Chicago - WAAPA (28 August 2017)

By scheduling a bona fide musical blockbuster in the last slot of 2017, WAAPA has eschewed the choice of lesser known productions over the last few years (The Beautiful Game, Carrie, Merrily We Roll Along). The results are surprisingly uneven.

Make no mistake, the songs and score are first rate and I was heartened to see a 15 piece orchestra under the baton of David King that played well. Special mention to the trumpet players Jack Sirett and either Matthew Smith or Benn Hodgkin.

The characterisation and staging though were very vaudevillian. This is not a slinky, sexy production by any means, more a heightened satirical romp that left me oddly disconnected from the material.

The opening number All That Jazz was strangely lifeless and Cell Block Tango suffered mightily with the over-exaggerated portrayal of the Merry Mistresses of Murderess' Row.

The show did settle into a strong sequence of scenes/numbers from A Little Bit of Good to We Both Reached For The Gun to Roxie and the second half was much more convincing particularly with the trial sequence.

Director Crispin Taylor and guest Choreographer Michael Ralph made Jenna Curran work her backside off as Velma Kelly in a physically demanding performance. Kelsi Boyden, an always expressive performer, impressed as Roxie and Laura Jackson also caught the eye as Mama Morton. I didn't quite get the pathos of Amos from Finn Alexander though, again, he was mainly played for laughs.

David Cuny was suitably slick as Billy Flynn but the choice of a boxing themed introduction to the character jarred. Tom Gustard stole the show with the Mary Sunshine number A Little Bit of Good. Nick Errol makes the most of his cameo as Fred Casely in great style.

A colourful confectionery that had its moments but needed a more hard-boiled edge to truly convince.

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

42nd Street - WAAPA (20 June 2017)

Forty specks of dust on a stage. 

Twenty graduating students; another twenty who will be in their place the exact same time next year.

Yes, when "you put all those specks of dust together... you have something alive and beautiful that can reach out to thousands of people..."

And so it proves in this spectacular mid-year production at the Regal Theatre.

There is perhaps nothing more exhilarating at the theatre than witnessing a mass tapdancing routine. I confess I'm sucker for it and here you don't get one, or two, or three, you get several tightly choreographed explosions of movement, colour and straight up, unabashed enthusiasm. It's a joy to watch. Plus this - you will rarely see that number of performers together on stage at the one time outside of this combined flexing of WAAPA's MT muscles.

"...who cares if there's a plot or not when they've got a lot of dames!"

Sure, the plot even with the 'play within a play' structure is hardly groundbreaking and follows a well trodden path. But who cares? Every set piece is exquisitely staged and performed so the skeleton on which it all hangs is, certainly for me, of secondary concern.

"...you're going out a youngster but you've got to come back a star!"

It's perhaps not so difficult to draw parallels in this statement between the fictional character Peggy Sawyer and the performer who plays her, Mackenzie Dunn. Dunn displays true triple threat talent - singing, dancing, and acting - and like Peggy is destined to have a big future. The other standout for me was Lucy Ross as the bitchy, aging star Dorothy Brock who will be usurped by Peggy. Ross sings exquisitely and is all swagger and attitude to burn.

Others to impress - Tom New as irrepressible Billy Lawlor; Joshua White as the demanding Julian Marsh; Laura Jackson as Maggie Jones; Kelsi Boyden who brings the charisma with her Ann Reilly; the sharp dancing of Luke Haberecht as Andy; and a lanky comic performance by Ben Colley as Bert.

But then everyone is excellent and the dancing is fabulous as is the orchestra.

When I left the theatre there were a couple of teenage girls tapping on the footpath. If I wasn't already smiling that just capped the evening off.

If you don't leave the Regal grinning from ear to ear after this show seek medical attention. Immediately. I'm serious. Go to nearest medical facility NOW.

Highly recommended though I expect tickets will be extremely difficult to get.

