Assassins - Roleystone Theatre (1 March 2025)

Let's not beat around the grassy knoll. Assassins is one of my favourite musicals. I love the audacity of telling a story - a musical no less! - about those misbegotten fiends who successfully assassinated or tried to assassinate a president of the good ol' US of A. All because "Everybody's got the right/To be happy."

Of course it's Sondheim. It could only be Sondheim. With a deliciously subversive Book by John Weidman which features one of my favourite sequences in pretty much anything which I won't spoil here but is still as astonishing a piece of writing as the first time I saw it back in 2015. 

The tone is darkly satirical and by dark I mean at the bottom of a mine shaft, complete absence of light, dark. Which some may find challenging or perhaps miss the point of, whereas I find utterly invigorating. This isn't a hum-hum-hummable musical with happy lyrics and a leggy chorus line - this is a savage commentary on the American dream, gun culture, and the lengths desperate people go to after being marginalised and cast aside. If you tell a whole nation they can be anything they want then create a system where that's abundantly untrue, well, sometimes a president or two might get shot. 

I deliberately called them misbegotten fiends and it's true, there's a high level of dysfunction and self-delusion here. But the musical also scratches beneath the surface of these footnotes in history to try and explain their actions without exonerating them. Some names are eternal - John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald at the forefront; others are largely forgotten or oddities now. It's an eclectic mix across time, across rationales, across personality types and circumstances. It's also bleakly funny in ways that cut deep. 

Director Christopher Alvaro has made several key decisions in this version. The first is to forgo the usual gaming arcade set; instead opting to depict the white frontal columns of the White House with the orchestra nestled behind them. Characters literally take aim at the workplace and residence of  the president; several incarnations of whom wander by in the form of Peter 'Pear' Carr who also designed the set with Alvaro.  

The second is to dial up the performances to 11. This is a full-throated assault as the cast magnify the grievances, real and imagined, of these figures, almost haranguing the audience in the process. It's bold and, when it works best, utterly electrifying. Apologies, Giuseppe Zangara (Marshall Brown). 

The satirical tone is immediately established as The Proprietor (Carr again) entices our wannabe assassins to purchase a gun in the opening number Everybody's Got The Right and solve all their problems by shooting a president. The intensity that follows is led by the wonderfully earnest performance of Mark Thompson as the pioneer of all American presidential assassins, John Wilkes Booth. He commands the stage as he does the other assassins, imbuing Booth with commitment and passion. We have no doubt Booth believes in the (misguided) cause he spilled blood for in notorious fashion. The vainglorious actor who changed the course of history.

In contrast, the transparently vain Charles Guiteau (Rp van der Westhuizen) hawks his book, claims he is extraordinary, and demands to be Ambassador to France; the refusal to name him as such leading to President James Garfield's demise. The showstopper, The Ballad of Guiteau, becomes an increasingly fraught display that verges into true horror as Guiteau stares mortality in the eye as the gallows are assembled before him. The manufactured charm and confidence van der Westhuizen portrays the character with earlier evaporates into manic fear. Not for the fainthearted! 

Ethan Battle doubles down on the earnestness as his Leon Czologosz features in several key moments - the harrowing story of how a bottle is made after John Hinckley (Lochlan Curtis) carelessly breaks one in a bar; the encounter with the anarchist Emma Goldman (Erin Craddock) who he has been following and declares his love for; leading off the aptly named The Gun Song; oh, and his assassination of William McKinley. 

Paul Treasure, bedraggled and decked out in a Santa outfit befitting a child's worst nightmare, excels as Samuel Byck. Gifted with two brilliantly written monologues - one directed at Leonard Bernstein ("Lenny"); the other to Richard Nixon ("Dick") who Byck intends to kill by flying a 747 into the White House. Treasure expertly modulates his delivery from conversational to outright bile as he pours Byck's disenchantment and rage into a tape recorder while happily munching away on a sandwich or burger. It's exhilarating to watch.   

Another standout is Sonja Reynolds as Sara Jane Moore, the absentminded, would be assassin of Gerald Ford who teams up with Charles Manson acolyte, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (Madeleine Shaw) in a compression of real events. Shaw brings the creepy, cult-like vibes while Reynolds imbues Moore with a ditzy air that adds genuine comic relief. You sense Ford was never in any real danger though fried chicken and pooches should be wary! 

