Top Ten Theatre Productions in 2015 - Musicals & Cabaret

It was an outstanding year for musicals and cabaret in 2015. From big touring productions such as Les Miserables and Wicked to the continued excellence of WAAPA's world class music theatre course there have been many tremendous shows. This has been supported by independent companies such as Stray Cats Theatre Company and Fresh Bred Productions who are mounting big productions catering to different audiences. Black Swan even got in on the act this year with the rock musical Next to Normal and the Regal Theatre continues to host a range of productions.

This made finalising the list quite difficult but here is my Top Ten for 2015:

1. Urinetown (WAAPA)
I adored this show. From the moment it opened the satirical tone had me in its clutches and the ferocious choreography sealed the deal. Outstanding.

"What a thrill to have a show grab you by the throat from the opening moments and not let go until the cast is taking well deserved bows. This is a spectacular production of a very funny and irreverent musical and I have to say, it knocked my socks off."

2. Les Miserables (Crown Theatre)

What more can be said about the fabulous Les Mis? Simon Gleeson and Hayden Tee headline a stellar cast, half of its number including Gleeson having graduated from WAAPA. 

"For rousing songs and sheer theatrical spectacle Les Miserables is hard to beat and this production has quality in every department."

3. Legally Blonde (WAAPA)

Such a colourful, energetic and joyous production, this showcased a fabulous graduating class to full effect.

"WAAPA’s mid-year musical theatre production has become a highlight of the Perth theatre calendar as they throw their considerable talent and resources – performers, musicians, set designers, costume designers, production department and many others into crafting a professional level experience both for its students and the audience. The results here, as with last year’s West Side Story, are impressive and wildly entertaining."

4. Next To Normal (Black Swan State Theatre Company)

I finally discovered that there is an orchestra pit at the Heath Ledger Theatre. And that Rachael Beck is a star. 

"Next to Normal stands out for the fact that its subject matter is challenging and under-serviced, certainly in musical theatre form. It demands that the acting from the performers is as good, if not better, than the singing requirements. The cast here deliver in spades with a potent mix of excellent songs, a great score, and a fully formed narrative arc for its central character that is as harrowing as it is gut wrenching."

5. Music Theatre Showstoppers (WAAPA)

The cast of Les Miserables doing a concert singing some of their favourite musical theatre songs? This only confirmed that the talent of that cast, top to bottom, is outstanding in a wonderfully entertaining evening. 

"Take the cast of Les Miserables, half of whom are WAAPA graduates; their musical director Geoffrey Castles along with four other members of the orchestra; throw in a little star power with event patron Ben Elton; add the enthusiasm and organisational skills of Eponine herself (Kerrie Anne Greenland) and you end up with what can only be described as a spectacular fundraising concert at the Geoff Gibbs Theatre. The sheer magnitude of talent on display was breathtaking."

6. Assassins (Midnite Youth Theatre Company)

Staged in the intimate studio space at the Subiaco Arts Centre I loved the full tilt approach to this most audacious of concepts for a musical. 

"What I loved about this production is that all involved attacked it with total commitment and absolute ferocity. There is incredible intensity in the darker hued characters that is matched by some standout comic performances as this rogues’ gallery improbably comes together, ultimately, in a wonderfully written sequence, to convince one of their confreres to commit perhaps the most famous assassination in American history."

7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Fresh Bred Productions)

Another Sondheim and this one was beautifully sung and played at the palatial Joy Shepherd Performing Arts Centre. 

"... this is a fine production of a tremendous piece of musical theatre. I understand months of preparation and rehearsal have gone into making this show a reality and it shows. Congratulations to all involved on taking a risk with such a huge undertaking for independent theatre and pulling it off."

8. Point and Shoot: Farewell Show (Holland St Productions)

After touring the production on the eastern seaboard to further acclaim, this farewell show before heading to Brighton was so tightly executed that it couldn't help but make its way to this list.

"It would be fair to say that after witnessing the show for a second time that it is my favourite piece of original content generated out of Perth (in all formats) for quite some time."

9. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Stray Cats Theatre & Mandurah Performing Arts Centre)

Completing a trilogy of big family friendly musicals after Oliver! and Mary Poppins this was an entertaining and fun show that exhibits all of director Karen Francis' signature traits - crowd pleasing, big casts, visually sumptuous and well performed.

