Pinocchio: A Traditional Christmas Pantomime - Zealous Productions (13 December 2024)

Silliness is hard work. And make no mistake, Pinocchio is gloriously silly in all the right ways. This level of silliness also takes an inordinate amount of talent, on and off the stage. I rarely mention producers in my reviews, however, Dixie Farinosi continues to make such smart decisions as she builds a distinctive brand that embraces excellence and sheer entertainment value.

First and foremost, the array of talent onstage is exceptional. It would be easy to dismiss this as “just a panto” but when you have luminaries in Brendan Hanson, Elethea Sartorelli, Lauchlan Edward Bain, and Vincent Hooper treading the boards with exciting new talent such as Emily Lambert and two recent - as in last month - WAAPA graduates in Ellen Ebbs (playing the titular role) and Ben Goldsbrough, you're showcasing the quality and depth of talent in Perth. Farinosi herself even manages to find time to play a character on the boo-hiss side of the ledger. Throw in a Dame played with considerable panache by Matt Dyktynski and an ensemble full of lead performers in their own right and you have a killer lineup. 

The names in the creative team are equally impressive with most having worked with Zealous Productions before. You sense this is a tight-knit group at the top of their game, all working towards a common goal with expertise and passion. We'll come to the individuals later; suffice to say that the show looks and sounds fantastic.

Now, there's no doubt there is a recognisable formula at work with these big pantomimes. The call and response; the establishment of an item - a string of sausages here - that the audience must guard with vocal admonishment of any who dare approach; the aforementioned Dame who will invariably single out someone from the audience for special attention (you lucky boy, Chris!); the machine gun delivery of bad puns; local references designed to provoke a parochial response; clearly defined "goodies" to cheer and "baddies" to boo; with a track list of recognisable classics that the audience can sing and dance along to. 

What strikes me on opening night though is that the wildcard that makes the formula work so effectively is the audience itself. Especially one full of young children who are so honest and uncensored with their reactions. The unfettered energy the audience emits is embraced by such a talented cast and there is a strange alchemy that comes into play that's a delight to watch and be a part of. 

The story itself has been transposed to 1970s Fremantle with our own "pleasure island", Rottnest, featuring in the second act. All the familiar elements are there - the kindly Geppetto; his puppet creation who wants to be a real boy; the Blue Fairy who partially grants Pinocchio his wish; the boy who leads Pinocchio astray in Lampwick; and, of course, everyone's favourite conscience in insect form, Jiminy Cricket. Oh, and a whale.

Everything is bright and bold starting with Katie Williams' costume design which has fun with a peak disco vibe for the ensemble; plenty of seventies flourishes especially for Lampwick; the Italian themed drag outfit for the Dame, Mamma Mia; and the fantastical elements that bring the more fanciful characters to life. One of those is Emily Lambert who looks divine as the Blue Fairy (cheer!) and kicks us off in style with a commanding presence and beautiful singing voice. Aiding the distinctive character stylings are an impressive set of wigs by Manuao TeAtonga and there's a lot of hat work going on including a cunning disguise that would fool even Clark Kent. 

The lighting design (Matthew Erren) is bold and vibrant to enhance the essential fairy tale nature of proceedings with terrific projections throughout to establish the various locations. Shenae White's choreography is playful with its own disco inspired energy while also faithfully recreating the classics in numbers such as The Time Warp and YMCA. 

While closing song Blame It On The Boogie may encapsulate the seventies theme; it's the music of Queen that buttresses some major plot points - A Kind Of Magic for Pinocchio's transformation with Another One Bites The Dust being the signature tune for our leading villain (boo!) Stromboli played with strutting insouciance by Lauchlan Edward Bain who revels in the audience's mock disdain. Bain has a powerhouse voice and a sneering presence that is electrifying. 

Stromboli's accomplices are a stylish Dixie Farinosi as Signora Volpe (boo!) and Vincent Hooper's Signore Gatto (hiss!) who looks and behaves like a reject from a Cats casting call... and I'm talking the movie here, not the musical. It's a wonderfully over-the-top, cat-astrophe of a performance. Oh look, I can do bad puns too! Oh no you can't! Oh yes I -- sorry. Where were we?