Marshall Brown adds to the intensity in stomach churning fashion playing the man who tried to assassinate FDR while Lochlan Curtis is quietly obsessed as Hinckley. The closest you get to a ballad in this musical is Curtis and Shaw singing of their love for, ahem, Jodie Foster and "Charlie" respectively. Yep, it's dark alright!  

Erin Craddock is featured as Emma Goldman and leads the ensemble, most notably in the show closer Something Just Broke which follows the exceptional 15 or so minute sequence that is brilliant in its sheer audacity. And is where we talk about Matthew Walford's Balladeer, the clean cut presence who seemingly mocks this collection of misfits before... go see it, you'll be astounded. Walford adds a slice of genuine Yankee spirit that turns into bewilderment as events transform his character. 

The score, as you would expect, is superb and well played by the orchestra under Krispin Maesalu. Lighting design by Alvaro is very stylistic with each assassin having their own colourful backdrop as Booth thrusts them literally into the spotlight. Like the musical styles Sondheim uses, the costumes also have to cover a range of time periods and fashions which Cherie Alvaro manages well; that grimy Santa suit and Booth's handsome attire to the fore. First time choreographer, Tatum Stafford, adds more movement than I expected with, again, a playfully satirical style at work. 

My main issue, however, is that this IS Sondheim so the lyrics are incredibly important. With no pit and a sizeable orchestra directly behind the cast, it was a battle at times to clearly make out and savour those words. The volume on the mics was turned up high to compensate which often led to some distortion and, when there was shrieking to be done in non-musical moments, became somewhat painful.  

However, I walked away impressed by a total cast commitment to going for broke with their characterisations and how relevant this musical is today, perhaps more so than its debut off-Broadway in 1990 and its 2004 Broadway revival given current events in America. An outstanding entry into the Sondheim canon which is tackled with real verve here. 

Assassins is on at the Roleystone Theatre until 15 March.

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. 

Assassins - Midnite Youth Theatre Company (21 May 2015)

Ah, the American Dream. Where anybody from any background can pull themselves up by the bootstraps and achieve anything they so desire… including becoming the President of the United States. Yes, even you Arnold Schwarze—okay, well, maybe not. But what about those people whose pursuit of happiness and the American way is thwarted by disappointment and heartache; rejection and bitterness? Well, you too can find salvation, my friend… by killing yourself a President of these here United States!

It’s a provocative basis for a musical that squarely takes aim (okay, that’s the sole gun metaphor I promise) at the American Dream and its illusory promise of happiness for all. Instead, it can empower misfits and worse to acts of violence when they feel betrayed by their actual lot in life. Even more subversive is that many of the assassins and would be Presidential killers are presented, if not sympathetically, then certainly in a more even-handed manner than might be expected.

There is no doubt that this is dark terrain indeed but there is a streak of jet-black humour that infuses the proceedings with a vitality that is compelling. That balance between black comedy, social and political satire, and the undercurrent of genuine darkness is a fine line to tread.

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

Before we come to the many highlights, the intimacy of the studio at the Subiaco Arts Centre really worked well for this. The audience was like a co-conspirator and we were immersed in the immediacy of the performances which were excellent across the board. The set was two movable bleachers that were slickly configured to represent everything from a shooting gallery to famous locations in the dubious history of American political assassinations. There was a smaller rostrum-like component that doubled for everything from a car to the electric chair. Yes, this line of work has a certain finality for more than just the victims. Above it all was a neon lit sign – Lucky Shot – with a bullseye. Subtlety isn’t necessarily a requirement!

Beautifully lit with use of diffused lighting through smoke but also harsher effects to enhance the absurdity or gaudiness of certain moments this was a very handsome production to look at. Costuming and props were very good and I must confess I recognised the thoroughly disgusting bucket of KFC prop from my recent WAAPA tour which drew a chuckle.

The five piece band who handled the typically complicated Sondheim score with aplomb was situated at the back of the space. The music reflected the different time periods as the story cuts from assassins throughout history but in a fractured timeline. The show was a lock out due to the configuration of the stage and the performers weren’t mic’d. The sound balance, however, was very good and there were only a couple of brief moments where the band threatened to overwhelm the vocals. Well played Jackson Griggs (Conductor and keyboards), Joshua James Webb (keyboards), Elliot Frost (guitar), Gwyneth Gardiner (bass) and Rosie Taylor (percussion).

