Guys and Dolls - Koorliny Arts Centre (3 May 2025)

What a mammoth undertaking! Bringing to life a feted musical from Broadway's golden age with a huge cast, an equally impressive band, and all the attendant creatives and crew needed to put such a show on its feet. I counted 26 cast members and 16 musicians plus two musical directors in the program. A challenge for any director let alone one in the talented Rp Van Der Westhuizen who is tackling his first adult cast musical. In this he is well served by staging it at Koorliny which has built up a sterling reputation over many years of mounting award winning, community theatre musicals.   

Premiering on Broadway in 1950 Guys and Dolls is a time capsule of the prevailing views of the time back in Nu Yawk city where sinners run riot with their gambling and their boozing while the dolls dance in the clubs and, in the case of Miss Adelaide (Jenelle Russo), want to finally tie the knot after a 14 yearlong engagement to hustler Nathan Detroit (Ben Mullings) who is more interested in where to host his next craps game. To complicate matters, Sarah Brown (Hannah Charlotte) from the local mission strives to save these poor sinners' souls but instead encounters the smooth talking Sky Masterson (Lochlan Curtis), a renowned gambler, who is entangled in Detroit's schemes. 

That's the simplest of descriptions for what is considered one of the great musicals which has a lot of story strands going on that eventually collide in, to no one's surprise, a happy ending. The comedy is broad, the lessons learned pretty earnest, however, there is some throwback sass, an infectious score, and several famous songs to have your dice-throwing hand tapping away merrily. 

It is long though - almost three hours with an interval - which is a fascinating reflection of the storytelling rhythms from over seventy years ago. It takes forever to set up 'the bet' around which most of the action revolves and it isn't shy about reinforcing its story beats throughout a scene or in the reprise of a song. Oh, what a modern day editor might do if given the chance! All that being said, there is much to admire about the show with this production pulling out all the stops. 

Ben Mullings makes for a good-natured Nathan Detroit who's hard not to like as he tries to navigate his way through the perils of the law and matrimony with seemingly equal disregard for both. There's always the sense Detroit is in over his head, especially when he's being fleeced by Big Jule (Pear Carr), but he takes it on the chin and we root for the guy. I mean, Detroit has a growing fictional family to support, after all! 

Jioji Nawanawa immediately captures the attention in an expressive performance as Benny Southstreet with good comic instincts and a soulful voice which he demonstrated to further effect in the lobby at intermission. A classy touch as he sang standards with such passion - Feeling Good was spinetingling! I understand cast member Hallelujah Selepe did likewise onstage and they swap those locations each show.  

Jamie Jewell is all sleek amiability as Nicely-Nicely Johnson before he explodes into peak song and dance mode with Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat, a true showstopper in the home stretch. Clayton Van Dijk plays along gamely, his broadly sketched policeman, Lieutenant Brannigan, always one step behind the ongoing shenanigans. 

You might be thinking that's a lot of guys and not a doll in sight until we get to Jenelle Russo's Miss Adelaide who's the star attraction of the Hot Box club and increasingly distraught at her marathon engagement to Detroit. Part lovable and ditzy; part feisty and forlorn, it's a showy role with Russo playing well against Mullings, with Adelaide's Lament a highlight. There's some inventive letter writing back to mother and a certain allergic reaction, both of which are played for reliable laughs.

On the other side of the ledger, Hannah Charlotte, who sang so beautifully in last year's The Sound of Music, excels again vocally while playing a buttoned-downed character in Sarah Brown who is beguiled and dismayed by Masterson. Charlotte has some lovely moments with Geoffrey Leeder who plays her character's grandfather; gives a glimpse into what Sarah might become free from the strictures of scripture in the Havana sequence; and generally conveys the mixed emotions of a devout person falling for someone way outside her comfort zone well. 

Lochlan Curtis lends a touch of the matinee idol to Masterson in a suave turn that is quite captivating. While the swirl of gangsters and ne'er-do-wells is rough-edged, Curtis turns on the charm when needed yet convinces us that maybe there's something more to this smooth crooner as Sky seeks to redeem himself. Croon away he does until Curtis kicks it up a notch with Luck Be A Lady, a highlight on which so much of the ensuing story rides. 

Others to stand out include Thomas Dimmick as Harry the Horse who radiates a steely confidence and hint of menace; Sarah McCabe as a stern General Cartwright who threatens to close down the mission; and Pear Carr throws his weight around quite literally as the out of town mobster who doesn't like to lose.

They're supported by a large ensemble that adds scale and glamour as well as fleshing out the world in colourful detail. And colourful it is with excellent work by Costume Designer Lyn Leeder in creating that 50s type gangster look, all suits, vests, and bowties for the guys; the various bold dance outfits for the dolls in era appropriate fashion; and the more sombre attire for the mission members. Augmented in wonderful style by the Makeup, Hair & Postiche Design of Yvette Drager Wetherilt who continues to show why she was inducted into the ITA's Hall of Fame this year. 

The set by Pear Carr is multi-tiered and uncluttered to allow such a large cast to roam freely in depicting facets of everyday New York life or bring the razzle dazzle in big production numbers. The main features are multiple neon signs that clearly delineate where we are in the city and the bold lighting design of Kat Brieden and Chloe Palliser which accentuates all that 'sin' going on. These elements, along with Connie Wetherilt's lively choreography, ensure that when the show hits its straps it's an entertaining ride. Van Der Westhuizen keeps proceedings moving as quickly as possible with a certain rhythm as we move through the different story strands. 

