OMIGOD - for a feel good musical this one qualifies

It has been some time since I have seen an audience in Sydney as excited and enthusiasitc as I witnessed at a recent preview performance of 'Legally Blonde - The Musical'.  There is a buzz in Sydney's Lyric Theatre before the brightly lit curtain even rises, but it it towards the end of Act Two that momentum has built and the audience often responds with wolf whistles, cheers and laughter.  Lots of laughter.  Finally a musical that should be a winner for Sydney audiences.

'Legally Blonde - the Musical' follows sorority girl Elle Woods (Lucy Durack) as she attends Harvard Law School for the sole purpose of winning back the love of her former boyfriend, Warner (Rob Mills).

This musical sticks to the story of the 2001 film on which it is largely based, almost to the letter.  What differentiates it is the music and the high energy dance routines.  It is packed to the brim with catchy hummable pop tunes (often with very witty lyrics), all performed with gusto by a solid cast.

When the film became a hit in 2001 many critics attributed much of the film’s appeal to its star Reese Witherspoon.

Subsequently when the musical opened on Broadway in April 2007, several critics felt, perhaps unjustly, that lead star Laura Bell Bundy fell short in the charm stakes  and that the musical suffered without Witherspoon at the helm.

Luckily for Sydney audiences, we are in the safe hands of Lucy Durack.  Durack is the perfect Elle Woods.  Hardly offstage for a moment, her Elle is hugely likeable, energetic, and sweet without being over the top saccharine.  Durack captures everything that Witherspoon brought to the role without attempting a carbon copy.  Her voice is stronger than ever and her versatility is evident when she can belt out Act One closer 'So Much Better' and then follow it up with the more poingant and subtle 'Legally Blonde' in Act Two.  As always, her voice is wonderfully complimented by her impeccable comedic delivery.

She is surrounded by a great company to support her.  Producer John Frost has assembled an almost perfect cast to join Elle during her Delta Nu and Harvard college years.  David Harris is charming as study coach and eventual love interest Emmett. It is a joy to listen to his tenor voice, especially in ‘Chip On My Shoulder’.   Rob Mills offers a nice contrast in his portrayal of Warner, and likewise, his number ‘Serious’ in which he breaks up with Elle, showcases a strong musical theatre voice whilst allowing Durack ample opportunity to show off her finely tuned comedic chops.

Equally as crowd pleasing is Helen Dallimore as Salon owner Paulette.  Her ‘Ireland’ in which she yearns for an Irish boyfriend brings many laughs and allows Dallimore’s strong voice to soar.  

Erika Heynatz is a wonderful surprise as fitness guru Brooke Wyndham and her Act Two opening number ‘Whipped Into Shape’ hits the spot and advances the plot just after interval.

Ali Calder is dynamite in her role of Woods’ Harvard nemesis, Vivienne.  At age 21 Calder displays a voice beyond her years and her solo work in ‘Legally Blonde (Remix)’ and the finale, is scene stealing.

 

Ashlea Pyke, Chloe Zuel and Renee Burleigh are delightful as Elle's personal Greek Chorus and some of the show's most lively numbers are the songs they share with Durack ('Omigod You Guys' and 'What You Want' being two great examples).  As with Durack, they also show great comic timing.

 In a cast full of wonderful support work special mention must also be made of Euan Doidge and Andrew Ronay-Jenkings who bring the house down with their cameo roles as Nikos and Carlos in the Act Two showstopper,'There! Right There!'.  I also especially enjoyed Ash Bee who does great work with her small but crucial role of Chutney in the final court room climax.

For those seeking a little depth in their musicals there is an underlying message of being the best that you can be, but ultimately this is a fun romantic comedy and shouldn't be taken too seriously.  If you are looking for a night out at the theatre where you can check your cynicism at the door and simply be entertained by a superb cast, then head down to 'Legally Blonde - The Musical'.

Oh yeah....  and the dogs are cute too.

