Chicago: Teen Edition - Bel Canto Performing Arts (12 July 2025)

Give 'em the ol' razzle dazzle. Bel Canto Performing Arts did exactly that with a stylish and confident production of the classic musical Chicago. Before we shimmy into any further details let's set up a little context. As this is the teen edition of what is famously a sexy and pointed satire about celebrity culture and how sensationalism trumps the truth, certain elements have been altered. It's pleasing to see a full page in the programme that respectfully and clearly explains those changes under the licensing agreement and the company's considered approach. An excerpt:

"Every creative decision, from choreography to costuming, has been made with thoughfulness and intention. Our goal has never been to sensationalise, but to present a bold, stylised and age appropriate piece of theatre that encourages growth, confidence and artistic expression."

I witnessed this care and attention to detail talking with members of the creative team before the show. Especially about the costuming which looks fabulous without being inappropriate. I did chuckle a couple of times at some of the lyric changes, however, this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the production. If anything, it enhanced it. Some of you will faint, I know! ;-) 

This tale contains a fabulous collection of Kander & Ebb songs presented with a sly wink and imbued with a touch of the indelible Fosse style. The performers, ranging from 15 to 21, are poised and focussed as they bring 1920s Chicago to life; a world of jazz and liquor where fame is only a gunshot and tabloid headline away.  

Iconic opening number All That Jazz clearly laid director Blake Jenkins' cards on the table. Equal emphasis on movement, vocal excellence, and capturing the swagger of the era. A simple set on two levels with three sets of stairs and a single door at the rear; along with wooden chairs in the tight wings for the ensemble to observe and adorn themselves on. Set design by George Boyd. 

Lighting design by Katharina Brieden plays with shadows and silhouettes whilst also spotlighting the feuding stars of the Cook County Jail as they vie for the attention of the media and notorious defence lawyer Billy Flynn (Jayden Adams). At times a little too much darkness for secondary characters on the periphery, however, the glitz and glamour shines through in big setpieces such as Roxie. 

Choreography by Matilda Jenkins echoes the precise moves of the Fosse style before embracing some fun flourishes of its own, especially with Amos (Calum Blakemore) in Act Two. Costuming by Matilda Jenkins and Lyn Leeder carefully treads the line between honouring the flapper era for the girls and not being too revealing, while the guys look resplendent in the predominantly black outfits the show favours. Sound design by Gordon Smith does a nice job of balancing vocals with the backing tracks and Musical Director Christie McGarrity ensures the vocal quality across the board is good indeed. 

I've already mentioned a couple of the male performers by name but, of course, Chicago is powered by a trio of female characters. Abigail Hill gives a full throated and feisty performance as the infamous Velma Kelly who is put out by the unexpected ascendancy of latest inmate Roxie Hart. Harriet Kenworthy initially plays Roxie with a disarming naivety that turns into something far more hard-edged as celebrity beckons. Hill and Kenworthy play well off each other; give interesting interpretations of wellknown songs; and sing beautifully together in first act closer My Own Best Friend and the plaintive Nowadays. Madelaine Batten is the other larger-than-life female character in the role of Matron "Mama" Morton. Batten is suitably bossy, plays up to the audience, and is an amiable presence throughout. 

Which brings us back to Jayden Adams and Calum Blakemore. Adams makes for a suave Billy Flynn who charms and cajoles in equal measure in an assured performance. Blakemore garners much audience sympathy as sad sack Amos with his work in the second act particularly affecting. Both have a highlight moment at opposite ends of the spectrum - Adams gets to literally Razzle Dazzle; Blakemore tugs at the heartstrings with Mister Cellophane. 

In the teen version, Mary Sunshine, usually a male in drag, is played by Eloise Andrew. That change does take away from the inherent flamboyance of the character yet Andrew handles the pliant report effectively. As does Matt Ballantine as the opportunistic Fred Casely and Adela Jung as the rambunctious Go-To-Hell Kitty. 

Any highlight of Chicago has to include Cell Block Tango with its anthemic "He had it coming!" refrain. Props to Hope Shepherd, Kayla Brown, Leila Zaknich, Evangeline Scali, and Holly Zaknich as five of the "merry murderesses" along with Velma. Then there's the always fun We Both Reached For The Gun which sees the whole company shine. 

Chicago is one of my favourite musicals and the movie version is a stunning adaptation. Watching the teen edition is a real pleasure. Yes, there are mandated limitations which means that if you know the full show it sometimes feels like it's pulling its punches. But to be honest, it's only a minor quibble when you see such a talented young cast on stage being so well supported by dedicated creatives from producers Katherine & Justin Freind on down. 

A glimpse at the future as you enjoy one of the legendary shows of the past. Chicago is on at the Old Mill Theatre in South Perth until 19 July. 

Photos by Outatime Pictures

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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