Musical Directors Taui Pinker and Tara Oorjitham do an excellent job with strong vocal performances across the board, led by Charlotte, while the band attack the brassy score with flair. Sound design by Jonathan Hoey is top notch and ensures that all the lyrics and dialogue, even when the broadest of accents is being used, is clear throughout. 

While the pace and style of the storytelling at times felt very old-fashioned, there's no doubt that this is a bright and bold staging of an acknowledged classic. If you're a fan of big Broadway musicals of yesteryear it's another strong outing for Koorliny. 

Photos by Mark Labrow Photography

The Sound of Music - Melville Theatre Company (17 November 2024)

The success of any production of the beloved The Sound of Music is always going to hinge on the performance of Maria. In Hannah Charlotte the Melville Theatre Company has found its star who sings the iconic songs beautifully, sets the tone and leads the large company with style, and works seamlessly with the seven Von Trapp children, another barometer of success. Perhaps not quite as successful in depicting the romance with the Captain, it's an impressive performance nonetheless. 

There is real charm to the production, driven by Charlotte's portrayal and some lovely turns by the children; notably Quinn Dally as a disarmingly forthright Brigitta, and 9-year-old Halle McDonald who is utterly adorable as Gretl. 

Nigel Goodwin is suitably stiff and uptight in the early going as Captain Von Trapp before the character softens on recognising the impact Maria is having on his children. The transition to falling for her isn't quite there but we get swept up in the romance as the storm clouds of an encroaching Nazi Germany gather. 

In this it's a musical very much in two halves. The last time I'd seen the stage production was in Melbourne back in 2016 where, I confess, to being totally smitten with Amy Lehpamer as Maria. I'd forgotten though how many classic Rodgers & Hammerstein songs there are in Act One. It's a cavalcade of music theatre standouts - the title song, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Lonely Goatherd, and Climb Every Mountain. It also strikes me, after recently seeing a modern musical which is relentlessly paced, how stately this is. It takes its time as it unfolds memorable song after memorable song with the story interspersed throughout. You sit back and savour the result. 

The second act, for me, isn't as successful because it gets a little bogged down in plot mechanics as politics and the subsequent threat to the Von Trapp family grows. Musically, there are a lot of reprises to those first act tunes leaving Edelweiss as the most notable song. We'll get back to that later.

This is a huge community theatre production with 22 listed cast members along with 13 Nuns and 3 Postulants. The roles of Marta and Gretl, the two youngest children, have alternates. So a company of forty. This lends the show a sense of scale and provides vocal depth and, in the case of the show opening Preludium, great beauty with so many voices in harmony. 

Director Neroli Sweetman has extensively used the floor space in front of the stage and the central steps leading up to it, again to give a sense of scale and spectacle. Guests in the second act party scene are stationed on either side of the floor; Liesl (Escher Roe) and Rolf (David Bell) sing the sweet Sixteen Going on Seventeen in front of the stage, left; the foot of the stage and stairs are utilised for the impossibly cute So Long Farewell. We even had three Nazis sitting next to us in the front row for the Kaltzburg concert!

The stage itself is well appointed with sumptuous furniture and rear screen backdrops to depict the Von Trapp household and, of course, the hills. Indeed, there is as large a number of designers and crew to support the size of the show, including two people listed for Continuity which is hardly surprising given the logistics involved. Musical Director Nick Navarra has used a backing track for the music which is sometimes a little too overpowering as it swells in grandeur, however, it has allowed him to focus on the vocal performances which are, mostly, excellent with one curious exception. 

Costume Coordinator Michelle Sharp has handled the task of costuming so many performers in so many styles with aplomb. From the more austere habits of the nuns to the clever evolution of the children's clothes as Maria's influence takes hold, to the opulence of the guests, practicality of the servants, and the severe trim of the Germans. It truly is shocking to see a swastika armband which is entirely the point.  

Sound by Mack Chidlow is generally good, however, microphone pickup was occasionally slow, especially in the larger numbers. Then there's the situation I didn't quite understand - Goodwin's mic was fine for dialogue but was surprisingly underpowered for his vocals. His singing, therefore, came across as tentative. I wasn't sure if that was because of the volume disparity or the volume disparity was because his singing wasn't as strong as certainly Charlotte's though he fared better in harmonies. It unfortunately cruelled Edelweiss which should have been an emotionally resonant moment.  

Other performers to catch the eye - Eilish Marie Blackmore as an empathetic Mother Abbess who guides Maria back to the Von Trapps and handles the challenge of the first act closer well; Peter Shaw and Imogen Porter as Franz and Frau Schmidt respectively who quietly add a little levity to proceedings until the mood turns as the Anschluss is enacted; Esher Roe as the oldest child Liesl in a lovely portrayal that couldn't be more removed from a role she played earlier in the year; and Darren Goodison who flirts with being too preening as Max Detweiler yet made me laugh with his "flowers and a certificate" shtick towards the end. 

This is a well-presented production of a perennial classic. Fans of the movie will lap it up. There were people happily singing along all around me. The scenes and songs featuring Hannah Charlotte and the children are simply a delight. Shout out to Choreographer Matilda Jenkins and Sweetman for staging these moments with obvious affection. A charming time at the theatre. 

The Sound of Music is on at the Civic Centre Main Hall, Almondbury Road, Booragoon until 30 November.  

Cast photos by Curtain Call Creatives