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

Heathers The Musical - WAAPA (20 March 2017)

WAAPA is at its most adventurous in recent years with the choice of production in the first slot of the graduating MT class. Heathers proves to be no exception. Based on the bitingly satirical 1988 cult movie that starred Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty, this captures the over-the-top tone perfectly while retaining the wry observations about teenage suicide, bullying, and depression with what was, at the time, almost a prescient foreshadowing of school massacres.

It's dark subject matter but the surface level presentation is infectious rock music with subversive lyrics; a riot of colour in staging, lighting, costuming, and rear screen projections; and exuberant choreography befitting the age of its characters. It's a fun show with energy and black humour to burn.

Monique Warren gives a star turn in the role made famous by Ryder. She sings superbly, looks fantastic, and I was impressed by her acting throughout. It is an eye-catching performance. Nick Errol is the square-jawed nemesis who nicely plays the arc from cool outsider to something far more deadly. His Our Love is God is a highlight.

Jenna Curran makes her mark as the Queen Biatch and ruling Heather until misfortune strikes. It's a delightfully venomous portrayal. The other two Heathers are played with swagger and style by Daisy Valerio who has a standout moment with the aching Lifeboat while Meg McKibbin assumes the red scrunchie of supreme bitchiness as the body count mounts.

Other highlights:

David Cuny's and Tom Gustard's hilarious Blue; Laura Jackson's beautiful solo Kindergarten Boyfriend; Cameron Steens' and Benjamin Colley's boisterous My Dead Gay Son; and Mackenzie Dunn cutting loose as Ms Fleming in Shine A Light.

As always, David King marshalls a fine orchestra in what is a cracking rock score and no less than Andrew Lewis himself directs this with great pace and playfulness.

A wildly entertaining start to this cohort's final year.

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

The Drowsy Chaperone - WAAPA (14 March 2016)

One of the highlights of the Perth theatrical calendar is undoubtedly WAAPA’s mid-year musical extravaganza at the Regal Theatre. Increasingly though I would argue that the first performance slot of a musical theatre graduating class is the one to watch with Hair (2014), Urinetown (2015) and now this stunning production of The Drowsy Chaperone in the Geoff Gibbs Theatre.

The show ticks all the boxes – gorgeous production values, a witty script, fabulous performances across the board, a fun score, and above all it is consistently laugh out loud funny. At a brisk 100 minutes with no interval it is utterly infectious and a complete triumph. It’s not hard to see why it won Best Original Score and Best Book at the 2006 Tony Awards and this class does that pedigree justice with a thoroughly entertaining outing.

The story itself is a parody of all the tropes of the musical comedy genre as a theatre lover listens to one of his favourite recordings, the fictional 1928 production of The Drowsy Chaperone. On a vinyl record no less! The show comes to life in his living room as the ‘Man in Chair’ (Ashley Roussety) forgets all about his troubles and provides witty and arch commentary about the performers, the plot, and reveals more than a little of his own back story.

The story itself swirls around the impending marriage of starlet Janet Van De Graaff (Stephanie Wall) and Robert Martin (Matthew Manahan) while a collection of characters as diverse as gastronomic gangsters, a desperate producer, a ditzy wannabe starlet, a Latin lothario, and, of course, an increasingly inebriated chaperone provide a variety of hilarious obstacles and hijinks. It catapults towards a happy ending... it is, after all, a musical... and is in the finest tradition of good old-fashioned Broadway entertainment.   

Roussety is superb as our narrator. The show starts in darkness as he expresses the fears of many an audience member – will the show be short, entertaining, and not have actors entering the stalls. His tone is conversational and I immediately relaxed into the opening number as he demonstrated excellent comic timing and warmth in addressing and responding to the audience. It’s a nicely judged performance as Roussety imbues the character with enthusiasm, passion, some snark sure but also tinged with an underlying sadness or being ‘blue’ as Man in Chair would put it. He totally grounds the production and makes the narrative device work so effectively that all the gags relating to the turntable and the vagaries of a stylus on vinyl... on vinyl... on vinyl... ahem, sorry... work a treat.

