One of the exciting things about independent theatre in
Perth at the moment is that there are new emerging creative teams that are
young, ambitious, and staging challenging work. They are surrounded by a troupe
of regular performers such as the case with Ludicrous Displays that appears to
have its origins at UWA. Members of the production team, cast and band have
worked together recently in varying combinations on productions such as the
musicals Spring Awakening and Assassins, as well as The Importance of Being
Earnest. Here, however, not only are they presenting an original musical comedy
but a revival of said show! I understand this is a pared down version of the
original incarnation with more emphasis on comedy and a smaller cast number
with the chorus removed.
There may be nothing more challenging in the performing arts
than writing musical theatre, in this instance a 90 minute one act musical
comedy. Last year I saw a couple of (good) productions that were billed as
musicals but felt more like plays with songs. There is a crucial difference and
How We Ruined MacArthur’s Markers certainly is a musical with the songs moving
the narrative forward and informing the story. In the early going though the
songs felt like they were striving to be too clever with overly elaborate word
play and rhyming patterns. This meant that they were not, as Sondheim himself
made mocking reference to in Merrily We Roll Along, “humma-mamumma-mamum-mable
melodies”. Once this settled down the show found a nice groove and was much
stronger after the mechanics of the set-up.
The story itself was a little hazy for mine as I wasn’t
entirely clear on motivations and backstory but the decision to de-emphasise
the drama and push the comedy meant it kind of gets away with it. In essence,
the Patriarch has died leaving his eldest son Marcus (James Cohen) in charge of
a business that sells pens. Unbeknownst to that heir he has a brother Felix
(Ben Thomas) who still lives with their mother who is dying of *cough cough*
The Cancer. He applies for a job at the company but doesn’t reveal his true
identity while charged with saving it from demise and falling for the Head of
R&D, Erica (Amy Fortnum). Marcus has a close relationship with his
financial advisor Lewis (Sven Ironside) while loathing his mother Lillian
(Olivia Everett). All the while company lawyer Alexandra (Madeline Crofts) amuses
herself with booze and writing severance agreements. Ultimately plans are
hatched and plots are gleefully foiled.
It’s told in flashback with Crofts’ boozy lawyer giving a
wry, almost film noir style commentary on events as she immediately breaks the
fourth wall and addresses the audience. It’s a jaunty performance that is
snarky and funny as the lawyer becomes increasingly drunk at a bar recounting
the tale. Crofts also has an excellent voice as she demonstrated in Spring
Awakening and her showpiece number More
Fun That Way as she extols the virtues of booze is a highlight.
The other standout is Ironside playing the loyal and
protective advisor who is wary of Felix typified by his number Head Down. He has some funny moments but
it is in the more dramatic aspects that he excels. Cohen has perhaps the most
unforgiving role as the son who fails to live up to his father’s business
acumen and is unaware of who Felix really is. I never really understood the
venom he directs towards his mother but Cohen has a strong moment in the second
ballad of the show after his own personal epiphany. Thomas, who was impressive
as Algernon in Earnest, displays a very good singing voice but is essentially
playing the straight man role (and mummy’s boy) and he does this with unadorned,
ahem, earnestness.
Fortnum gives Erica a bubbly persona that is a nice
counterpoint to Alexandra’s cynicism and she has the strongest song with the
ballad Just A Little, itself a
catchphrase that is paid off nicely. Everett continues to impress with her
comedic talents playing another off-kilter character in the supposedly *cough
cough* cancer-ridden mother who manipulates her son and anyone who gets in her
way. The conceit is that she’s playing a much older character but her showpiece
You’re Fired is feisty and sassy. The
band of Benjamin Hogan (keyboard), Scott Collison (reed), Gwyneth Gardiner (bass)
and Rosie Taylor (drums) under the baton of Jackson Griggs plays the jazz influenced
score well though there were times they were a little too loud for the unmiked
singers.
This started a little slowly but had a certain charm with
some genuinely funny moments and, when not trying to over-impress with lyrical
dexterity, good songs. How We Ruined MacArthur’s Markers is playing in the
studio at the Subiaco Arts Centre until 27 June. Book and Lyrics by Thomas Owen
and Cal Silberstein with Music by Jackson Griggs, it is directed by Owen and
stars Ben Thomas, James Cohen, Amy Fortnum, Olivia Everett, Sven Ironside, and
Madeline Crofts.
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