On the positive side of the ledger, Elethea Sartorelli (yay!) is an absolute delight as she prances around the stage as Jiminy Cricket. Sartorelli's onstage charisma is always a formidable asset but it's that glorious voice when she belts out Jiminy's theme song New York, New York that seals the deal. Brendan Hanson as Gepetto (nawww!) felt a tad under-utilised in the first act but seeing he's also the director he only has himself to blame! However, he too has such a warm stage presence that when Geppetto's big moment comes he has a whale of a time (okay, I'll stop now) as he builds into a show stopping moment with All By Myself. Matt Dyktynski thrives as the requisite Dame and has no fear of being the butt of the joke while dishing out plenty of sass himself.  

Which brings us to Ellen Ebbs as Pinocchio (cheers!) and Ben Goldsbrough as Lampwick (more cheers!). Both have had a stellar year in a stellar graduating class at WAAPA. Goldsbrough is terrific as the comic foil quickly winning audience empathy with his deliberately bad puns and dubious pizza making skills. It's such an assured performance for his first professional gig. That's before we get to his singing which is divine and probably caught most unawares given the heavy lifting he was doing with so much broadly accented schtick.  

Ellen Ebbs has more than a touch of star quality. She lends her Pinocchio a fundamental sense of decency with the character being easily led astray because of it. Ebbs has a magnificent singing voice and, if anything, the production didn't make enough of that talent. I was waiting for her to cut loose on a big number, however, the tap sequence leading into a very slick Bye Bye Bye is when you could feel the production change gears and showcase Ebbs' undeniable ability. I was also delighted when the cast cleared out leaving Ebbs and Goldsbrough onstage together to lead the traditional Christmas song. It was a lovely touch. 

Other highlights: Tate Bennett wandering out, guitar in hand, to sing the Gilligan's Island theme song was so oddly bizarre that I couldn't stop laughing. The flubs - and there were a few - from corpsing to a hilariously slow pickup on a spotlight to a performer stepping on a cue and literally resetting a scene - simply added to the fun because there was so much goodwill between company and audience.

Musical director Joshua James Webb leads the regular band of Alex Barker (Drums), Tommi Flamenco (Bass guitar) and Jarrad Van Dort (Lead Guitar) and when you're referencing Queen there are some tasty guitar licks indeed. I mean, the depth on the bench is so ridiculously good that Jackson Harper Griggs and Allen Blachford are named as Associate MD and Associate Director!

This is another hit for Zealous Productions. It's enormous fun fuelled by enormous talent and hard work. The kids will love it and there is more than enough broad humour and innuendo to keep the adults grinning. Plus, who doesn't like to shout at actors and have a little boogie in their seat? 

Pinocchio is on at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco all the way up until Christmas Eve. 

Sleeping Beauty - Zealous Productions (20 December 2023)

On the drive home after a fun night at the theatre my mind wanders to two topics. One is how savvy Zealous Productions and Founder/Creative Director Dixie Johnstone are when it comes to staging these big, end-of-year pantomimes; the other is the wonderful impact they have on their audience. The two go hand in hand and there's no doubt that the Christmastime panto is making a mark on the Perth theatrical scene. Let's start with the savvy...

First and foremost they feature top line talent both onstage and off. Yes, the shows may be silly in nature but the creative skill involved is formidable. Then there's the commitment to local talent but also nurturing the next generation of stars with a willingness to cast performers who've only graduated from WAAPA mere weeks ago in key roles. In this case, Cameron Taylor who plays Prince Frederick the First of Fremantle... son of King Kevin the Kourageous of Kwinana, obviously. 

Stage the shows at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco, a big venue that will attract big crowds as the quality of the production makes itself apparent with the right content at the right time of year. Ratchet everything up to eleven from the choreography (Allen Blachford) to the lighting (Richard Timms), the costuming (Katie Elizabeth Williams) and wigs & makeup (Manuao Teatonga), the choice of musical numbers, the eagerness to embrace the silliness and engage an audience of all ages, and, perhaps most notably, have fun doing it. In all this Sleeping Beauty is a major success. 