But excellent performances abound and it’s interesting that the story is constructed in such a way that there are several distinct comic pairings and every principal cast member gets a showpiece moment. Man in Chair effectively is the narrative device that links one great number after another.

The hostess for the wedding, Mrs Tottendale, is played by Melissa Russo as a somewhat dotty matriarch with an outlandishly odd accent to say the least. Her comic pair is the servant simply known as Underling who is given an amusing air of English fortitude and thinly veiled disapproval by Jens Radda. Russo and Radda work beautifully together with one of the highlights involving a glass of “iced water” that is gloriously funny in its silliness.

The producer Feldzieg (Andre Drysdale) and his potential new ingénue Kitty (Christina Odam) are irresistible as another comic pairing; the former being pressured to stop the wedding so he doesn’t lose his star; the latter exuberant in her claim to be a perfect replacement. Drysdale is in full on Groucho Marx mode as he chomps on the scenery like a not so cheap cigar while Odam impresses with an adorably ditzy characterisation of the not so bright but eager wannabe star. Both deploy exaggerated accents to good effect while Odam bounces around the set on the balls of her feet as if exploding with excitement at the prospect of being the next Janet Van De Graaff.    

Janet herself is given haughtiness and glamour by Stephanie Wall who looks stunning, sings beautifully, and sells the conceit that she is the world’s biggest and most desirable star. The song Show Off is a highlight as Wall proves adept at doing exactly that, showing off in a number of ways while feigning modesty. It’s the sort of set piece that brings all elements together – singing, choreography, direction, music, and sheer verve – to stunning effect.

That it comes immediately after another eye opening sequence – the tap dance routine of Cold Feets – by Manahan’s debonair groom and his fretting best man George (Mikey Halcrow) with a killer cameo by Radda – is testament to how wonderfully entertaining this all is.

Then there’s the drowsy chaperone herself, Stefanie Caccamo, who plays the role with such casual insouciance that her every appearance on stage is compelling. Displaying a powerful voice that she uses tellingly in her “rousing anthem” As We Stumble Along there is real swagger here and not only as the character becomes increasingly tipsy. Her comic pairing comes in the form of Jason Arrow’s amorous Aldolpho who is tasked by Feldzieg to stop the wedding by sleeping with the bride. Mistaken identities dot the story in the best Shakespearean comic tradition and Arrow laps up the over-exaggerated Latin lover stereotype with Freddy Mercury style strut and vocal dexterity.  

Samuel Welsh and Hayden Baum are the two gangsters who have their own shtick going on with bad culinary puns as they heavy Feldzieg to save Janet from wedding induced retirement. That they are pressed into service as Kitty’s backup dancers during Toledo Surprise is another comic highlight. I must also mention the ‘false start’ of the faux second act opener that is such a brilliantly pointed slap at Rodgers and Hammerstein that I was gasping at the audacity of it all.

Finally we have the deus ex machina literally swooping down from the clouds in Trix the Aviatrix (Embla Bishop) who saves the day as all the complications collide. It’s a stirring finale as Bishop leads the company in belting out I Do, I Do In The Sky with a surprising twist that involves more than the hand cranked propeller she wields on her bi-plane.

This show really is outstanding – the ensemble added vibrancy and colour; the choreography of different dance styles from the twenties is outstanding; it truly looks sumptuous with the period costuming, clever set design, and is the most startlingly lit show I’ve seen at the Geoff Gibbs Theatre; the orchestra under Musical Director David King was exemplary, and it is flat out funny. I can’t remember having a better time in a theatre in quite a while. 

Surprisingly there were a few vacant seats at the Monday evening show. I don’t expect that to last long as word of mouth already has this as one of the best shows at WAAPA in years. Sure, you can wait for the cast recording on vinyl (good luck!)... but I suggest you book yourself a ticket as this is a terrific way to start WAAPA’s 2016 performance programme.