Book at ticketmaster.com.au

At a glance

I rave about:  The high energy of the cast headlined by Lucy Durack

Hot tip:  Grab a group of friends and make a night of it - it is that kind of show 

See it if you liked:  WICKED,  Hairspray and Legally Blonde (the film)   

My score: 9/10 

stagedoorjohnnyoz heads to the big apple

Rather than write reviews for each of the shows I saw in New York on my recent trip I have decided to write a two part overview of the shows I attended.

 This year’s season initially offered little that personally appealed to me but as the trip drew closer I was spoilt for choice and it became a case of weighing up the must sees.

Top of the list for me was Sister Act (Book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner, with additional book material by Douglas Carter Beene; Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glenn Slater).  Based on the 1990 film of the same title it tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier (Patina Miller) who takes refuge in a run down convent whilst on the run from a bunch of largely incompetent gangsters.  Fans of the film (including myself when I first heard the London recording) were disappointed that none of the songs used in the film make it to this stage version. However, Menken and Slater have filled the musical with so many well serving catchy songs that the film songs would now feel out of place amongst them. 

Oozing charisma, Miller delivers a star turn as Deloris.  She embodies the sassy spirit of Whoopi Goldberg’s celluloid performance but never once imitates it.  Possessing both a strong belt and a good sense of comic timing, it is easy to see why she was a strong contender for the Best Leading Actress in a Musical Tony. Favourite numbers that she leads for me were 'Fabulous Baby', 'Raise Your Voice' and 'Take Me to Heaven'.

Equally impressive is Clarke as Mother Superior. Tough and stoic when delivering her spoken lines, her expressive voice was a delight to listen to during 'Here Within These Walls' and 'Haven't Got a Prayer'.
There is some great support by the ensemble of singing nuns and some nice performances from the gangster mob (Demond Green is particularly engaging as TJ).

Sister Act offers nothing groundbreaking but for sheer light hearted joyous entertainment value it was the most enjoyable of the shows that I caught. 9/10

                                         Victoria Clarke was very chatty at stage door and
                                         was interested in talking about Australia

It was a long wait on a very hot summer evening

to meet Patina Miller but worth it

In a similar vein for bang for your joyous entertainment buck is my second favourite ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical’ (Book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott). Whist I enjoyed the original Sydney production in 2006 I was not overly fond of it.  I was looking forward to seeing this production on the Great White Way, both out of patriotism and to see how much it had developed over the years.  I was delighted to see that the changes have served it well and thoroughly enjoyed it this time around. 
Offering a good mix of camp fun, it manages to bring home a message of tolerance (albeit subtly) whilst entertaining with big production high energy fuelled numbers.  With over one thousand performances under his belt, Tony Sheldon continues to give a wonderful performance as transsexual Bernadette. It is easy to forget that you are watching a man in the role during the performance; Sheldon manages to be maternal and warm whilst maintaining an acidic tongue when needed. On many occasions he had the audience screaming with laughter.  Sheldon keeps them onside no matter how outrageous the line he is delivering. Wil Swenson as Tick (the role made famous by Hugo Weaving in the film) also gives a believable and tender performace.  His 'Say a Little Prayer' at the beginning of Act One and 'Always on my Mind' towards the conclusion of the show are particularly touching. 
The Tony award winning costume designs by Tim Chappel and Lizzie Gardiner are as effective as they were in the original Sydney production (and in some cases the film) and it was fun to see a US audience thrilled by the famous Australian icons that inspired various costumes.
I did not mind that the Kylie Minogue songs were replaced by those from Madonna in order to serve a US audience.  Madonna was (and still is) hugely popular in this country so it makes sense that a Sydney drag queen would obsessed with her.
The audience at the performance I attended was incredibly enthusiastic and by the time the curtain came down it felt like it was the end of a party. 8.5/10

                                          

                                              It is a shame the poster does not really

                                             give a good indication of the what the show

                                             is about

                                         Now that's more like it. Tony Sheldon pictured here
                                         in turban

Third on the list was 'The Book of Mormon', (Book, Music and Lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone).   I still rank this musical as my third choice despite not quite understanding why this has been so well received (along with 14 Tony nominations). The music is well written with catchy melodies which, profane lyrics aside, would not be out of place in many other American Broadway musical comedies.  Whilst it is amusing, in a shocking kind of way,  to hear the 'c' bomb dropped many times in a musical, it gets old fairly quickly and just becomes boring the 7th or 8th time you hear it. 