The roster of talent is undeniable and there's clearly a core group of trusted creatives and performers the company keep returning to. For good reason. They're bloody good at what they do. Brendan Hanson who played one of the 'ugly step-sisters' in Cinderella two years ago is back as director this time. He knows the rhythms and key beats of any good pantomime and plays up to those elements with aplomb. The call and response is set up early. The positioning of key items on stage and their significance is made clear. The good and evil of it all is established with clarity. Hanson also sets up the eighties vibe from the get go with a Cyndi Lauper classic that acts almost as a mission statement for the show. Girls, goblins, princes, fairies, evil sidekicks, and Cameron from the front row all just wanna have fun.  

Musical Director and Arranger Joshua James Webb runs with the retro theme to deliver the perfect mix tape of well-known songs tailor made for the vocal talent he has on hand. And, oh my goodness, what voices they are, crisply presented with sound design by Michael Fletcher. Amongst all the zaniness there comes a time when a gem emerges and here it's A Thousand Years by Christina Perri that is beautifully sung by Taylor and Joshua Firman. But such interludes of quiet introspection are rare because there are aisles to be danced in and wands to be waved to a diet of classics such as You Can't Hurry Love, The Loco-motion, a wonderful mashup of Aretha Franklin's Think and Respect by the duelling fairies Fairy Nuff (Maree Cole) and Carabosse (Elethea Sartorelli), Time Warp, Holding Out For A Hero, and many more before we end with a Wham classic (don't worry Whamageddon devotees, you're safe) and a Christmas staple. My favourite was the arrangement of I Put A Spell On You, a song perhaps made most famous by Nina Simone, that Sartorelli makes her own in the most delightful of character driven ways.

There is an embarrassment of riches with the whole cast - Amy Fortnum looks and sounds divine as Princess Beauty and has a wonderful sequence with Firman during a quintessential 80s movie song. Maree Cole establishes and maintains the fun tone immediately with her good fairy. Sartorelli is glorious as the evil fairy who reminded me of Frau Blucher from Young Frankenstein... if Blucher held a twenty one year old grudge and owned a schpinning veel. Firman is a crowd favourite as the loyal court jester who mysteriously turns into John Howard a hundred years hence before regaining his vim. Timothy How revels in one of pantomime's great traditions playing Queen Doreen with imperious scorn, never more so than when puns fall flat which is bound to happen when they're being fired off with machinegun regularity. Taylor prances around as any brave prince should while Tate Bennett slinks in evildom as Lurgy. They're supported by an excellent ensemble that enhance the energy and crowd interaction. Props too for ZP's regular band of Webb, Jarrad Van Dort, Tommi Flamenco & Alex Barker. 

As for the second part, the impact? This is where a little magic happened. I ended up talking to a lovely woman from a remote country town in South Australia who had brought along her young daughter to see the show. They were in Perth for a fortnight and had never been to a theatre production before. To watch her daughter dancing in the aisle, waving a fairy wand (purchased at interval), and to see the beaming smile on her face was absolutely priceless. She wanted to meet the cast and outside I saw her having a picture taken with Sartorelli and Cole, still in character, in another smart move by the company. There was a long queue down Rokeby Road of children with their parents waiting to do the same. What a gift for that young girl and what memories she might always retain. That is why shows like this are so vital and alive. I hope you remember it for a long time, Letty!

Sleeping Beauty runs right up until Christmas Eve with 1pm and 6pm shows each day. 

A Chorus Line - Drew Anthony Creative (4 August 2023)

The key element to the theatregoing experience for me is how a show makes you feel. Does it move you, make you laugh or cry or both. Maybe it's thought provoking or confronting. Oftentimes it could simply be entertaining in a toe tapping, sit back and relax kind of way. How we respond to a production also depends on what we bring to the table. Our mood, our life experiences, whatever happens to be rattling around in our brain at the time. Then there's that ingredient that I always crave in a live performance of any kind - that moment of magic you weren't expecting and didn't see coming that plasters a grin all over your face.

