Come From Away - Koorliny Arts Centre (15 November 2024)

Where were you when...? 

The question that is asked when something of global significance has happened, usually catastrophic. The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 - 9/11 - changed the world forever. It led to three wars - Afghanistan, Iraq, and the so-called 'War on Terror'; ushered in mass surveillance of citizens under the Patriot Act with far-reaching implications beyond the US as Edward Snowden's revelations revealed; dramatically changed air travel protocols; with certain political elements using it to ratchet up anti-Muslim sentiment and the 'othering' of so many innocent people that continues to this day.

It was a Tuesday night in Perth when those planes hit the World Trade Center. They cut into an episode of The West Wing no less to report on the developing story. The images were, and remain, unspeakably shocking. 

Imagine if the answer to "Where were you when...?" was sitting in a plane diverted to Canada as the FAA shut down US airspace. Or, a resident of the town of Gander in Newfoundland where that plane and 37 others were incoming with some 7000 passengers. This is the true life premise for Come From Away. 

Why this is so compelling is that amongst the swirl of massive geopolitical implications that would define the beginning of a new century, a quintessentially human story is told. A story about compassion and empathy; about fear and uncertainty; about grace under pressure; about finding humour and connection even in the darkest of circumstances. It is in many ways a joyous story which has, by necessity, an underlying sadness. These are ordinary people - from around the world - caught up in an extraordinary moment.

Enough of the preamble as I'm burying the lede. Koorliny won the rights to stage the Western Australian amateur premiere and it's clear they know how special this property is. The attention to detail and execution on opening night is exceptional. I had not seen Come From Away before but knew something memorable was brewing after thunderous applause by a capacity audience greeted the end of opening number Welcome To The Rock. 

From there the production moves at a relentless pace. Yes, a fire alarm caused a brief show stop. By then the cast, musicians, and all involved had built up such good will that it didn't dampen the audience's enthusiasm at all. Well done to co-director Katherine Freind for clearly explaining what had happened to put everyone at ease. Then we were off again on a rollercoaster of emotions which culminated in a spontaneous standing ovation at final bows and raucous appreciation of the band as they played us out. I've not seen a surge of genuine affection like that in a long, long time. 

Thing is, they deserved it and then some. 

Let's start with the band. The band! They played the hell out of the infectious score that had me toe-tapping along happily. Take a bow Musical Director Kate McIntosh (Keyboard) and musicians Ben Clapton (Fiddle), Talitha Broughton (Whistles & Flute), Emily Ranford (Guitar), Christian Ingram (Bass Guitar), Nikki Gray (Drums & Percussion), and Dylan Randall (Ugly Stick). The music informs and enhances so much of the emotion and humour, played with such spirit. I loved that Clapton, Ranford and Randall were onstage during certain numbers adding a sense of community and vitality. 

All the production and design elements. The rustic set design (Stephen Carr) that captured the unusual and remote feel of Gander. The lighting design (Kat Brieden) that focussed my attention and highlighted characters and moments with clarity, so important with such a frantic pace. The sound design (Jonathan Hoey) that allowed that score and vocals to shine while letting scenes of high emotion breathe. The choreography by co-director Allen Blachford using diverse configurations of wooden chairs to depict everything from planes to buses to the interior of various town settings. An elaborate dance that was precise and playful when it needed to be. Costume consultant Melissa Kelly not only having to distinguish between locals and 'plane people' but plotting the hand-off of costume elements with the cast playing multiple characters. Prop designer Rebecca Foottit adding quirkiness as well as all the practical elements as the townsfolk realise the scope of what needs to be done. A cohesive team effort that created an awesome space for the cast to perform.

And perform they did. The cast of twelve hit the ground running and don't let up. There is an enthusiasm that is palpable from the opener and a respect for the stories based on real people. Strands and pairings slowly emerge along with featured roles. This is only a snippet of all the characters the cast bring vividly to life - Diane (Gillian Binks) and Nick (Colan Leach) starting a tentative yet sweet relationship; Beulah (Lucy Eyre) and Hannah (Mahali) forming a bond over their firefighter sons; Kevin (Tadhg Lawrence) and Kevin (Bailey Bridgman-Peters) whose relationship is buffeted by different reactions to their predicament. Maree Cole's Bonnie who's concerned with the welfare of the animals that were on those planes; Neil Young as the Mayor powering through to do what must be done; Phoebe Tempra's Janice as the novice reporter overwhelmed by the magnitude of what's happened; Rea Selepe's Bob who is initially more worried about being in 'redneck' territory; and Jason Nettle as Oz, a police constable on the island. Shannon Payette Seip is the trailblazing airline pilot Beverley Bass. They are all excellent - acting-wise and vocally while working seamlessly together as a company.  

Highlights are everywhere from the opening number to Mahali's superb rendition of I Am Here to Prayer led by Lawrence; Payette Seip's Me and the Sky; Young leading us into Screech In and so on. 