There are some hysterically funny lines of dialogue, and some moments when you can see brilliance at work, but then there are other times where I started to look at my watch to see how much longer before I could leave the theatre.
Andrew Rannells as Elder Price was perfect and gives a strong performance from beginning to end. From optimistic and bright eyed in the opening, to slightly bitter and questioning by show's end he retains true to character at all times.  His lead vocal in 'You and Me (But Mostly Me)' and solo 'I Believe' show off his versatility and one cannot help but be drawn into his journey.
Josh Gad as his downtrodden missionary companion Elder Cunningham took longer to grow on me. I felt that a lot of his performance went too far and at times was overacted. When he wasn't pushing it as far as he could, he turns in some lovely work ('I Am Here For You').
This show really sings in the ensemble numbers, especially when sung largely by the African villagers. 'Hasa Diga Eebowai' is a great example of this. Music, lyrics and vocals all marry perfectly. Another great moment is when Rory O'Malley leads the bright 'Turn It Off'.  O'Malley has the character of seemingly closeted Elder McKinley honed to perfection.
It will be interesting to see what life the show has.  I could not see this translating well to an Australian audience without several script changes, despite the catchy tunes.
Overall enjoyable enough, but I fail to appreciate all the hype. 7.5/10

Stay tuned for Part Two.

Take a jolly holiday with Mary

Mary Poppins - Book by Julian Fellowes, New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stills and Anthony Drewe, Co-created by Cameron Mackintosh, Produced for Disney Theatrical Productions by Thomas Schumacher, Co-Direction and Choreography by Matthew Bourne.
Starring Verity Hunt-Ballard (Mary Poppins), Matt Lee (Bert), Philip Quast (George Banks), Marina Prior (Winifred Banks), Sally-Anne Upton (Mrs.Brill), Judi Connelli (Miss Andrew) and Debra Byrne (Bird Woman).

Never before have I witnessed an audience erupt into cheering and clapping at the beginning of an overture at a second preview performance, but there is just something about this Mary.
Based on both the stories of Australian born author P.L Travers, and the Disney film of the same name, Mary Poppins is a sheer delight.

Not being a big fan of the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews (in fact I have never been able to watch the film in it's entirety) I was not initially looking forward to seeing it on stage. When I first saw it in Melbourne in 2010, it won me over with it's incredible performances and lavish production. It's transfer to Sydney has lost none of it's energy and zest and is even better after a successful 9 month run in Melbourne.

Verity Hunt-Ballard is a winner in the title role as the stern but fair nanny.  She warms the audience upon her first entrance and as the evening goes on impresses with her voice, dancing and wonderful acting.  Her Mary Poppins is no pushover and she sets up some fairly challenging lessons for the two Banks' children (played by Rose Shannon-Duhigg and Lachlan Jones at this performance) to learn, whether it be trial by stuffed toy or abandoning them at the end of the first act.  Hunt-Ballard's comic timing is impeccable and her wicked sense of humour prevents the show from delving too deeply into the potential pot of syrup it could do in lesser hands. She is helped along by a witty book by Julian Fellowes.

Equally as talented is Matt Lee as Bert; the jack of all trades who befriends the Banks children whilst being the flirtatious beau of Poppins (from time to time).  Lee has grown into the role and is a powerhouse dancer and competent singer/actor. His leading of the company in 'Step in time' in which he and an ensemble of chimney sweeps dance their away across the rooftops of London, whilst joined by Poppins, is nothing short of a showstopper. This number stopped the show on Tuesday evening.