To the performances and each of the featured players have strong moments. The show begins with The Proprietor (Nicholas Miller) enticing our would be assassins to purchase a gun as they sing Everyone’s Got The Right. It sets the tone straight away and Miller, who I’m told is only 17 years old, gets us off to a really strong start. The Balladeer (Brandon Williams-West) then acts as a narrator of sorts as he introduces the diverse collection of misfits starting with the daddy of them all – John Wilkes Booth played by James Cohen. 

It’s all barbed satire and commentary delivered in wonderful style… until we come to Booth in the barn after he has shot Abraham Lincoln. Desperate to convince the world of his legitimate reasons in the face of The Balladeer’s protestations that it was more for personal vanity (The Ballad of Booth), this is a powerfully dramatic scene. It was the first sign that this show was going to deliver something more than laughs.

This is shortly followed by Sven Ironside’s immigrant worker Leon Czolgosz’s impassioned description of the horrendous conditions he faces in a factory that makes bottles, the casual breaking of one the catalyst for his rage. He later has a featured scene with Kimberley Harris’ Emma Goldman where he confesses his love to the anarchist leader and is gently rebuffed in perhaps the best acted moment of the show.

  

Likewise, Thomas Owen as Samuel Byck who planned to kill Richard Nixon by flying a 747 into The White House, gives a frenetic performance with his first monologue in particular a standout. Dressed in a dirty Santa Claus outfit and recording a message for Leonard Bernstein (the West Side Story references are hilarious given Sondheim’s own involvement), this is a profanity laced tirade that is part funny, part disturbing, and delivered with complete conviction. 

On the comedic side of the spectrum Cal Silberstein is all smooth charm as Charles Guiteau who wants to be Ambassador to France but is rebuffed by President Garfield. Nothing for it but to shoot him I guess. Arrested and sentenced to hang, the I Am Going To The Lordy/The Ballad of Guiteau is black humour at its most pungent as Silberstein plays the walk to the gallows with increasingly desperate optimism. Peter Martis adds further black humour with the electrocution of his character Guiseppe Zangara gloriously over the top.

Then there’s Olivia Everett’s housewife Sara Jane Moore who appears to be the least competent person to assassinate anyone let alone Gerald Ford. Dogs watch out though! She gives Moore an almost slapstick persona with thick glasses, wig and a lovable klutz-like charm. It’s very funny indeed. She works well with Niamh Nichols' Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme who also wants to kill Ford and proclaims herself Charlie Manson’s lover.

Lynette shares the ballad Unworthy of Your Love with Luke Wilson’s John Hinckley as each serenades their respective catalysts for murder – Charles Manson and Jodie Foster. It’s an affecting song because of the disparity between content and form. Wilson’s plays Hinckley’s obsession with the teen actress with a quieter off-kilter simmer that bubbles over as Fromme mocks him. 

Which leads us to the standout sequence as The Balladeer becomes Lee Harvey Oswald and is confronted by Booth one fateful day in Dallas, 23 November, 1963. Williams-West was thoroughly likeable as The Balladeer with a sweet voice and restrained mocking of the others but it’s here he excels with Cohen whose Booth persuades him to assassinate Kennedy. The audacity of that – Oswald and Booth together, with Booth summoning the help of the others so that they can in effect become immortal through one heinous act that reverberated around the world – is stunning. 

The ramifications are explored in the highlight for the ensemble in Something Just Broke. Comprised of Erin Craddock, Dash Fewster, Tessa Harris, David Jones, Kieren Lynch, Jessica Reynolds, Tatum Stafford and Alexander Wilkie, they gave excellent support throughout, dressed all in black and adding punch to scenes.

Directed with style and energy by Gregory Jones, I really enjoyed this – the storytelling is exceptional in its audacity; the humour is a rich vein of jet black comedy; the singing is very good indeed; and it’s well played and presented. Above all, you simply can’t be passive with something as intricate as Sondheim so I loved the intensity right from the get go. The run quickly sold out and an extra show was added – a matinee on 23 May (yes, today!). If you can get a ticket then it’s well worth seeing. If you can’t, just don’t shoot a President, okay?  

