any movie characters from the 1930's.  The cast tried too hard with the material.

My favourite moments were the Placard Girl played by Priscilla Stavou as this was the role that was most in keeping with the era.  Sometimes the placards were shown in such a fleeting or brief fashion and were missed by some members of the audience. I loved how she was shy in her delivery and this could have been developed to show her aspirations to become a a Follies girl, or more vaudevillian in their delivery.  I yearned for more "Follies" or vaudevillian delivery.  (Think "Ziegfeld Follies" and "Ziegfeld Girl" movies!)

My other favourite aspect was the choreography by Yvette Lee.  There was a lot of work involved and the cast moved with precision and accuracy.  The opening of Act Two was particularly strong choreographically with the various modes of transport incorporated into the movements: driving, running, sailing, train, flying etc.  This was assisted by the cartoon-cut-out props to add to the humour. The quick scene with the rickshaw was a highlight, particularly with Ed Deganos doing the hard leg work.  This whole scene reminded me of "She's a nut" from "On the 20th Century".

I also loved the "Dick Tracy" style poses with the performers in their trench-coats.  Yvette Lee is a choreographer to watch in the future with her eye for detail and her ability to train all the performers to a very slick and competent level.

Yvette Lee has choreographed one of the tightest ensembles I have seen in years for a musical.

Singing varied in ability.  The two leads let us down with the flat singing during the Act One final duet of "Reefer Madness".

The ensemble finale was the richest harmonies heard.  Sadly we did not hear enough of these harmonies.

The transitions between scenes were laboured and needed to be snappy.

Lighting Design by Jason Bovaird captured the essence of the show.  His lighting was most effective in the chase scene using the strobe effects.  It is a shame that the staging during the strobe sequence did not maximise the effect by slowing down the action a bit more to enhance the humour of a silent movie. At times I was frustrated that the lighting design was marred by the lateness of some of the lighting cues.  I do not think this was intentional.  I am curious if the first entrance of Jimmy Harper missing his spot was intentional.  I admired Ben Adams who played Jimmy Harper for holding his stance - so forthright during the Lecturer's introductions as it set the tone for his character.

The sound at times was clunky with the cues not being picked up and we heard a few words at normal volume before the microphones kicked in.

The band played well under the direction of David Wisken, but sounded very electronic.  It would have been good to have more of a 1930's sound.

It was a fun night but could have been funnier.  The cast and director need to watch more 1930's films to capture the honesty and naivety of their performances to capture the era, rather than trying to send it up.  I have watched many 1930's films and can be instantly transported to a time and place.  Here it was as if I was watching a group of very talented performers trying way too hard to be funny.

The actors needed to find sincerity and a connection with their characters rather than playing two dimensional solo performances.  This would have made it funnier.

There were no bad performances, but there were stand out moments.  I felt there was a lack of connection between many of the characters.  The show seemed to be an array of many soloists showcasing their moments - except during the choreographed dance sequences where they came together as an ensemble.

Jimmy Harper was played by Ben Adams as the young man who becomes addicted to marijuana.  He played many levels of his mania and mostly sang well.  His character was the most believable from a 1930's film perspective, though I would have liked more connection with the other characters.

Mary Lane played by Grace O'Donnell-Clancy as a larger than life character.  Though cartoon-esque in style both the main leads needed more realism to make it funnier.

The Act One final duet between which was flat by both.

Sally played by Phoebe Coupe, reminded me a little of Bette Davis from "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" or Gloria Swanson as  Norma Desmond from "Sunset Boulevard".

The "Spaghetti Western" delayed violence between Jack Stone (Jared Bryan) and Mae (Rosa McCarty) obtained consistent laughs.  Sadly this type of delayed sequence was not used during other opportunities to provide for more sight gags by other characters.

Stephen McDowell ably played Ralph.  His simple make-up and physicality gave his character more realism.

Sally's Baby was brilliantly sung and acted by Alex Thompson.

James Cutler as the Lecturer played many small roles throughout.  The opening sequence sets the tone for the show, though it needs some tweaking to maximise the effect.  He grew as a performer with his other characters.  James Cutler  sang well and channelled Robert Preston as Harold Hill warning students with "The Truth".  Some may question the relevance with the conman antics of Harold Hill warning residents with the song "Trouble" from "The Music Man".

Ed Deganos as Jesus was hanging on a crucifix attached to a removalist's trolley.  Visually a strong joke and he made the most of it.

Seth Drury as an ensemble member channelled the Keystone Cops with his height and dead pan gaze. More could have been done to channel the movement of the Keystone Cops during chase scene.

The costumes were fun, particularly the men's jacquard socks and v-neck vest looked terrific to capture the 1930's, the ladies' costumes were a little too contemporary but still gave the impression it was a high school production.

Set design by Simon Coleman was simple and effective allowing for the dual role of being a High School production -  and a show within a show.  The little touches of the red curtain not fully closing and the window shutters not closing fully may not have been intentional - but they worked to highlight the high school set construction.