"If one of the roles of community theatre is to engage with and entertain its local residents then these productions are among the finest examples we have in the state. Usually a run will only be four to five shows over one weekend but they are always well attended and sit comfortably in the spacious Performing Arts Centre."

10. Spring Awakening (Fresh Bred Productions)

Immediately after the completion of the show I went home and bought the original cast recording which has been on high rotation ever since. An outstanding collection of songs well sung in one of the most surprising adaptations to a rock musical ever.

"Matching the musicians was the vocal talent on display. This really was a strong cast from a singing perspective – the featured vocalists excelled and were given tremendous support from the ensemble."

Female Performer of the Year - Rachael Beck

Not only was Beck's singing excellent, it was her acting that really impressed in Next To Normal. She commanded the stage throughout but worked so well with the rest of the cast to bring a complex arc to life.

Male Performers of the Year - Simon Gleeson

A towering performance in the role of Jean Valjean and his Bring Him Home almost had me in tears. Again. Damn it!

Special Mentions:

Elethea Sartorelli - Excelled as Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd with Cockney accent in place, and a real energy to her performance that threatened to steal the show.

Megan Kozak - A powerhouse turn in Urinetown was matched by an equally impressive performance as Brooke in Legally Blonde. 

Jacob Dibb - Another performance from Urinetown that was compelling. Dibb showcased a terrific voice and played Bobby Strong with a straight ahead earnestness that worked so well.

Madeline Crofts - A standout in Spring Awakening as Wendla Bergmann, Crofts also popped up as Johanna in Sweeney Todd and perhaps most impressively gave a hilarious and feisty performance in the original musical How We Ruined MacArthur's Markers.  

Kate Thomas - Thomas sank her teeth into the star role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. She looked fantastic in Elle's signature outfits and sang beautifully in an assured performance. 

That's it for 2015. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all at the theatre in the new year! 

WAAPA Music Theatre Showstoppers (9 February 2015)

Take the cast of Les Miserables, half of whom are WAAPA graduates; their musical director Geoffrey Castles along with four other members of the orchestra; throw in a little star power with event patron Ben Elton; add the enthusiasm and organisational skills of Eponine herself (Kerrie Anne Greenland) and you end up with what can only be described as a spectacular fundraising concert at the Geoff Gibbs Theatre. The sheer magnitude of talent on display was breathtaking.

The number 30 was a significant one for the evening. WAAPA’s world renowned musical theatre course turns thirty this year and what a way to kick off yearlong celebrations by showcasing so many of their graduates. 2015 also marks the 30^th anniversary of the original West End production of Les Miserables. Obviously the only sensible thing to do was to celebrate 30 years of musical theatre with a roster of thir--, um, 16 songs. (I suppose 30 songs was asking too much!)  

The fundraising aspect involves WAAPA hosting the Musical Theatre Educator’s Alliance Conference in the middle of this year, the first time it has been held in the southern hemisphere. What with the launching of the Jackman-Furness Foundation last year and now this conference it’s an exciting time for the Academy.

To the show and we are greeted by our hosts Kerrie Anne Greenland, Lara Mulcahy, Rodney Dobson and Ben Hall with a rousing rendition of Live in Living Colour from Catch Me If You Can. The tone is set early with plenty of light-hearted banter, Mulcahy in particular proving adept at the witty one-liner and adroit comic timing. A post musical theatre career as a stand-up comedienne beckons!

There then followed a series of songs which was quite the eclectic mix with musicals as diverse as Phantom of the Opera to City of Angels, and Parade to Dr. Zhivago represented. What I loved though is that members of the ensemble were given equal opportunity to shine and you quickly come to realise the firepower a production like Les Miserables has. Every member of the cast is a fabulously gifted performer in their own right. The show as a whole was brilliant across the board but some of my highlights were:

Lisa Sontag and Matthew Heyward worked wonderfully well together in a funny performance of That Face from The Producers. This is given a reprise of sorts when Lara and Ben decide to interview them about what it’s like to be an understudy on Les Mis. Oh the jealousy you have to endure, Lara, the jealousy!

