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. 

Hairspray - HAMA Productions (18 September 2024)

There's a reason Hairspray won 8 Tony Awards in 2003 including Best Musical. The songs are terrific, it has an upbeat tempo, a crowd-pleasing ending, and positive messages about inclusion, body image, and speaking up for what is right no matter what the odds. I first saw it on stage in 2012 at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre and it quickly became one of my favourite musicals.

That community theatre production went on to win four Finley Awards and is notable for a couple of other reasons - it featured a certain Jason Arrow as Seaweed who would later originate the Australian role of Alexander Hamilton in the mega-hit musical; and Tate Bennett, in the ensemble here, was Finley nominated for his portrayal of Corny Collins.    

Twelve years later and the show is getting a lavish staging at the Crown Theatre. In the lead up to the run I watched all the announcements on social media with growing interest as a stellar roster of performers and creatives was being assembled under Vincent Hooper who directed last year's All Shook Up at Crown. This is an exceptionally talented company and, significantly, the number of people who are either from WA or trained here is impressive. 

Perth doesn't get all the big touring shows - the aforementioned Hamilton has literally been everywhere else but Perth - so the importance of producing a local show that can credibly fill the spacious Crown Theatre can't be understated. It showcases our homegrown talent, entices expatriates to come back, and signals to the professionals recruited from interstate that there are viable opportunities westwards. 

The show is deep into its run and there are no signs of any of the early teething problems that may have been evident on opening night. The sound balance between vocals and orchestra is good though I would have liked a little more volume in the big, set piece numbers. Lyrics are concise, set transitions slick, and the production feels like it's in a comfortable rhythm.  

With a big venue comes the need for big production values and it's clear that the instruction has been to dial everything up to eleven - big performances and big hair with a larger-than-life look in everything from costuming to lighting design and the set itself. 

There's no doubt this is a visual treat. I may be colour blind but Lucy Birkinshaw's lighting bathes the performers with such vibrancy and sheer style that even I was gawking with approval. The set by Michael McVeigh is a marvel of highly detailed and functional trucks and other elements that put us in this stylised version of 1962 Baltimore. The studio where the Corny Collins Show is aired feels like a fairy-tale land; visually and, more importantly, thematically as the views and values of the Von Tussles are at odds with the reality of a diverse America. Costumes and wigs by Marina Del Basso are bold and bright though I'm not sure about the exaggerated bouffant that adorned the head of Corny Collins. That one felt too over the top for mine but it's a minor quibble. 

Choreographer Thern Reynolds joins forces with Hooper once more and the results are again outstanding. Movement and dance styles are an integral part of the story and the delineation is done well before it all comes together in the toe-tapping finale. The 13 piece orchestra under Musical Director Harry Oliff does tremendous justice to the Tony-winning score which is infectious.

What struck me at today's matinee is how well matched pivotal pairings are throughout the show. First and foremost is Paige Fallu who is simply tremendous as Tracy Turnblad. Fallu sings beautifully, radiates enthusiasm, and has genuine chemistry with John Berry's Link Larkin. Berry has all the moves and matinee idol looks in a role that subverts the expectations those attributes bring. Their work together is excellent as the backbone of the show.

Chelsea Plumley and Elaina O'Connor are the presumptive villains of the piece, Velma and Amber Von Tussle. Plumley delights in chewing the scenery while O'Connor is increasingly honing her fine comic instincts to enhance genuine leading lady talent.

Rob Palmer, in what may pass as celebrity casting, is more Travolta than Fierstein as Edna Turnblad. He gives a good account of himself and his rendition of (You're) Timeless To Me with a suitably goofy Brendan Hanson as Wilbur develops into a funny and charming highlight with both performers revelling in the audience response. 

Bella McSporran and Jacob Steen increasingly become a potent combination as Penny and Seaweed. That 'transgressive' relationship is well handled and greatly appreciated by a modern audience who audibly gasped at many of the supposed societal norms from over sixty years ago.

Then there are two standout performers who bring the charm in Joshua Firman's Corny Collins and the vocal authority in Paula Parore as Motor Mouth Maybelle. Firman plays the host to perfection while Parore starts slowly with the best number - I Know Where I've Been - building until it flowers into an irresistible powerhouse of an anthem. 

Outrageous talent abounds in smaller parts and the ensemble with performers such as Bennett as well as Ethan Churchill and Tory Kendrick who only a few months ago were playing the leads in Saturday Night Fever. Adding to the embarrassment of riches are local luminaries Elethea Sartorelli and Tim How in a multitude of roles.  