Music and Lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison; Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar; directed with flair by Crispin Taylor; with choreography by Bernie Bernard and Musical Direction by David King, The Drowsy Chaperone is on at the Geoff Gibbs Theatre until 19 March.  

Legally Blonde The Musical - WAAPA (13 June 2015)

What a trajectory! From 2014’s unexpected gem Children of Eden in the confines of the black box Enright Studio to blowing the roof off the intimate Roundhouse Theatre earlier this year with the superlative Urinetown; this graduating class has moved into the spacious Regal Theatre nary missing a beat. They have done so with no small assistance from their second year colleagues and the many other departments that go into making a high energy spectacle such as Legally Blonde really fly. And oh my goodness, how it flies!

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.

The set is a dizzying array of trucks and movable components that facilitate such slick and seamless transitions as everything from the law school classroom to Elle’s apartment to ‘the scene of the crime’ are established with precision. As befitting the story and its colourful central character these sets are a glorious confection of bright colours and sleek design. This is enhanced by vibrant lighting and use of back screen projections that really make this a visual feast. Unfortunately there were some technical difficulties and we lost the projections in the second half. After a few moments, however, their absence was hardly noticed such was the infectious energy and sheer pizzazz happening on stage.

The costumes are a riot of colour and style with Kate Thomas as Elle Woods looking simply stunning in a collection of outfits that move from pink to ‘serious’ navy blue and back to pink again as the story progresses. As with any musical the orchestra is a critical component and I’ve witnessed many a show cruelled by a less than stellar effort. Here though, as I’ve come to expect from WAAPA productions, Musical Director/Conductor David King has an exceptional group of musicians at his disposal and they played beautifully. It’s a fun score and their contribution matched the energy and precision on stage. Even though I was sat right behind Mister King the sound balance was spot on and it’s always a pleasure watching the joy and concentration of the musicians up close.

To the performances and Kate Thomas not only looked the part in the lead role of Elle Woods, she was outstanding and received ecstatic applause from both the audience and genuinely appreciative cast mates at final bows. Displaying a lovely singing voice and good comic timing she was in the thick of everything in what is a demanding role. Thomas had great rapport with the rest of the cast but especially Joel Granger as her eventual love interest Emmett and Taryn Ryan as the hilarious hairdressing confidant, Paulette. Fittingly, there is a wonderful moment amongst all the craziness where she is alone on stage and sings the title song with great emotion until Granger joins her. It is a performance that will attract no small attention.

I must confess I didn’t even recognise Ryan until checking the programme at interval. She was fantastic as Paulette bringing a different kind of kooky energy to match Elle’s eccentricities. Her showpiece number Ireland was a highlight as was her ‘bend and snap’ and interaction with the scene stealing Chris Wilcox as Kyle who personified swagger to devastatingly funny effect. Mister Wilcox is perfecting the sly grin after this and his mischievous Officer Lockstock in Urinetown.  

Granger brings an underlying sweetness to Emmett which works well as a counterpoint to Callum Sandercock’s cockier Warner who dumps Elle at the start of the show for not being serious enough. Then there’s Matthew Hyde who is making a habit of being the go to authority figure out of this group having played no less than God in Children of Eden and the evil corporate head in Urinetown. Here he is the feared Professor Callahan but there is always a suaveness to his performances that makes his ‘villains’ somehow more compelling. His Blood in the Water is a case in point as another highlight.

But there are so many.

The show gets off to a brilliant start with Omigod You Guys and the female ensemble was in irresistible form setting the playful tone immediately. They are led by the ‘greek chorus’ of Tayla Jarrett, Heather Manley, and Jess Phillippi who bring attitude and sassiness as the voices in Elle’s head. The extended sequence of What You Want seals the deal as a high energy romp that sends us off to Harvard as the story kicks into gear. There, Matilda Moran plays Warner’s new girlfriend Vivienne with bitchy condescension but has a nice arc of her own as the girls eventually stick together and she becomes an unlikely ally.