Mischana Dellora Cornish and Ben Hall crushed Rita’s Confession from The Lucky Stiff with Cornish especially impressive in a virtuoso performance.

While the ensemble cast members were relishing the spotlight Simon Gleeson and Hayden Tee reminded everyone why they are the headline stars of Les Mis (as Jean Valjean and Javert respectively) with a superb rendition of Lily’s Eyes from The Secret Garden. The power and control from both is simply first class.

Joshua Robson followed with a powerful Bui Doi from Miss Saigon backed by some eleven of his male colleagues. The massed voices made for a riveting aural experience.

Likewise, Chloe Zuel was supported by her female colleagues as she brought plenty of sass to a boisterous performance of Raise Your Voice from Sister Act.

Patrice Tipoki gave the penultimate performance with a stirring Defying Gravity from Wicked before Ben Elton was called onstage to share his thoughts about the importance of WAAPA in developing future generations of musical theatre stars.

It was therefore a treat to see the second and third year students onstage for the finale of One Day More. What was even better was when they moved to the front of the stage as if being anointed by their celebrated predecessors. The combined might of the Les Miserables cast plus some forty students singing the crowd pleasing song ensured a standing ovation as the show closed.

Some other thoughts:

The five piece orchestra was excellent. Well done to Geoffrey Castles (Piano), Laura Tipoki (Keyboard), Katherine Gillon (Keyboard), Anna Pokorny (Cello) and Bronton Ainsworth (Drums). 

  

The humour and genuine camaraderie throughout the show elevated this to something quite special.

I am contractually obligated to mention (because I told her I would!) that Kerrie Anne Greenland gave a “Cher-like performance” with at least 6 costume changes on the night.

It was a delight to briefly talk to some of the performers afterwards including Kerrie Anne, the elegant Elisa Colla, and Simon Gleeson who simply can’t shake Javert forced to sing opposite him even in concert! 

Likewise, it’s always a pleasure chatting to some of the WAAPA students whose year commenced today. What an inspiring and perhaps daunting experience tonight was for them. This is the bar they have their sights set on as they continue the extensive, world class training at the Academy.

This was a magical night and a timely reminder of the power of musical theatre at its very best to move and enthral us.  

Les Miserables - Crown Theatre, Perth (10 January 2015)

The iconic musical officially opened in Perth last Wednesday and the reviews have been nothing short of spectacular. I had seen the show last year during its Melbourne run but couldn’t resist experiencing it again. Firstly, the music and songs are wonderful and I’ve had the Original Broadway Cast Recording on high rotation since that Melbourne trip; and secondly, I noticed a person who teaches at WAAPA exhort his students ‘past and present’ to see the Perth production calling it exceptional. Of course, there is a strong local connection with almost half the cast having trained at the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. There was something to be said therefore about seeing this incarnation in WAAPA’s own backyard. Besides, I was really impressed with the Melbourne production at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

I admit I haven’t been to what is now known as Crown Perth (it was still Burswood Casino last time I was there!) for quite some time. The previous event I had seen at the theatre was a Pink Floyd cover band re-enacting The Wall (I unsuccessfully tried to tunnel my way to sonic freedom). Putting aside such traumas, the Les Miserables behemoth has transferred nicely into its new digs. Initially though the vocals didn’t sound quite as rich to me, no doubt due to the different acoustics in the new venue. That settled down pretty quickly so maybe it was just me ‘getting my ear in’. The orchestra, however, as was the case in Melbourne, was terrific from the very first stirring notes. It is such a potent score and so much of the power and emotion comes from the music. Very well played and conducted.

There is much to like about this latest interpretation of Les Miserables, the storyline of which most people will have a passing familiarity with and doesn’t bear repeating here. I will list my personal highlights in no particular order, most being confirmation of my initial thoughts from last year.

Simon Gleeson is superb as Jean Valjean and for me the highlight remains his rendition of Bring Him Home which I don’t mind confessing had me a little teary-eyed this time around. The ageing process both in makeup and performance is also very impressive.

What struck me even more so today is how Hayden Tee’s Javert goes toe to toe with Valjean and is truly a formidable adversary. Having that balance right is critical for the main narrative through line in what ultimately is a very episodic story. Tee doesn’t take a backward step and is compelling as the dogged Inspector.

