Garters, guns, Nazis, and jazz - what more could you want in
this musical comedy romp where ‘Allo
‘Allo meets Cabaret? The former
is supplied in a script by Heather Jerrems (who also directs) where, amongst
other things, a woman poses as a man who poses as a woman to infiltrate a crack
unit of Nazi assassins who are ordered to take down an American trained unit of
burlesque dancers-cum-assassins. At the end of the second act when the
silliness is at its height there are more guns onstage than at a Republican
National Convention. The latter comes courtesy of some slinky outfits for our
heroines and a cracking jazz quintet made up of WAAPA students. The venue
itself, the intimate Ellington Jazz Club, provides the atmosphere.
Two key ingredients make this work – the show knows exactly
what it is and plays up to the absurdity; and there is an impressive level of
musicianship and vocal chops you wouldn’t necessarily expect for such a deliriously
over-the-top confection.
To wit, the band of Harry Josland (trumpet), Joshua Cusak
(double bass), Matthew Salt (saxophone), Oscar van Gass (drums), and Thomas
Freeman (guitar) sounded right at home in Perth’s premier jazz venue. They also
added a few sight gags of their own behind the performers in the tight stage
space. You have the impression that they would have happily kept playing through
the night. The audience would have happily kept listening. The smooth musical
arrangements by Alex Turner added a touch of class.
The vocal talent headlined by sweet-voiced Cindy Randall and
a brassy Sinead O’Hara was excellent. It also matched their characters to a
tee. Randall was the fresh-faced innocent who becomes the main player in the
battle between swastikas and stockings, guns drawn. Her Gina firstly becomes
the improbably named burlesque tyro Miss Titties before assuming the male
identity of Heimlich. Much humour is made of her/his appearance as confusion
reigns and romance blooms. O’Hara is the leader of the Fatales as Miss Ruby and
she embraces a take no prisoners approach to the role in a feisty performance.
Emelia Peet is the third member of the troupe as Miss Scarlet, the faithful
sidekick to Ruby. Peet has a couple of funny solo moments sending up
advertisements of the period.
Their foes are the band of Germans headed up by Manfred
(Brett Peart) and his mismatched assassins, Jurgen (Adam Droppert) and Klaus (Ryan
Hunt). Jurgen falls for Gina/Miss Titties while Klaus falls for Manfred’s manly
facial hair. Yes, there is bromance to go along with the romance. The
outrageously kitsch I Don’t Just Need A
Beard, I Need Two is a highlight. That it comes in the middle of the best
sequence of the show is testament to a fine start to the second act. The duet
between Randall and Droppert - When At
War, Fall In Love – was not only the best song but performed with such joy
and chemistry. Randall’s smile was incandescent. O’Hara replies after the
follicle folly of Manfred and Klaus with a snarling Ultimateum; the sequence capped off by a beautifully sung and plaintive
What’s It Going To Feel Like? by
Randall. From there it’s all standoffs and conflicted loyalties as the climax
gets a little messy but by then I was happy to forgive such excesses.
I can see why this reportedly did so well at Fringe World
earlier in the year. It’s the perfect sort of fare for a couple of hours at a
good venue having a drink and, in my case, one of their pizzas, while watching
a talented cast and band frolic and play on stage. It’s funny, more than a
little sexy, and showcases some serious talent.
Written and directed by Heather Jerrems with Music and
arrangements by Alex Turner, The Ruby Red Fatales has two more performances at
The Ellington Jazz Club on Tuesday and Wednesday, 26 & 27 July.
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