Marina Prior delivers a pitch perfect performance as Winifred.Banks and Philip Quast is in his usual top form as George Banks. Musical theatre veterans Debra Byrne and Judi Connelli also feature and add strong support in their roles.  Sally-Ann Upton gets numerous laughs in her role as portly Housekeeper Mrs.Brill.

The choreography (originally choreographed by Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear) and costume design (by Christine Rowland) work well together in all numbers with highlights being 'Jolly Holiday' , 'Anything Can Happen' and of course 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'.

The book could perhaps benefit from a slight trim in some scenes and losing 10 or 15 minutes of dialogue would make for a tighter production but that is a minor quibble for a production that makes your heart sing and reminds you what is so magical about musical theatre in the first place.
Rush out and buy your ticket today; Mary Poppins is a magical experience for the whole family to enjoy.

                  Matt Lee and Verity Hunt-Ballard lead a hardworking ensemble through their paces
                                                     in the showstopping 'Step in Time'

                                                       That super song sure is SUPER

At a glance

I rave about:  Verity Hunt-Ballard, Matt Lee, Lavish production

I grumble about:  Very little

Hot tip: Book now 

See it if you liked:  WICKED, Lion King, The Sound of Music  

My score: 9/10 

Anything Goes for Amanda Harrison

In what is sure to be a hot ticket and news that will please her multitude of die hard fans, Amanda Harrison will make her long awaited return to the stage in The Production Company’s ‘Anything Goes’ in July (20^th - 24^th).  Harrison was to play Liza Minnelli in last year’s The Boy From Oz, and withdrew due to the pregnancy of her second child.  She will play the lead role of Reno Sweeney alongside Alex Rathgerber (an absolute standout in The Boy From Oz) as Billy Crocker; and Anne Wood (Mamma Mia) as Evangeline Harcourt.  Anything Goes is one of Cole Porter’s most popular musicals and features a fine collection of standards such as ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’, ‘It’d De-Lovely’ and of course the title track.  The production will be directed and choreographed by Andrew Hallsworth (Choreographer The Boy From Oz) who will return from a current Broadway engagement.  Rising musical theatre talent Dean Bryant (Next to Normal) will co-direct.  

The 2011 season which was officially launched today also includes Kismet in August (17^th – 21^st) and the Australian Premiere of multiple TONY Award winner, Grey Gardens (25^th Nov – 4^th Dec).

Kismet stars Janet Todd (The Magic Flute), Josh Piterman (West Side Story) and double Helpmann Award winner Mitchell Butel (Avenue Q, The Venetian Twins).  The score, based on the music of Great Russian composer, Alexander Borodin, includes the songs ‘Baubles, Bangles and Beads’ and ‘Stranger in Paradise’.

Closing the season is Grey Gardens which tells the intriguing story of the Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter ‘Little’ Edie; the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  Once the darlings of the social set, the two women were eventually reduced to squalor, living in a home that was repeatedly cited for health code violations.   The musical, based on a 1975 television documentary of the same name, takes place in two eras; the first when the estate was in it’s prime and the second when it was rundown. In what promises to be an exciting partnership, AFI Award winner Pamela Rabe will return in the virtuoso roles of Edith Bouvier Beale and ‘Little’ Edie, and industry veteran Nancye Hayes will play the role of the aged Edith.  Roger Hodgman (Wonderful Town, Strange Bedfellows) will direct, with Kellie Dickerson (Dr.Zhivago, WICKED) as Musical Director.

2011 Season subscriptions are available on the company’s website:

http://www.theproductioncompany.com.au/subscribe

Single performance tickets will be available to purchase on Monday June 6^th on 1300 182 183, or online at http://www.theartscentre.com.au/

Xanadu -The Musical to close in Melbourne April 10th

It appears that ‘Xanadu – The Musical’ will perform its final performance on April 10^th in Melbourne. Word is that the producers will assess how the final three weeks do in Melbourne before deciding if they will continue elsewhere with the tour.  This is disappointing news as I think that this show would do especially well in Sydney, however this now looks unlikely.