Kerrie Anne Greenland is a revelation as Eponine. In what will become a storied ascent, this is Greenland’s ‘professional musical theatre debut’ straight out of WAAPA. And what a debut it is. On My Own and A Little Fall of Rain are standouts as is her acting where we feel every inch of the wrenching dagger of unrequited love.

Lara Mulcahy and Trevor Ashley threaten to steal proceedings as the Thenardier’s every time they’re on stage with a wonderful sense of comic flair and chemistry. The bawdy Master of the House is followed by The Bargain in a sequence that allows the audience to laugh and ‘breathe’ after the trials and tribulations of Valjean and Fantine up to that point. Essential and bloody well executed.

Patrice Tipoki plays a character, Fantine, who falls so far so quickly that it’s a volatile arc condensed into a very short period of stage time. It therefore requires maximum emotional impact with I Dreamed A Dream the early crowd pleaser but Lovely Ladies is also a harrowing sequence under all the false bravado. Tipoki does this well and I especially liked her angelic turn at the end as Valjean finally finds peace.

Speaking of Lovely Ladies, the ensemble is so good throughout – adding vocal punch, colour and movement in other numbers such as At The End of The Day, Master of the House, The People’s Song, One Day More and Drink With Me.

Euan Doidge and Emily Langridge make for an engaging couple whose sweetness and naivety acts as another necessary counterpoint to the more bleak aspects of the story (and there’s a few!). Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is well handled by Doidge as is A Heart Full of Love with Greenland joining Doidge and Langridge as the romantic entanglements of the story come to full light.

The fine performances and musicianship is matched by inventive staging – from the sets that unfold to fill the space, to the use of projections (most notably the sewers under Paris and for Javert’s death), and the lighting and other effects that enhance the doomed fate of those on the barricades.

For rousing songs and sheer theatrical spectacle Les Miserables is hard to beat and this production has quality in every department. Having seen quite a few shows at WAAPA last year it is also exciting to see the path that many of those talented performers who have now graduated might follow given the number of alumni here. This is Australian musical theatre at its pinnacle so get along to see it if you can.

Les Miserables - Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne (22 August 2014)

Speaking of Act One closes, the next production has a pretty decent one as well! Yes, One Day More sung by the massed company from Les Miserables with the orchestra in top form is stirring and memorable. This was a monumental almost three hour show that featured 16 WAAPA graduates including Simon Gleeson as Jean Valjean who gave a fine performance in such a demanding role. His Bring Him Home was a highlight but there were so many here.

The orchestra was superb (Musical Director & Conductor, Geoffrey Castles) and the iconic score sounded wonderful in Her Majesty’s Theatre. The stage somehow didn’t seem as big as the Regent’s so this felt quite intimate even seven rows back. And yes, for the second night in a row a tall dude sat right in front of me [insert more expletives deleted]. 

The set was quite simple for the first third featuring mainly backdrops until the wings unfolded when we get to Paris and all sorts of trickery comes into play that was really quite impressive. There was extensive use of smoke and dry ice throughout to diffuse the light but also a lot of shadow and silhouette with characters entering from and receding into darkness that was visually compelling in key dramatic moments.

Unfortunately, a side effect of so much smoke was the amount of coughing from the audience that was vaguely preposterous and increasingly annoying in the quieter moments. The use of projections was inventive with a particularly memorable sequence recreating the sewers under Paris. I’m still trying to work out how they did Javert’s death which was utterly filmic in its execution.  

Hayden Tee was a worthy adversary as Javert with Kerrie Anne Greenland excellent as Eponine. Emily Langridge and Euan Dodge worked well together as Cosette and Marius while Lara Mulcahy and Trevor Ashley gave an hilarious comic performance as the Thenardier’s with Master of the House a highlight. The Ensemble was also terrific and this is a show where they get their own moments to shine such as Lovely Ladies and, of course, the work on the Barricades which was nicely designed and executed (pardon the pun). Patrice Tipoki gave a heart-wrenching performance as Fantine with, as ever, I Dreamed A Dream an early highlight. 