Directors Katherine Freind and Allen Blachford have crafted a marvellous production in all facets. It's the best community theatre musical I've seen since 2015's A Man of No Importance. A must see.

Come From Away is on at the Koorliny Arts Centre in Kwinana until 30 November. 

Cast pictures by Outatime Pictures 

Peter Pan: Broadway's Timeless Musical - Koorliny Arts Centre (18 November 2023)

Ah, to never grow old and live a life full of adventures. Alas, the closest one can do is go to a theatre full of eager children (one a little too eager) and hope for a sprinkle of magical fairy dust. Then to abandon all responsibilities for a couple of hours, learn to fly, abscond to Neverland... and go fight pirates. I'm with you Peter! Indeed, there was a healthy dose of magic in this production in the form of lighting and set design, costuming and props, and well staged sequences such as I'm Flying. It's also a joy to see so many young performers on stage which is only fitting. 

A packed theatre waited expectantly as the overture played with the stage curtain closed. The wait was worth it as the reveal of the set was quite something. I could only dare hazard to guess how many lights had been fixed to the rear curtain and the Darling nursery was vibrantly lit and well dressed. This would be a common theme throughout - lights affixed to the trees of Neverland and, most impressively, the wings of the resident fairy lending everything a bright and enchanted quality. The pirate ship of the second half was another well realised and striking piece of set design by Quantum Building Services, Stephen Carr, and Pear Carr. 

Of course, the lighting design by Chloe Palliser also gets to play with the depiction of Tinkerbell as a focused ball of light that flitters around the stage to 'land' on characters, objects, and walls (lighting operator Hayley Smith). This is accompanied by whimsical musical cues as Tinkerbell 'speaks' to Peter. It's all rather delightful. 

In line with this, the costumes are bright and bold from an almost elvish looking Peter to the mock theatricality of Captain Hook and his pirates; the sleek design of the Neverland natives; the patchwork quality of the Lost Boys; with classic-style nightwear for the Darling family including an elegant night dress for Wendy. Oh, and who needs animatronics or CGI when you can have Matthew Holmes in a dog costume AND a crocodile suit with a (not quite) stealthy form of propulsion?! Wardrobe attributed to Melissa Kelly, Matilda Jenkins, and Katherine Freind. 

Perhaps the real magic though is in Matilda Jenkins' choreography. The show really shines in splendidly executed dance sequences such as Neverland Waltz and True Blood Brothers involving much of the cast. Then there's the jauntier antics of the pirates in Hook's Tango, Hook's Tarantella, and Hook's Waltz.  

The one aspect that was a little out of balance was the volume of the backing music. It's a gorgeous Broadway score but the sound level meant the performers' mic volumes were way up to compete and it felt like a battle most of the time. Dialogue and lyrics were often lost or obscured, especially for Ryan Taafe as Hook who was using an embellished accent to accentuate the villain's, um, villainy. There were also quite a few 'shouty' moments and when you have so many performers on stage, most mic'd up, this can lead to an overwhelming cacophony.

To the performances and Christie McGarrity made for a robust Peter Pan who sang well and flung herself around the stage with boundless energy and hands-on-hip swagger. McGarrity enthusiastically led the audience in reviving Tinkerbell, and cawing like a crow in I've Gotta Crow. A radiant Jordyn Gallop was sincere and lovely as Wendy and shared a highlight vocal moment with McGarrity and Katherine Freind (Mrs Darling) in Distant Melody. A young performer to watch.

Another young performer to make her mark was Kayla Brown as Tiger Lily who projected a regal bearing as leader of the Neverland Natives whilst displaying excellent dancing skills. Rp van der Westhuizen gave Smee a hint of Jack Sparrow as he played the comic foil to Captain Hook; a niche he is carving out nicely after a similar comic turn in Catch Me If You Can earlier this year. Taafe, after a long absence from the stage, brings authority to the dual roles of Mister Darling and Captain Hook; the latter with some snark thrown in for good measure. 

Melissa Kelly as Liza has a graceful featured sequence with the Neverland Natives and Neverland Fairy (Emma Fleming) in the (aptly named) Neverland Waltz. The Lost Boys were all charming led by a likeable turn from Sophie Lewin as Slightly. Our Michael Darling on the night was Jack Sharma who was full of boyish exuberance while Matt Ballantine provided a more calming demeanour as John Darling.  

Directors Blake Jenkins and Neroli Sweetman have assembled a talented cast of youngsters (with a few savvy theatre veterans!) to present a visually enchanting production that will no doubt be a hit for children and parents alike. It was fantastic to see close to a full house with so many children in attendance. Perhaps the secret to never growing old is having plenty of theatrical adventures seen through the awe and wonder of children. Peter Pan is on at the Koorliny Arts Centre in Kwinana until 25 November.