Vincent Hooper, producers Marina Del Basso and Hamish McSporran have assembled a first class company in all aspects. The show is bright, entertaining, bold, and sounds terrific. I suspect that after this and All Shook Up, an annual Hooper directed musical might become a Crown tradition. Here's hoping...

Hairspray is on at the Crown Theatre until 28 September. 

All Shook Up - Hama Productions (8 July 2023)

All Shook Up seeks to answer that age old question posed by wise men and fools alike – what happens when you bring together two cultural icons, separated by an ocean of time and geography, to 1950s small town USA? The answer is a hip swivelling jukebox musical featuring the songs of rock and rock pioneer Elvis Presley with all the trappings of a William Shakespeare comedy – unrequited love, requited love, quite the love, and a character in gender swapping disguise.

Into this potent brew add an excellent group of performers, from the leads to every member of the ensemble; the type of high energy choreography that will knock your bobby socks off; a set that glides and slides into place with Mecano-like precision; a band that will have you tapping your feet to guitar driven classics; and a visual style through lighting and costume design that will make you wonder if you’re in an episode of Happy Days. You get the strong sense that first-time director Vincent Hooper, in an auspicious debut, has been given free rein to deliver a rousing, feel-good musical which was met with thunderous applause as the cast took their bows. 

Hooper's put together a murderer's row of creative and performing talent starting with Set Designer Bryan Woltjen, fresh off his stunning work on Footloose, creating another striking set. This time it's a remarkable array of double-sided flats that depict a small town where most of the action takes place in Act One; followed by an interlocking set of stairs that form the centrepiece of the disused fairgrounds in Act Two, augmented by rear screen projections of the various attractions. The cast and crew move these into place in seamless transitions where Hooper smartly uses other performers to distract the audience's eye. 

Woltjen's work is complemented by Lighting Designer Lucy Birkinshaw who provides colourful backdrops and sets a bright and breezy tone as she highlights the cast especially in the big dance numbers such as C'mon Everybody. The tone is apparent straight away as the show bolts out of the gate with Jailhouse Rock and it's clear the audience is in for a rollicking good time. In this, Choreographer Thern Reynolds plays no small part. Yes, there are the iconic hip swivels and pelvic thrusts along with high energy dance routines that cement the sense of time and place. And most of all, fun. There's nothing like a large cast sinking their teeth into a big dance number as they sing an iconic song like Heartbreak Hotel or tear up the stage with closer Burning Love.

Musical Director Harry Oliff  marshals a rocking twelve piece orchestra that has the pleasure of drawing on Presley's extensive catalogue of songs, most of them stone cold classics from the early days of rock and roll. Given this, the guitar work of Rick Webster, Jarrad Van Dort and Paul Pooley (bass) and drumming of Daniel Susnjar is prominent, though the big sound appropriate for an artist of Presley's reputation is enhanced by a selection of woodwind and brass instruments. Sound Designer Sam Goodsell ensures the balance is spot on between orchestra and performers with songs and dialogue clean and crisp. Costume Designer Nicole Marrington nails the period with the male Greaser look, and vibrant outfits for the female cast.

And what a cast it is!

John Berry does well in what is a tricky role as the stranger who rides into town, not with a six shooter but a six string and a broken down motor cycle. Not only does Berry have to capture the spirit and vocal stylings of Elvis, no small feat, but his roustabout character Chad has to be cool, a little dangerous, a little goofy when he falls head over heels in love, then change up when his he accepts an unexpected new love. He looks the part and has that certain strut but it's the poignant ballad I Don't Want To that is a highlight, though the vulnerability and confusion is undercut by a few, perhaps unnecessary, comedic flourishes.

While all the women swoon, it's Mia Simonette's Natalie that crushes hardest on Chad to negligible effect until the Shakespeare of it all comes into play as she disguises herself as Ed to get closer to him. Simonette has an outstanding singing voice but the show doesn't work if she can't convincingly sell the plot mechanics that drive the comedy and ensuing romantic chaos. This is where Simonette excels, giving a wonderful performance as the lovelorn Natalie and the blokey Ed. When she sings Fools Fall In Love deep in the second act it hit me that this is a leading lady we'll be seeing on stage for a long while to come. It's a star making turn.

Tate Bennett has carved out a niche as the comic foil in musicals and there's no doubt he does that well here again. What impressed me though is that Bennett imbues his oft neglected Dennis with a sensitivity that is reflected in his singing and acting, making him the moral compass of the story. His rendition of It Hurts Me was moving and heartfelt as an early highlight of Act Two. 