Special mentions to the young boy who played Gravoche who was amusingly cocky; and the young girl who gave a lovely rendition of Castle on a Cloud. All in all a rousing production that sounded superb vocally and musically.

(Excerpt from Three Musicals and a Blockbuster)

Three Musicals and a Blockbuster (21-23 August 2014)

There was a memorable photo a few weeks ago. The combined casts (in costume) and crews of the four big musicals playing in Melbourne at the time – Wicked, Les Miserables, The King and I, and The Rocky Horror Show – had gathered on the steps of State Parliament House to celebrate what was being coined the East End theatre district. It sowed the seed of an idea, one that came to fruition over the last few days.

I organised time off work, booked flights and a hotel in the heart of the city, and purchased tickets to three of those musicals, Rocky Horror having finished its run.  I decided if I was going to do this that I would get good tickets. I didn’t want to travel to the other side of the country to sit forty rows back. That proved a little expensive but so be it. The other key component of the trip was to see a football game at the famed MCG, a venue I had never been to. Fortuitously, a blockbuster was on the cards, Geelong versus Hawthorn. It was to be a lightning trip – three shows and a football game in three days.

First up was Wicked, a show that was all kinds of spectacular. The production was just around the corner in the lovely Regent Theatre in Collins Street. I had a third row seat that was deliciously close to the action, only spoiled somewhat by the six foot tall dude who sat in front of me [insert expletive deleted here]. This really was an impressive show. Lucy Durack was excellent as the comic foil, playing Glinda, and gave a really perky performance with a healthy dose of physical comedy. But it was Jemma Rix as Elphaba who was truly outstanding. Steve Danielson was an immensely likeable Fiyero, Anne Wood had a little Hunger Games going on as Madame Morrible, and Emily Cascarino quietly shone as Nessarose. The rest of the supporting cast, including the venerable Reg Livermore as The Wizard, were terrific.

The set was elaborately constructed and moved like clockwork, no surprise given that clock faces and gears were a recurring motif. The lighting was superb and this was a glorious production to look at. The Wizard’s “giant head” prop was something to be seen (and heard) but curiously the mechanical dragon that loomed above it all was used only in the Overture never to be revisited. The costuming was colourful and inventive, particularly the flying monkeys and the whole thing was slickly produced, sounded great, and was firing on all cylinders. I particularly liked how clever the writing was, incorporating familiar elements from The Wizard of Oz but shining them through the prism of a classic storytelling ‘what if?’ What if Glinda the Good and The Wicked Witch of the West had once been friends? Memo to George Lucas – THIS is how you do a prequel about a person’s descent to the dark side! 

Wicked has maybe the best end to an Act One ever, certainly that I’ve seen. The staging, lighting, singing and special effects work on Defying Gravity was outstanding and left the audience gasping in appreciation as they broke for Intermission. What a way to kick off my musicals junket!

Speaking of Act One closes, the next production has a pretty decent one as well! Yes, One Day More sung by the massed company from Les Miserables with the orchestra in top form is stirring and memorable. This was a monumental almost three hour show that featured 16 WAAPA graduates including Simon Gleeson as Jean Valjean who gave a fine performance in such a demanding role. His Bring Him Home was a highlight but there were so many here. The orchestra was superb (Musical Director & Conductor, Geoffrey Castles) and the iconic score sounded wonderful in Her Majesty’s Theatre. The stage somehow didn’t seem as big as the Regent’s so this felt quite intimate even seven rows back. And yes, for the second night in a row a tall dude sat right in front of me [insert more expletives deleted]. 

The set was quite simple for the first third featuring mainly backdrops until the wings unfolded when we get to Paris and all sorts of trickery comes into play that was really quite impressive. There was extensive use of smoke and dry ice throughout to diffuse the light but also a lot of shadow and silhouette with characters entering from and receding into darkness that was visually compelling in key dramatic moments. Unfortunately, a side effect of so much smoke was the amount of coughing from the audience that was vaguely preposterous and increasingly annoying in the quieter moments. The use of projections was inventive with a particularly memorable sequence recreating the sewers under Paris. I’m still trying to work out how they did Javert’s death which was utterly filmic in its execution.  