Megan Kozak, unobtrusive earlier as Kate (headgear and glasses partially disguising her face), explodes into action after the interval as the fitness queen Brooke Wyndham who is accused of murder and whose trial is the key battleground of the second half. In a town where footballers are venerated for their athletic abilities, Kozak and the full ensemble demonstrate the peak physical condition and discipline required for a show like this in an astonishing Whipped Into Shape. The full-tilt choreography of the mass-coordinated skipping with Kozak still having to belt out a song is scary good. Indeed, the choreography by Lisa O’Dea is superb throughout and once again WAAPA demonstrates that they are training their students to be true triple threats in acting, singing and dancing.

Other highlights include the first half closer So Much Better, and the end of the show with Find My Way/Finale as well as the very funny Gay or European where Jacob Dibb and Daniel Ridolfi have a scene stealing moment. It would be remiss of me not to mention the canine stars Peanut and Winston who were crowd favourites even though Winston did a little improvising all on his own as Rufus!

This show really is why I love going to the theatre – high energy, infectiously joyous, and executed with such talent and style as to demand a smile on your face as you watch it. The buzz as the full house filed out was exceptional. I suspect you may find it difficult to snag a ticket as word of mouth will quickly ensure the show is sold out if it isn’t already but this is definitely recommended as a supremely fun night out at the theatre. 

Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin with a Book by Heather Hach, Legally Blonde The Musical is directed by Jason Langley with Musical Direction by David King and Choreography by Lisa O’Dea and stars WAAPA’s third and second year musical theatre students. It runs until 20 June at the Regal theatre in Subiaco.  

Tour of WAAPA - Friends of the Academy (5 May 2015)

The Friends of the Academy have been supporting WAAPA students for more than 30 years now, not only with fundraising activities but many other invaluable tasks such as assistance for interstate students getting acclimatised to their new surroundings. Financial grants are provided to supplement the travel and accommodation of final year students for work experience secondments. The Friends also contribute funds to the end of year Showcase tours for the graduating Musical Theatre and Acting students, so vital in securing agents in Sydney and Melbourne.

It’s always a pleasure to read the letters received from grateful students thanking the Friends for helping them achieve their goals. They are posted on the Friends Facebook page as are details of upcoming fundraising events. One of those events is regular tours of the WAAPA facilities. Having seen a little of the behind the scenes at the Mount Lawley campus during last year’s Open Day I arranged a day off work to tag along and see more…

What a fascinating day it turned out to be! We were greeted by the Secretary of the Friends, Tanya Tsirigotis who introduced us to our ‘tour guide’ for the first part of the day, Peter Cowan. Peter has a wealth of knowledge having worked at WAAPA for some three decades. He was full of wonderful stories about personalities and events as we made our way through areas the general public normally wouldn’t see.

First stop was the Geoff Gibbs Theatre where we heard about its history and development from the early days to its current configuration. This is probably the only time I will ever be on the main stage though thankfully no singing, acting or dancing was required on my part! Peeking behind the curtain to see the fly tower and other technical aspects was intriguing. 

Then it was off to the workshop where the set for Legally Blonde is being built for the Regal Theatre; followed by the props rooms full of all kinds of funky items; lighting with old analogue desks; costuming where again we saw a sneak peek of the designs for Legally Blonde; and other departments like sound. It’s a warren of corridors and rooms where students are encouraged to learn from their mistakes and create.

We sat in The Roundhouse Theatre which is perhaps my favourite venue to which Peter explained why it is so notoriously difficult to light and get the sound right for. It was kind of eerie seeing the set for the current production, All My Sons, devoid of actors, almost as if slumbering. Next was the Enright Studio which is currently configured for Much Ado About Nothing. We had seen the miniature mock-up of the set upstairs and what strikes you is how much work, skill and effort occurs in so many different departments well before an audience enjoys the production.