Catch Me If You Can The Musical - Koorliny Arts Centre (14 June 2023)

The suit jacket. Elegant, refined, a mark of status and authority in the sixties. With the right jacket, well, you could be most anyone. A substitute teacher, an airline co-pilot, a doctor, a lawyer, even an FBI agent. After you served a few years in jail for bank fraud of course. It also helps if you have charm, confidence, and the ability to churn milk into butter, mouse-like. This is the tale that awaits us in the musical adaptation of the movie Catch Me If You Can, itself an adaptation of the book written by our charming protagonist Frank William Abagnale Junior. A young man who conned his way across America and beyond, cashing forged cheques that eventually totalled in the millions.

It is significant then that costuming plays a prominent role in this production staged at the Koorliny Arts Centre. Frank Jr. (Joshua Firman) is coming to us Live In Living Colour where his attire marks his progression from teenage runaway to notorious ‘paperhanger’ and all the professions he brazenly inhabits. By contrast, his nemesis, FBI agent Carl Hanratty, and his associates are doomed to don “black and white” as Hanratty doggedly pursues the con-man until the bitter end. It is a lovely touch when Firman sheds the garb of jacket (and tie) once Frank Jr’s goose is cooked and all pretence has finally been dropped.

The ensemble, even more so, is given a wonderful array of colourful and sixties-styled costumes from sleek airline hostess outfits to the risqué nurses’ uniforms in the Act 2 attention grabber Doctor’s Orders which sets young Frank’s heart all a flutter and jolts the audience out of any post-intermission lull. Excellent work by Head of Wardrobe Lyn Leeder and Costume Assistant Neroli Sweetman.

But back to our story. I rewatched the Spielberg movie starring Leo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, and Christopher Walken a couple of nights ago to familiarise myself again with the plot. I wondered how certain aspects would translate into a musical. The answer in the Book by Terrence McNally, Music by Marc Shaiman, and Lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman is to break the fourth wall, go meta and turn the whole thing into a ‘show’ and blast through exposition in the early musical numbers. It is all so breezy, fast paced, and cheeky that the conceit works an absolute treat. In this it is helped immeasurably by a swinging 60s-themed score, stylish choreography by Kate Leeder, and the substantial stage presence of Joshua Firman in the lead role.

Firman brings considerable charm, acting chops, and the best singing voice I have heard at Koorliny if not in all the community theatre shows I have attended over the years. He soars vocally in the penultimate song Goodbye and sings throughout with such joy that it is palpable. There is a twinkle in his eye which hints at the childlike wonder Frank Jr. feels when he lucks into his next con. But there is also the hurt over the failure of his parents’ marriage which is a contributing factor in Frank Jr’s behaviour.

He is well-matched with two other important performances. Chris Gerrish is excellent as the FBI agent determined to get his man, Carl Hanratty. Interestingly, a lot of the pathos in the tragic figure of Frank Sr. played with understated brilliance by Walken in the movie, is transferred to Hanratty in the musical. This is most apparent in the blues-infused number The Man Inside The Clues. Gerrish also excels leading the showy Don’t Break The Rules. The closing number Stuck Together (Strange But True) sees Firman and Gerrish play off each other to great effect and it’s clear that there is a real onstage camaraderie at work here.

The other performance is by Matilda Jenkins as Brenda Strong who appears as the love interest in the second act. Jenkins makes for a forthright and competent Brenda and has a show stopping moment with her wonderful solo Fly, Fly Away which echoed another Shaiman & Wittman song, I Know Where I’ve Been from Hairspray.

John Taylor gives a perfectly fine performance as Frank Abagnale Sr but the role as written somehow feels diminished. Here, Frank Sr. is pitched more as a man who falls into booze after his wife betrays him rather than a far more complicated and tragic figure in Frank Jr’s life. He shares a heartwarming father-son duet with Firman in Butter Outta Cream and, similarly, the confrontation between Frank Sr. and Hanratty turns into the buddy number Little Boy Be A Man.  In both cases the feel-good mood dictated by the overall tone of the musical undercuts the troubled nature of a man Frank Jr. looked up to and wanted to make whole again.

Other performances that caught the eye include Catherine Archer’s classily staged Don’t Be A Stranger and Rp van der Westhuizen’s bumbling agent who reminded me of an exaggerated version of Oscar Wallace played by Charles Martin Smith in The Untouchables.  

This is a show with a magnetic lead performance, an excellent supporting cast, and an ensemble who all look the part and play up to the inherent fun and sexiness of their multi-faceted roles. The numbers are breezy and well sung (Musical Director Kate McIntosh) with Director Katherine Freind delivering a high energy, brisk production that looks and sounds fantastic.

I would not be surprised if this show features heavily in Finley Award nominations at the end of the year. It is a shining example of the best of community theatre in Perth.