I say all this because opening night of A Chorus Line made me feel so damn comfortable. Not because the seats at the Theatre Royale are so comfy (they are) or that the venue is ideal for an intimate viewing experience (it is) but because I immediately knew that I was in good hands. Trying to put it into words in the lobby after the show I equated it to sitting at home watching a prestige television series where you simply know that everything is going to be first rate and reward your attention. It was and it did. Then there's this - there's not one but TWO moments of magic that had me tingling with joy in a way only theatre can make you feel. More on that later.

It's easy to see why A Chorus Line was the longest running show on Broadway until toppled by a bunch of spandex clad felines getting all jellicle about, um, jellicle things. It's a brilliantly written and constructed piece of theatre that won a truckload of Tony Awards and a rare Pulitzer Prize. It's also, surprisingly and delightfully, a fully blown character study... of some 17 characters! Those characters are dancers auditioning for a director to be in, you guessed it, the chorus of an upcoming Broadway production. 

This adds a whole other 'behind-the-scenes' layer that theatre lovers will recognise and appreciate. I felt like I just happened to be in that 'room' sitting in on the auditions. I'll admit, especially in the latter stages, that discussions in song and dialogue about being an artist, needing a gig, handling rejection, worrying about what happens next all hit hard based on my own recent and ongoing experiences as a screenwriter. There's a truth here will resonate with anyone undertaking a creative endeavour. It's a potent cocktail.

The show starts before you really kind of realise it as performers slowly make their way to the stage and do warmups. The thing that immediately struck me was the camaraderie on display. Then G Madison IV makes his entrance as the director Zach with a commanding voice that had a lady sitting near me exclaim "Oh!" and sit bolt upright. That voice and his physical presence are immediately captivating. I believe he is the demanding director who will brook no argument and I witness the cast believe it too. Madison spends a large portion of the show behind us in the top deck of the theatre somewhere so the power of his voice is critical to hold us and the cast in thrall.   

It's here that I should mention the sound design and quality. It is impeccable. Every lyric, every line of dialogue is crisp and easily discerned. The balance with the backing music is spot on; both vocals and score in perfect harmony. Kudos to Jordan Gibbs (Audio Design/Operator), Josh Mills (Audio Operator) and Music Supervisor Joe Louis Robinson. 

We quickly get to the character study of it all as the director asks each character to tell him/us something about themselves. The creative way this is handled in the writing, the staging by actual director Drew Anthony, in costuming choices (Dani Paxton), and by the performers is quite glorious. Based on real life interviews with performers as the show was being conceived there is, again, a ring of authenticity about these tales, from childhood memories to adult musings. They're funny, shocking, tragic, poignant, and in many ways, totally relatable. This is enhanced by how they're delivered - in song, in dance, in dialogue, or a mix of all three. Each character is sharply drawn and delineated and we get to know them quickly which is no mean feat in such a big cast. 

Highlights, in a show full of them, include Ethan Churchill dancing up a storm as his Mike describes how he first became involved with dance (I Can Do That); the trio of Elethea Sartorelli (Sheila), Emma Haines (Maggie), and Ciara Taylor (Bebe) giving a powerful vocal rendition of At The Ballet; Rosemary Spelman (Kristine) and Jamie Papanicolaou (Al) showcasing exquisite timing in the very clever Sing!; Will Basson (Mark) bringing the funny with Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love; and Lucy Goodrick, all swagger and attitude as her Val recounts a transformation from afterthought to success with a not so little enhancement in Dance: Ten; Looks: Three.

The show then does something really interesting as it narrows its focus to the major dramatic conflict of the piece between Zach and Cassie (Morgan Cowling) who attempt to work through their differences before Cowling launches into dance and song with another highlight, The Music and The Mirror. The acting is impressive by both, indeed this is a true triple threat show. The singing is excellent across the board (Glenn Hogue, Vocal Director) and the dance numbers are nicely calibrated from the 'learning' phase to rehearsing to full blown, slick production number at the finale. There's everything from tap to classic Broadway chutzpah, hats and all, which is always fun to watch with a massed cast onstage. Terrific work by Choreographer Jessica Ashton and Assistant Elysha Atwell. 