One of the actors, Lachlan Ruffy, poked his head in to say hello and talk briefly about the pleasure of working with the director Sean O’Shea, himself a WAAPA graduate. It’s one of the themes of the day – that sense of family and how the graduates give back to the Academy, most notably Hugh Jackman with his Foundation but many others as guest directors or in other capacities in the industry.

After a break for morning tea it was off to the Music Auditorium where a combination of 2^nd and 3^rd year musical theatre students, nine in total, were doing a “mock audition” for a production of Cats. There was a panel comprising the Head of Musical Theatre, David King; and the director and choreographer of Legally Blonde, Jason Langley and Lisa O’Dea respectively. Another choreographer impressively took the nine through their paces as dancing ability is a key component for a musical like Cats. 

Watching her build a sequence from scratch in blocks and explain in detail the body movements and positioning was fascinating. The students asked for clarification where necessary and it all felt very supportive while, I might add, not only the tour but a host of other students watched. Then it was time for the singing component of which we heard five students before we had to unfortunately move on. The idea was to simulate as closely as possible a real audition situation and notes and feedback were given afterwards but only for the students.

Next up was a movement class for the Aboriginal theatre students who were being taught by an effusive teacher again in a very supportive environment. This time the exercise was to undergo a birth as a creature of some description. Afterwards the students took questions and answered with passion and enthusiasm about acting and how such exercises help them enhance their craft as they develop characters and workshop scenes. I’m looking forward to seeing their showpiece production towards the end of the year.

The Director of WAAPA, Professor Julie Warn, then spoke to us in the courtyard and took questions and I was unaware that the Academy has as many as 1200 students. Clearly proud of WAAPA’s achievements, students past and present, and the upcoming international musical theatre conference and other events, it was nice to chat for a while. 

After lunch in the student cafeteria the day wrapped up with a Classical Tuesdays concert by the Symphonic Wind Ensemble back in the Music Auditorium. Conducted by Musical Director Dale Pointon it was an eclectic mix of 5 pieces, one inspired by the US Marine band; another - Sergei Prokofiev’s March Op. 99 - by May Day. A musically balanced view of US-Soviet relations back in the day!

It was a very enjoyable day and I would encourage firstly anyone interested in theatre and supporting WAAPA to join the Friends of the Academy and secondly, on doing so, to sign up for a tour. The creativity and energy in the hallways and in these workshops is inspiring and it is always a pleasure to talk to the students. 

Thank you to Tanya, Peter, and all the other Friends who provided the morning tea and also to the students and staff who allowed us a moment to share in your wonderfully creative and artistic world. The hard work, talent, and dedication are truly a delight to witness. 

Urinetown - WAAPA (16 March 2015)

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.

The tone is immediately set with a self-aware and satirical narration by Officer Lockstock (Chris Wilcox) that tells you this ain’t going to be your standard musical, my friends. Wilcox gleefully debunks and mocks the usual expectations of a musical throughout as he directly addresses the audience. He foreshadows plot points, what to expect in the 2^nd act, and updates us after intermission amongst other mischief. Most of all he tells us this isn’t one of those happy musicals which is reflected in a subversive ending.

The opening number Too Much Exposition by Lockstock and the Company had me chortling away happily. We quickly learn that this is a world where you have to pay to pee and control of public urinals is strictly maintained by representatives of Urine Good Company or UGC. Most notably urinal number 9 is the province of Penelope Pennywise (Megan Kozak) and if you can’t cough up the pennies you can’t pee.

If there’s such a thing as a show stopping number in only the third song of the evening then Kozak delivers it with a stunning It’s a Privilege to Pee. With a powerhouse voice and attitude to burn as the hardened warden this is an early highlight. The show starts with a bang and quickly had me in its pocket for the crazy ride.