There were so many contemporary references made within Yvette Lee's choreography.  I liked the Matthew Bourne "Swan Lake" triangle in the finale and the Bob Fosse hands from "Pippin" when the reefers were all presented through the red curtain.  The zombie type characters referenced all of the sci-fi television shows and had aspects of "Carrie" the musical.

Sadly the sight lines in Row F impede the view in the downstage area.  There needs to be a metre gap between the front row and the stage to allow for a better view.  It is not just me as two couples behind me had to move to empty side seats for a better view!

"Reefer Madness" was written by Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney and preceded the brilliant "Heathers"  which has a book by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe.  It was terrific to see this earlier work to compare how the writing had grown musically and dramatically.

I look forward to seeing more work from this company.  It excites me to see so much talent in Melbourne presenting so many rare works.

Overall this production obtains a 6.5/10.

Georgy Girl - the Seekers Musical, Her Majesty's Theatre, Saturday January 2nd 2016

Georgy Girl - the Seekers Musical, Her Majesty's Theatre, Saturday January 2nd 2016

We saw "Georgy Girl - the Seekers Musical" at Her Majesty's Theatre on Saturday January 2nd 2016 and it is such a good show.  I have never seen so many people emotionally affected by a musical for years. This cast had the audience in the "palm of their hands" especially with the Sidney Myer Music Bowl sequence. People were swaying and humming along with the songs. It is a terrific juke box musical.  The four leads took me back to the mid 1960s as they look and sound terrific.   Congratulations as this took the audience on the known story of  The Seekers with a roller coaster of emotions.

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.

Congratulations to the generation of civilised audience members who had the decency to turn off their mobile phones and not destroy the show.  The quality of the pre show announcements is much better than the Arts Centre Melbourne.

Oh yes and the show started promptly at 8.00 pm which is unheard of at some other theatres.  The staff at Her Majesty's are excellent, though an additional bar attendant in the Dress Circle bar was required at 7.30 pm as the queue for drinks grew.

After entering the theatre the set with the piano sitting centre stage reminded me of the opening set from "Beautiful"  (the Carol King musical).

The emotional connection to the story was very strong with audience members weeping or sobbing or gasping.  And these reactions were to a well known and published sequence of events!   "Georgy Girl - the Seekers Musical" captured the 1960s era with stylised aplomb as I was transported back to the mid sixties which I fondly and vividly remember.

The singing by the entire cast is terrific.  More so, the sound by the four leads was scary as they sounded so much like The Seekers.

The book by Patrick Edgeworth is pretty tight.  Patrick Edgeworth has not only told the story of The Seekers but more importantly captured the soul and emotion of their relationship to the world. Here Patrick Edgeworth uses less words to create some very funny lines, especially the jokes about Paul Simon.

The direction by Gary Young captures the essence of the 1960s and The Seekers' internal struggles with sincerity and heart.  The greatest compliment is the emotional connection relayed from the book via the direction of the fine actors.

The staging and direction is slick.  There are two minor holes in Act One with transitions between scenes that could be tightened up with lighting, music or staging. Act Two has four minor holes that were laboured and need tightening.  They require the same treatment to make the transitions slicker and more polished.  I am not complaining as this show is less than two weeks old and is in far better shape than many which have been running for years.

Set Design by Shaun Gurton reminded me of "Memphis" and "Beautiful" and "Motown" and co-incidentally they all had recording sessions scenes.   The use of the television cameras has been used in so many of the above mentioned musicals. "Hairspray" and "Dusty - The Original Pop Diva" also had television scenes where the actors would play to the cameras.  In "Georgy Girl - the Seekers Musical" the cameras captured the spirit of the wholesomeness of "The Seekers" with their minimalist movements. Shaun Gurton has created a functional set with sliding screen doors and regular doors.  The split level set and the multiple entrances provide opportunities to direct the audience's focus.

The choreography by Michael Ralph had good staging and groupings, though the actual choreography was not authentic 1960s enough for me.  I preferred Ross Coleman's choreography in  "Dusty - The Original Pop Diva" which used so many historically accurate moves.  "Georgy Girl - the Seekers Musical" needed more than flashes of the 1960s moves as many audience members were of that generation.

A fun highlight was The Seeker's arrival in London with the parade of business men sporting bowler hats and the policeman (bobby) contrasted the emerging groovy moves.  With more research and some minor alterations Michael Ralph could improve his choreography and take it to a new level.   I look forward to seeing Michael Ralph's career progression.

The Oscars sequence for a song nomination "Georgy Girl" was well done though not a reproduction of the original choreography.  Mitzi Gaynor and the backing dancers had the requisite over-the-top smiles and cheesy grins.

The Act Two opening paid homage to Tom Jones and the use of "Momma's Got the Blues" moved the story along without me spoiling how this was done.