Which gets us to our first piece of magic. The audacity to stop and deliver a long, affecting monologue by youngster Zak Bresland as Paul. Earlier I had silently wished the spot operator would shine a little light my way so I could check the program to work out who was playing Paul after I thought to myself "Who the hell is that!" after an impressive piece of singing. He may be too young, ideally, to be playing the role but he nails a harrowing tale that slowly builds to an emotional outburst and holds the stage, alone, for several minutes. That's no small feat. I also liked the softening of Zach's character in response and at a later incident regarding Paul.    

The second piece of magic is kicked off by Sophie Psaila-Savona whose feisty Diana tackles perhaps the most well-known song from A Chorus Line, What I Did For Love. It's what happens next that I didn't expect (and won't spoil here) that is one of the reasons I love going to the theatre. When I twigged to how Anthony was staging this showpiece number I literally did grin from ear to ear. A fitting high point for the production and all involved. All that's left is to bring out the glitz and glamour as the cast take their bows to the reprise of that other famous number, One.  

The set design is simple - bare stage and a projected back screen to denote the space - which keeps the focus, rightfully, on the performers. Lighting Design by Luke Scatchard highlights the ensemble and picks out individuals as appropriate before dazzling with the finale. 

There are so many small details that I loved - the "non-hat work" of Allen Blachford (Bobby), himself an award winning choreographer; his by-play with Sartorelli which is imbued with a history of many performances together; the subtle digs and blocking between characters as unstated rivalries play out; and so on. It is a true ensemble piece so mention must be given to the work of Jamie Rolton (Don), Greg Jarema (Greg), Lana Freeman (Judy), and Gemma Hanh (Connie) who added so much texture and life to their characters. 

This production has no interval which apparently surprised some but it flew by for me. I was in my comfort zone and they had me from the get go. A Chorus Line is on until 20 August at the Royale Theatre in Northbridge and is recommended for anyone who loves brilliantly written, staged and performed theatre.  

Cinderella: A Traditional Christmas Pantomime - Zealous Productions (22 December 2021)

If the success of a pantomime can be measured by the level of audience interaction then Dixie Johnstone’s Zealous Productions has a hit on its hands. The large number of children at today’s matinee were wildly enthusiastic and fully engaged throughout the entire opening show. No small feat for a production that runs some two hours. Many of the shouted remarks were funny in the way only kids can make them. My favourite was the boy who kept referring to Cinderella’s friend Buttons (Tate Bennett) as “Button Boy”.

This level of participation in all the traditional hallmarks of a panto is set up and encouraged by a wonderfully talented cast that is having a whale of a time. The youngsters catch on to the call and response nature of the show almost immediately. They heartily booed the Baroness (Penny Shaw), squealed in warning as instructed whenever anyone went near Buttons’ gift-wrapped present, and were delighted by the exemplary wand waving antics of the Fairy Godmother (Elethea Sartorelli) who conjures up the magic to make dreams come true. I’m not sure what they made of the ugly step-sisters Danni (Brendan Hanson) and Fanny (John O’Hara) who supplied more of the sly adult asides to keep the grown-ups chuckling. But I do know they were enchanted by Amber Scates who is thoroughly likeable as the put-upon Cinderella before transforming into the beautiful ‘Princess Starlight’ as she attends the prince’s ball. There she meets Prince Charming himself, played with winning, well, charm by a dashing Ethan Jones.

Lachlan Obst plays Dandini, the prince’s manservant, with alliterative dexterity while Robert Hofmann adds a little Ol Blue Eyes himself as the henpecked Baron. Then there’s the ensemble of Bri Caracciolo, Georgina Charteris, Tory Kendrick, and Phoebe Tempra who revel in Allen Blachford’s choreography and add vocal punch to the bigger numbers.

Sartorelli and Bennett drive the plot machinations and set the tone from the very beginning. Bennett is so affable that he instantly has the audience in the palm of his hand. It’s a winning turn and I was happy to see him (and Tory Kendrick) outside taking photos with starstruck children immediately after the show finished. I understand there will be a rotating roster of performers doing this after each show which is a real treat for the youngsters. Sartorelli is joyous as the Fairy Godmother and irresistible when the wand becomes a faux microphone as she belts out One Night Only as the first act closer, a memorable highlight.