Of course, with such a repressive regime one needs a budding young hero. Enter Bobby Strong (Jacob Dibb) who is motivated to act after his father Old Man Strong (Morgan Palmer) is shipped off to Urinetown for peeing in public. Dibb plays the earnest hero who is told to follow his heart (warning, obligatory love interest coming up) which leads to outright rebellion, with a straightforwardness that grounds the craziness around him. He also sports a fabulous voice with Look at the Sky and Run, Freedom, Run! among others utilising it to good effect. His duet with Rosabelle Elliott Follow Your Heart was a highlight and it’s a little unfortunate there was no break in the action to allow for applause at its conclusion.

The love interest is Hope Cladwell (Elliott) who just happens to be the daughter of the architect of this draconian social and political hierarchy, Caldwell B Cladwell (Matthew Hyde). Bobby doesn’t know this at first though and their relationship goes through several, shall we say, captive moments. Elliott nicely plays the arc from bubbly innocent that can fax (and copy) to something far more formidable in the second half before suffering an unfortunate coda in the finale. Yes, it really isn’t one of those types of happy ending musicals!

Hyde gets to play the ‘evil’ head of UGC but the character has a strong rationale for his actions which allows for some texture even when he’s selling his daughter down the (metaphorical) river. Taryn Ryan gives good support as the canny street kid Little Sally who acts as a counterpoint to Lockstock’s observations as a faux second narrator of sorts. The rest of the cast play either ‘the poor’ of Bobby’s revolution or representatives of the ruling hierarchy. I liked that the beginning of the second act allowed for the ensemble to be featured with Jess Phillippi as the pregnant Little Becky Two Shoes and Daniel Ridolfi, her partner Hot Blades Harry in particular having strong moments.

Having said that the cast are uniformly excellent from the Poor’s Josephine Strong (Baylie Carson) to Kate Thomas’ Soupy Sue who has quite the amusing challenge for one of the occupants of the front row (of which no more shall be typed); to Lockstock’s sidekick Officer Barrel (Callum Sandercock) and the smarmy politician Senator Fipp (Harry Prouse). That’s because while the singing is very good indeed the choreography is simply outstanding. There is so much kinetic energy in the numbers and it is performed with such foot stomping ferocity, at times only a metre or so away if you’re in the first row. The performers were regularly in your face often imploring you for a coin or scowling as matters turned darker. At one point when Dibb offered me his hand I wasn’t sure if I was about to be hauled on stage (thankfully not!). That immediacy and intimacy was compelling.

Above all else this is very, very funny with a subversive tone that I found wonderfully appealing. The songs are great with many moments where I wanted to clap along or start bopping away. The orchestra under David King’s direction was excellent and discreetly tucked away behind the centrepiece of the grimy public urinals atop which were the UGC offices. Yes, ‘symbolism!’ All elements of performance, vocal quality, musicianship, costuming, stage, and lighting were top notch. The only slight detraction was a few technical problems with microphone pickups but, to be honest, I was so engrossed in this that it hardly mattered.

If this class announced themselves last year with Children of Eden then they just added a huge punctuation mark with Urinetown. 

A must see show with Music by Mark Hollmann, a Book by Greg Kotis with both writing the lyrics; Directed in fine style by James Millar, with David King as Musical Director and Bernie Bernard as Choreographer. It features the 3^rd year musical theatre class of Jacob Dibb, Rosabelle Elliott, Chris Wilcox, Taryn Ryan, Callum Sandercock, Megan Kozak, Matthew Hyde, Harry Prouse, Heather Manley, Alex Thompson, Jess Phillippi, Daniel Ridolfi, Matilda Moran, Baylie Carson, Morgan Palmer, Kate Thomas, Joe Meldrum, Joel Granger and Tayla Jarrett. It runs until Saturday 21 March at The Roundhouse Theatre. Go see it!