Then there's Paula Parore as Sylvia who has a stupendous voice, which she wields to devastating effect, and a commanding stage presence. She quickly becomes an audience favourite and is utterly riveting every time Sylvia makes an appearance. Fair to say she knocks There's Always Me out of the park and then some. Parore more than holds her own against that doyen of the local musical theatre scene, Brendan Hanson, who brings the charm as the widower Jim who finds his second wind. 

Josh Firman and Jade Baynes make for a lovely couple fighting against parental and societal prejudice with It's Now Or Never a beautifully sung and brilliantly staged number in Act One. Emma Haines gets to play the female object of desire, Miss Sandra, initially as aloof, then increasingly besotted as she's wowed by Ed and has a great moment with Let Yourself Go in a gorgeously costumed sequence on a fabulously presented museum set. 

Other highlights - the Act One closer Can't Help Falling In Love builds to a crescendo that showcases the breadth of singing talent on hand. Taneel Van Zyl (Mayor Matilda Hyde, no relation) and the ensemble had me wondering if I was watching an excerpt from The Sound of Music on acid with a kookily playful (You're The) Devil In Disguise; Clay Darius' Sheriff Earl's surprise contribution; and the closing numbers as we careen towards a happy ending for most of our characters. 

Indeed, remarkably for an opening night, the entire second act totally works without a hitch from the title number to final bows. The whole company seemed locked in and everything just clicked. Wonderful to see and there was much jubilation as the cast waltzed off stage at the end. 

This is a high-quality, crowd-pleasing production, full to the brim of exciting local talent and is highly recommended. Playing at the Crown Theatre until Sunday 23 July.

An Evening With Vincent Hooper - 3 December 2022

The last time I saw Vincent Hooper perform in Perth he was gaining awwww-inspiring sympathy for his portrayal of the put-upon Amos in the excellent Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville. While Amos would make a heartfelt cameo in this evening’s one-off show, there was no chance Hooper was going to receive anything other than a rousing reception from a largely ‘theatre kid’ crowd. Yes, we believe too.

And that belief was more than repaid as Hooper, backed by a cracking seven-piece band, delivered an evening of original songs from his album Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, along with jazz and musical theatre numbers documenting a colourful career onstage. That experience was immediately evident with an easy charm and stage presence that I found authentic and soothing. As he referred to, outside the world may be in chaos, but inside this theatre, on this night, there was a bubble where music and song reigned supreme.

There were glimpses of a personal narrative as songs were introduced with a sense of context in time and place in relation to Hooper’s career. Somewhere, a high school drama teacher’s ears will be burning in shame for rejecting our aspiring star. That early setback clearly stung but such things do provide motivation for future heights… and the original song How Much Do You Want It?

If anything, I would have liked to have spent a little more time hearing about such tales given the intimacy established between performer and audience. Interestingly, our host finds his artistic confidence increasingly an issue as he gets older but, on the evidence of this night, I suspect any doubts will hopefully have been assuaged.

Hooper has such a warm and expressive voice that it really was a delight to hear him sing everything from upbeat numbers to character driven musical tunes to crooning unrequited love songs. He slipped into character (and accent) so readily for Mister Cellophane from Chicago and If You Were Gay (Avenue Q) while relishing the bigger numbers such Don’t Rain On My Parade as he barnstormed his way to the end of the show and two encores. There was even time for a little cruise ship-style interlude with Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and So Many Stars.

In all this he was superbly supported and enhanced by a band displaying first rate musicianship. They were bold and brassy when the occasion called for it; laid back and chill in the quieter moments; and playful when bouncing off Hooper in character during musical theatre numbers. The highlight of the show for me was a perfect synthesis between singer and band in the original song Don’t Cry, Dragonfly which featured Hooper’s cousin Matt Smith on trumpet that made me feel like I was in a smoke-filled club at two in the morning sipping my fourth or fifth bourbon.

The band was comprised of Joshua James Webb on keyboard, Jack Duffy (drums), Lucy Browning (bass), Jarrad Van Dort (guitar), Smith on trumpet, Alex Parkinson (trombone), and Oliver Taylor on sax/reeds. Bravo to all.

In many ways an early highlight, I Believe, summed up the show. Funny, local lyrics had been substituted in but there was also clear (and deserved) snark over how the industry had been mugged by the pandemic response and how difficult it is to sustain a livelihood let alone a career. It is fortunate indeed that a performer of Hooper’s calibre can be lured back to Perth for shows such as this and Chicago. The slideshow of photos that played during intermission is testimony to the range of roles he has played. I suspect that presentation will continue to grow.

One final thought. Hooper observed that everyone on stage was a WAAPA graduate before recognising a doyen of that institution in David King who was present. It was a classy moment during a show full of talent and much charm. Alas, after it finished, I had to leave that glorious bubble and return to the chaos waiting outside…