Hayden Tee was a worthy adversary as Javert with Kerrie Anne Greenland excellent as Eponine. Emily Langridge and Euan Dodge worked well together as Cosette and Marius while Lara Mulcahy and Trevor Ashley gave an hilarious comic performance as the Thenardier’s with Master of the House a highlight. The Ensemble was also terrific and this is a show where they get their own moments to shine such as Lovely Ladies and, of course, the work on the Barricades which was nicely designed and executed (pardon the pun). Patrice Tipoki gave a heart-wrenching performance as Fantine with, as ever, I Dreamed A Dream an early highlight. 

Special mentions to the young boy who played Gravoche who was amusingly cocky; and the young girl who gave a lovely rendition of Castle on a Cloud. All in all a rousing production that sounded superb vocally and musically.

The final production of the trip was the newly minted Helpmann Award winning Best Musical for 2014, The King and I. What immediately strikes you is this – Lisa McCune is a star. She gives a commanding performance (pun fully intended) and, I must say, looked stunning in an assortment of costumes befitting the period. McCune sings beautifully, shows a deft touch with the younger cast members, and had good chemistry with Lou Diamond Phillips especially in the more comic sequences. Phillips, while perhaps not that strong a vocalist, gives a charismatic performance and is clearly enjoying himself in the role of the King of Siam. He delighted the audience at final bows, hamming it up a little as the curtains closed. 

The costumes are sumptuous and there is an array of gorgeous drapes that provide backdrops throughout. The set itself is very simple especially when compared to the intricacies involved with Wicked and Les Miserables. I also found it a quite static production which is perhaps as much to do with its construction (it is, after all, 63 years old) rather than the staging – long dialogue passages with many of the set piece songs essentially a featured performer or duets only. It’s not until The Small House of Uncle Thomas in the Second Act that there’s real movement and, of course, Shall We Dance? that soon follows. 

The child cast are charming and each has a featured moment during the introduction to the King’s children. Adrian Li Donni (as Lun Tha) and Vivien Emsworth (who played Tuptim for this performance) had a couple of lovely duets as the illicit lovers in We Kiss In A Shadow and I Have Dreamed while Marty Rhone was suitable stern and officious as The Kralahome. The orchestra was strong and there are well-known tunes and standards here that were done very well with McCune at the forefront (I Whistle A Happy Tune, Getting To Know You, and Shall We Dance?). It was certainly interesting to compare the distinct stylistic differences with its more modern brethren and it’s perhaps appropriate that the show was staged in that grand old dame of a theatre, The Princess.

To round out the trip I changed gears and went to the jewel of the Australian sporting landscape where theatre of a very different kind is played. That place is the MCG and what a stadium it is! It truly is world class and even from the fourth level in the Olympic Stand the view was tremendous. It was a big game too – over 72,000 to see Hawthorn play Geelong in a blockbuster towards the end of the AFL home and away season. Only about 30,000 more people than I’ve ever seen at a football game before! I was sitting in a predominantly Geelong section though my friend is a mad Hawks supporter who found her voice in the second half after Hawthorn stormed back from a 5 goal deficit at half-time to win convincingly.

What did surprise me though was that the atmosphere wasn’t quite as electric as I’d hoped – maybe it’s because I was a neutral observer (my team was playing back in Perth) or the fact that the game itself was actually a little lacklustre. But as a sporting venue it is quite exceptional. I also liked the fact that we walked back into the city with a mass of people and it was all so good-natured on a lovely Saturday evening. In fact, I was lucky with the weather throughout this trip.

Finally, I was fortunate enough to talk with WAAPA graduate Ben Hall (ensemble, Marius understudy) after Les Miserables, and Tim Cunniffe (assistant Musical Director and keyboards) after The King and I who were both generous with their time providing interesting insights into their respective shows. It was inspiring to see so many WAAPA graduates in all three musicals, with headliners coming from the acclaimed academy – Lucy Durack (Wicked), Simon Gleeson (Les Miserables), and Lisa McCune (The King and I). 

As I prepare to watch the next round of WAAPA acting and musical theatre productions in the coming week it is a timely reminder of the sheer amount of talent being trained right in our own backyard to be the next generation of Australian theatre stars.

It proved to be a wonderful trip and an inspired decision to go.