The other major highlight comes in the second act and reminded me why I love theatre. For all the broad humour, witty puns, panto antics, and pretend magic, when Jones and Scates duet on Rewrite the Stars it is actually magical in a way you only get onstage. Beautifully sung and heartfelt with a gorgeous backdrop, both performers look amazing in costumes by Brooklyn Rowcroft and sound divine.

The show itself looks great – from the costuming to clever lighting (Brad Voss) and set design (John Johnstone) – with real treats such as Cinderella’s ball gown, the pumpkin inspired carriage and its horses, and midnight looming over every moment with a large clock backdrop. The makeup (Manuao TeAotonga) and wigs (Pip) are bold and delightfully garish in the case of Danni and Fanny. It took me a full ten minutes to recognise Hanson and I only discovered it was O’Hara as Fanny whilst consulting the digital program at the interval! I love that and the two of them gleefully chewed more scenery than all of the Jaws films combined.  

There is a mixture of live band (Tommi Flamenco, Alex Barker & Jarrad Van Dort) and recorded tracks under Musical Director Joshua Webb with well-known songs from Madonna, Beyonce, Sinatra and Kool and the Gang amongst others. Director Peter Cumins keeps proceedings moving briskly though he allows plenty of room for such a talented cast to play to the audience and improvise where necessary.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the surprise cameo of ‘John from Subiaco’ who caught the eye of Danni from the second row. He played it pretty cool but I believe stardom could be just around the corner.

Sure, not all the puns and jokes land and there is a scattershot approach to various Perth references shoehorned into the script but this is a fun production that the children adored. With the breadth of talent on display it’s also well worthwhile for us bigger kids. A strong recommend for a family friendly outing during the holiday season.

Now playing at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco at 1pm and 6pm 23-24 & 28-29 December.

Chicago - Koorliny Arts Centre (18 February 2017)

It's fair to say Kander & Ebb's classic is one of my favourite musicals - great songs, great music, sexy, slinky and sassy with that other musical theatre giant Bob Fosse adding his unmistakable stamp.

It's a pleasure to report then that today's sold out matinee was a real treat and a fine start to Koorliny's community theatre season.

Now, despite, ahem, entreatments to get me back in the reviewing game, let me instead nominate some of my many highlights...

The orchestra added the sass and swagger and I was particularly impressed with elements you don't usually hear such as banjo and accordion. Props to Emily Gelineau on violin and a cracking brass section.

Elethea Sartorelli was excellent as Velma Kelly with two standout sequences in I Can't Do It Alone and When Velma Takes The Stand.

Helen Kerr came into her own vocally with My Own Best Friend and was the linchpin in several memorable sequences, particularly We Both Reached For The Gun and Me and My Baby.

Jon Lambert was a most sympathetic Amos giving the character's signature song Mister Cellophane impressive pathos.

David Wallace made for a slick and laid-back Billy Flynn with Razzle Dazzle another well staged sequence courtesy of choreographer Allen Blachford's work which was exemplary throughout.

Callan Kneale threatened to steal the show as Mary Sunshine and both Tate Bennett and Ruth Bennett caught the eye in various roles.

Finally, a highlight for followers of community theatre - Sartorelli and Rachel Monamy (a ballsy Mama Morton) - both recent Finley Award winners, sang the hell out of the duet Class.

Funny, sexy, with a roster of great songs the few remaining seats for next weekend will not last long.

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Fresh Bred Productions (31 October 2015)

What a way to spend Halloween night – attending a production dripped in revenge and obsession where a “demon barber” slits the throat of unsuspecting customers who end up being the filler for meat pies! Of course, this gruesome tale is blessed by the sublime music and lyrical dexterity of Stephen Sondheim with a dark-hued book by Hugh Wheeler.  

My first impressions as I wandered into the venue were, “what a spectacular theatre!” quickly followed by “what a cast!” as I looked through the programme. Indeed, St. Hilda’s Joy Shepherd Performing Arts Centre is a wonderfully appointed 940 seat theatre with all the mod cons – large performance space, orchestra pit, immaculate seating, all the high-tech gadgets, and beautiful lobby and facilities. It was impressive in every way.