The scene between the two sisters, Beverly and Judith was one of my highlights due to their sisterly love and connection.  Beverly was played by Sophie Carter and sang magnificently.  Yes it was me who hooted you on your curtain calls as you, yes you Sophie Carter were sensational capturing sisterly support and maternal instincts with a hint of spoon playing hill-billy.  Sophie Carter played this with sincerity and honesty.

Act Two felt a bit clunky at times.  Though the narrator Ron Edgeworth played by Adam Murphy did explain that they could not tell everything about The Seekers' story.

The reunion scene between Judith Durham and the men was touching and well written.  More so it was directed and played with sincerity and the pause was palpable.  The audience were on the edge of their seats awaiting one response.  I hope they keep this moment fresh and honest as it was magical.
You could hear people's breathing stop and the heart beats in the audience.  As I type this, my eyes well with tears recalling this moment.  Great theatre to move us so honestly.

The wedding scene is simple.  Listen carefully to hear the underscoring of a Seeker's song mixed in with the orchestration.  Well done to the Musical Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by Stephen Amos as the music is beautifully played without the deafening volumes of some musicals.  Stephen Amos has created the sound of The Seekers with the terrific band.

Lighting Design by Trudy Dalgleish created transitions between time and space.  Using her expertise there are opportunities to tighten and polish four transitions in Act Two.  I especially liked Trudy Dalgleish's use of the expanding lit area to create a sense of perspective and location.  The venetian-blind lighting effect reminded me of "Ghost -the musical" (and that the lighting was the best part of that show!)

With the semi-transparent set we could see the hospital bed being wheeled into place well before the entrance of bed ridden Judith.  A lighting change or a timing change could reduce this distraction and provide the requisite surprise element.

Projections provided a backdrop in the upper half of the stage.  There are wallpapers for living rooms, posters for a theatrical manager's office, Union Jack for UK, Big Ben for London, Vietnam jungle, psychedelic patterns etc.  Each projection provided a sense of time, space and occasion.  The most significant projection was the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and this created a new level of silence from the audience.  I was curious if any of the  audience members may have been at that famous concert.  Nearly fifty years on and I too could have been a child at that concert.  It was like yesterday and I had heart thumping memories.

My favourite moments included the "Myra" song as it flooded back so many memories of the 1960s. The truth versus fantasy sequences of "Morningtown Ride" captured the essence of this beautiful song and used as a lullaby.  The audience were swaying and singing quietly along.  Normally this would be annoying but it is a real sing-a-long type show.  Then, the audience were jolted to reality with the twists of the scene, and relished being taken on this subliminal train ride.

One of the most gut wrenching moments will mean naught to others.  I share it as it was so poignant and I hope that they do not cut this scene.  An Australian soldier is in Vietnam and writes a fan letter to Judith Durham.  As the Vietnam War was the first war to be screened live into living rooms each night on the news (rather than the newsreels of WW11) as a child these memories are strong.  I was in Grade Four and had written to a soldier in Vietnam who subsequently was killed.  How is this relevant?  I sat there thinking "I wonder if Judith Durham  ever received that specific letter?"  I am sure she received many letters from Vietnam and this scene was representative of an era.  But if this scene touched me so deeply, I am sure it will touch others for their personal reasons.

The finale with the magnificent anthem "I Am Australian" shows how stirring this song is to lift the spirits and be proud to be Australian.  Juxtaposed was the tragedy that Judith Durham's private suffering.  It was like being knifed in the back twice with contrasting emotions - gut wrenching and uplifting.  It was like the release of Ron Edgeworth to the heavens.  We, as an audience could also let go emotionally.

The whole cast are terrific and play as a true ensemble cast.  There is not a weak link in this cast.
I enjoyed Ian Stenlake as John Ashby with his smooth manners and his rich voice.  Stephen Wheat plays the manager with his reliable credibility.  Cameron MacDonald as Graham Kennedy has next to no time to create a short cameo role and does so with his reliable characterisation.

The four leads playing The Seekers  are superb.  As I closed my eyes occasionally these four performers transported me back 50 years and to simpler times.  Pippa Grandison  paid homage honoured our memory of Judith Durham.  She did not mimic Judith Durham  but allowed her character to live within and channel her.  Glaston Toft as Athol Guy, Mike McLeish as Bruce Woodley and Phillip Lowe as Keith Potger also honoured the real male characters and allowed their spirit to overcome their characterisations.  I cannot praise these four enough for their honest and sincere performance and hope that they continue to trust their instincts.

I cannot extol my praises enough as they sounded so much like The Seekers  and,  more so, they channelled their characters.

The merchandise stalls display their wares with flare and the prices are reasonable except for the t- shirts which I felt were a tad expensive at $40.00.

I listened to the CD twice on Sunday January 3rd 2016 to relive the memories.  It is not the Original Cast Album with lyrics and notes but a recording of songs by some of the cast before the premiere of the show.  It is a fine recording and I hope they do a full Original Cast Album in the future.

I could see this show again and not feel as if my memories would be tainted.  Where as other shows I do not want to see them again as I have been disappointed.

Overall my partner scored this a 7/10 and I gave it a 7.5/10.