Merrily We Roll Along - WAAPA (25 August 2014)

What a year - Hair, West Side Story and now Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. From the 300 seat Geoff Gibbs Theatre to the 1100 seater at the Regal to the intimate confines of the Roundhouse (fast becoming my favourite theatre venue) WAAPA’s third year musical theatre students have been outstanding. In the words of Sondheim himself, “Here’s to us. Who’s like us? Damn few.”

Indeed, the story of three talented friends who rise from humble beginnings to achieve their artistic dreams on Broadway, in publishing, and beyond is an apt one. This graduating class is in the early phase of realising their own dreams and the talent on display bodes well for the future. But Merrily We Roll Along posts warning signs along the way about how ambition and expediency can erode artistic integrity and, perhaps more importantly, alienate those who matter most - the friends, loved ones and collaborators who helped make the journey possible.

The dramatic conceit here is that the story is told in reverse chronological order. We see these characters at their worst at the beginning of the musical before exploring how they arrived at such an emotionally barren place. When the show first opened on Broadway in 1981 it was a flop. It’s almost hard to believe as the score is excellent, the lyrics witty and perceptive, and there’s surely a resonance for anyone who has harboured an artistic dream of some sort. The structure is complex but not prohibitively so as we move backwards from 1976 to eventually land in 1957 (a year I should have realised the significance of) where the final scene is beautifully constructed and thematically perfect. It signals a time where anything was possible, where ideas could change the world, where artists could make the papers and musicals were popular and could raise important themes. A time when three people meet who will become friends, collaborators, and take the world by storm... but at what cost?

This is why the reverse timeline works – there is such idealism and hope in the final sequences of the production that we largely forgive where these characters ended up. That they fail in life by becoming so successful in their chosen professions is also down to the sort of human frailties we can easily identify with.

The three friends, Composer (and subsequent Hollywood producer) Franklin Shepard, lyricist Charley Kringas, and writer/critic Mary Flynn are played by Jack Van Staveren, Ben Adams, and Rebecca Hetherington respectively. Van Staveren is excellent as the one who craves success and fame as he chases first Broadway then Hollywood. Along the way he loses his wife Beth (Sophie Cheeseman) and ends up marrying Broadway star Gussie Carnegie (Chloe Wilson) who was enamoured of his musical talent. I have to admit it’s such a likeable performance that I never really felt he was the ‘villain’ in the early going. Adams is the perfect foil and has a highlight moment during Franklin Shepard, Inc. as Charley expresses his disappointment and anger at how Franklin has sold out for the money thus ending their friendship. The two are convincing as friends and long-time collaborative partners which makes their falling out (retrospectively) more potent.

But the standout for me is Hetherington who gets to play the faithful friend in love with Franklin and who wears her heart on her sleeve even trashing the opening sequence party in his honour with some harsh home truths. Not only is her acting impressive but vocally she shines, particularly during Not A Day Goes By (Reprise) as Mary comes to terms with the fact she will never be with Franklin as he marries Beth.

Of the supporting cast, Chloe Wilson plays the diva Gussie with great confidence and sass. There was a moment in the opening sequence where she slipped (on strewn lettuce) and fell hard to the audible gasps of the audience but didn’t miss a beat as she picked herself up, blood nose and all, and confronted the newest object of her husband’s affections, Meg (Miranda Macpherson). If anything, it added to the drama of the moment.

Sophie Cheeseman plays Beth with a southern accent and trusting innocence that is charming but always destined for tears and she is great with the young child performer Sebastian Coe who plays Frank Junior. Nick Eynaud comes into his own as Gussie’s husband Joe Josephson the further we go back in time. He has an amusing moment telling Franklin and Charley they need to write more hummable tunes, the reason Sondheim wrote Merrily in the first place in response to critics of his work. The rest of the cast is, as is to be expected, strong vocally and look terrific in an assortment of costumes appropriate to the different time periods.

After the big, elaborate musicals of the last few days over in Melbourne this show was a pleasant reminder that a stripped back production such as this in an intimate setting with talented performers and musicians can be just as entertaining and memorable. And yes, Mister Sondheim, I was tapping my feet more than once!

Directed by Jason Langley, Musical Director David King, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim with a Book by George Furth, Merrily We Roll Along stars WAAPA's third year musical theatre students and has six more shows until 30 August at The Roundhouse Theatre.