As is the cast director Craig Griffen has assembled. I was immediately encouraged on seeing Ian Cross’s name - the standout in a recent production of Oklahoma! - in the lead role. His Jud from that musical was also a dark, tormented character whom he played with great intensity and menace. He excels here with another tightly coiled turn as the eponymous character showcasing a powerful voice and bringing a fierce energy and gruffness to the role. This is occasionally leavened by a softer approach in regard to Todd’s daughter, Johanna (Madeline Crofts), and a vein of jet black humour with his landlady and partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett (Elethea Sartorelli).

Sartorelli, who won a Finley Award last year for a supporting role in the musical Xanadu, is the perfect foil to Cross. Her Mrs. Lovett is cheekily amoral yet caring when it comes to young Tobias (Pete Martis). She sings beautifully, Cockney accent and all, and brings so much black humour to proceedings. Cross and Sartorelli work well together, the first act closer, A Little Priest, a highlight as they gleefully cavort while singing the gloriously mischievous song replete with trademark Sondheim wit and wordplay.

Michael MacCuish, who was good in a non-singing role in Spring Awakening, reveals a tremendous voice as Anthony, the sweetness of which works well in counterpoint to Cross. I enjoyed the sincerity he gives the love-struck sailor, another contrast to all the duplicity swirling around the character. Crofts displays yet another standout voice with Green Finch and Linnet Bird an early highlight as she stands perched upon a step ladder like a beautiful, fragile bird herself. Again, another pairing that works well with Kiss Me a memorable moment that is reprised in snippets throughout.

Martis plays Tobias with suitable naivety until the character stumbles upon the truth leading to an escalation of events. His Not While I’m Around with Sartorelli is quite effecting as the bleak subtext of the moment cuts right through the sweetness of the ballad. This is where Sondheim’s genius lies – another gorgeous song, Johanna, is sung so earnestly while Sweeney is dispatching men with his razor. The jarring contrast of lyrics and music with the brutal actions onstage makes such sequences layered and compelling.

It’s fair to say every character is well cast with singing ability at the forefront. Kimberley Harris makes for an ultimately tragic Beggar Woman who gives some cackling cheek as she intersects with various characters along the journey. Another strong voice, her warning cries in song become increasingly desperate as events spiral out of control. 

Cal Silberstein is carving out quite a niche with memorable, comic inspired characters. Here it is with Adolfo Pirelli whom Todd bests in a shaving competition and ultimately condemns to the meat grinder of the bakehouse. There’s a mischievous attitude about Silberstein’s performances that make them stand out no matter how brief.

Rounding out the principal cast is Simon Brett who gives Judge Turpin a creepy, obsessive air of his own and has a showpiece moment of self-flagellation in Johanna: Mea Culpa; Daniel Kirkby as Beadle Bamford who joins in the fun with Parlor Songs on the “partly singed harmonium”; while Thomas Owen is briefly featured as a doctor in the asylum where Judge Turpin hides his beloved Johanna whom he intends to marry despite her being considerably younger and his ward. There really are some disturbing aspects to this story beyond the murders!

The Ensemble is also in very fine voice as they reprise The Ballad of Sweeney Todd throughout and act as silent witnesses to events or incidental characters such as the asylum inmates. They are: Stee Andrews, Rebecca Cole, Jordan Dunne, Olivia Everett, Jackson Griggs, Crystal Haig, Niamh Nichols, Emily Semple, Shannon Whyte, Sam Widenbar, and Lauren Kingham.

Then there is the nine piece orchestra under conductor Joshua James Webb who play the challenging and exceptional score extremely well. From the opening Organ Prelude they are in fine form and the sound balance is spot on between performers and musicians. Indeed the sound design is excellent for such a large venue. I overheard Webb’s mentor talking to the director after the show and he was effusive in his praise of the musical quality. There is no doubt this is a superbly sung and played production. Well done Simone Bishop, Ben Hogan, Tadgh Pedder, Krista Low, Andrea Sitas, Blake Howieson, Laura Halligan, Tahlia Denn, and Ben Albert.

To the staging and the set is quite sparse with a lot of use of smoke and haze effects. This gives great atmosphere with the lighting often used to cast the performers in partial shadow to add to the eerie tone. I did have some quibbles – the use of scene locations – for example ‘Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop’ or ‘Sweeney Todd’s Tonsorial Parlor’ on large white sheets that descended into place tended to undercut the unsettling tone as they felt too obvious. This was also the case with the ‘19th Century London’ that unfurled at the start of the show to some mirth. These struck me as redundant as the spaces were clearly delineated by the props and the performances themselves.

It also felt a curious choice when the impressive lighting array was lowered to just above head height at the start of the show for one of the ensemble to literally ‘plug things in’ after which it would rise and descend for various scenes. This was a little distracting as if too eager to show off the technology but after a while settled down to a more traditional configuration.

In all, 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.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is directed by Craig Griffen with Musical Direction by Joshua James Webb from a Book by Hugh Wheeler; Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and is on at the Joy Shepherd Performing Arts Centre in Mosman Park next Friday and Saturday the 6-7th November. 

Quiet Please, There's A Lady On Stage - Fringe World (31 January 2015)

The subtitle says it all – The Music of Peter Allen, Liza Minnelli and Judy Garland. Performed by Ryan Taaffe, Elethea Sartorelli, and Rachel Monamy respectively, this was a collection of great songs including classics such as Over the Rainbow, Cabaret, New York, New York, the Oscar winning Arthur’s Theme, and the unofficial Australian National Anthem for all ex-patriates, I Still Call Australia Home.

They couldn’t afford a band on a Fringe budget but they did have the Minnellium Dancers – Allen Blachford, Hillary Readings, Jessica Helen, and Rebecca Jayne – who contributed the requisite colour and movement to make this a most enjoyable hour of cabaret. 

    

Sartorelli added the pizazz as Liza with a Z; Monamy the moxie as Garland; while Taaffe contributed a touch of snark as the three shared good-natured banter between songs. That’s not to say there weren’t a few jabs along the way – Garland’s battle with pills and booze; the doomed-to-fail marriage of Minnelli and Allen; and Minnelli’s struggle to cope with the enormous shadow of her mother – were all touched upon.

The conceit of the show is that it’s Minnelli’s story and Sartorelli, fresh off winning a Finley Award (Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Xanadu), is excellent with a wonderfully energetic performance and powerful singing voice. Of course, Garland and Allen can’t help but interrupt – we’re talking some huge personalities here - and Monamy is impressive as the mother who constantly strives to upstage her daughter, at one point showing Minnelli how The Trolley Song should really be done. The competitiveness between mother and daughter is brought to life in perhaps the best sequence of the show that included Don’t Rain On My Parade. 

Monamy also has a big voice and the two of them together were a potent combination. It’s unfortunate that Garland’s signature song from The Wizard of Oz was drowned out a little by an over loud backing track (the only occasion this happened).

Taaffe (himself a 2014 Finley Award winner as Best Director for Xanadu) imbues Allen with the snide remark or Ocker cheekiness that powered a lot of the humour. I Go To Rio gets an obligatory maraca-styled performance with no less than Garland and Minnelli on backing vocals! While I Still Call Australia Home generated the mandatory audience participation I was more enamoured of the highly personal Tenterfield Saddler and Don’t Cry Out Loud was another strong number.

While the songs were being performed images of the real life Garland, Minnelli and Allen were projected on the back wall as well as posters from movies and other snapshots. These did much to visually establish their relationships and career highlights.

With three powerful voices on stage sometimes the sound mix struggled to adjust but this was a well sung and charming trip down memory lane with a nice sense of humour and a roster of terrific songs. It didn’t take much encouragement for me to Get Happy and I’ll confess to bouts of toe tapping as well.

A most enjoyable interlude at one of the many Fringe outposts outside the CBD, this one being the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre which had a real festival atmosphere with plenty of stalls... and the hot dog consumed before the drive home wasn’t too bad either!