Li’l Abner

What a terrific fun show Li’l Abner is, even though it is so seldom performed. The VCA Music Theatre Graduating Students give us a zippy and colourful production, expertly directed by the marvellous Martin Croft with a terrific set by  Adam Gardnir and dozens of colourful costumes  by Harriet Oxley.

For those that don’t know Al Capp’s iconic comic strip, it’s all about a community of hillbillies in Dogpatch USA (which is about as low as you can go) who are looking for something that will save their town when it is chosen to be the test site for nuclear bombs.

The lyrics are terrific, the music is catchy and the bookwriters – with impeccable credentials give us a witty and highly satirical script. It is, however, a show of its time, and so here’s a general gripe….and it applies to many shows of a bygone era, and many companies besides VCA. If you don’t understand the references, make a point of finding out. Learn what the script and lyrics are pertaining to, and WHY it is satirical. Otherwise you can’t possibly know how to time a gag, or what emphasis to place on a line. It was very apparent that the cast didn’t understand the background, the jokes about government spending, the attitude of the military, or the general way of life in 1959. It could be argued that the audience doesn’t know that history either, but a cast armed with that knowledge can play the text in such a way as to make it clear to an uninformed audience. Thus, lines which should have been planted were thrown away and most of the jokes failed for all but oldies like myself.

Troy Phillips’ choreography is excellent and I have rarely seen such precision on stage in the well rehearsed numbers. The cast are full of enthusiasm and energy, even though this iconic comic strip started in 1933 – when their grandparents were children. But something with an iconic status, such as this, has to be carefully handled and respected….and here is my second gripe. I am a great fan of Martin Croft, he of the glorious voice and stage presence, but to cast the key role of Daisy Mae in direct physical conflict to what Al Capp and the book writers intended, does the show, and the history, a disservice. Daisy Mae is a big-busted but totally innocent blonde bombshell. She’s Jane Mansfield only 25 years earlier. Imogen Moore is very talented, with a good voice and clearly an excellent dancer, but she’s physically very slender and brunette. She just isn’t right for the role as it was intended and that damages the overall visuals as well as the concept, through no fault of her performance.

Mitchell Ralston is a perfect title character, and he has the yokel decency that Capp envisaged in his hero. He’s also a charming and charismatic performer with a good sense of timing, and terrific vocal and dancing chops. It surely will take just a couple more years before we see him as a leading man on a main stage. Jordan Barr almost steals the show as Mammy Yokum, so perfect is she in all respects, and Dean Schulz is the perfect foil for her as Pappy. Alex Gibson-Giorgio gives a very different take on Marryin’ Sam but for the most part it works. He’s a lithe and graceful dancer and reminds me so much of Ray Bolger who, apart from the Scarecrow in the film of the Wizard of Oz, had most of his Musical hits in the 1940s. Alex also makes a feast of Jubilation T Cornpone, the first of the big numbers, though a more solid and flatfooted approach would work better in keeping with the strip and the original show. Nevertheless he is a super-talented triple threat. What doesn’t work for me with this character and some others is the cartoon and clown-like makeup with large red rouge spots on the cheeks etc. A Comic Strip is not a cartoon, nor a circus. It would have been nice to see the make-up toned down.

There’s a fabulous and quite subtle comic performance from Barnaby Reiter as Dr Rasmussen T. Finsdale, plus great delivery and stage presence from Amberly Cull (Appassionata). She really knows how to time a line. Josh Gardiner’s take on Earthquake McGoon is beautifully pitched and rounded. Al Capp himself would have given bouquets. Gabriel Brown gave nice performances as Available Jones and other cameos, and Henry Brett is a deliciously over the top Evil Eye Fleagle (as well as a delightful yokel) …but one character playing OTT is probably enough for any show. There were other performers (I couldn’t find a name for Mayor Dogmeat) who seemed to be having a mugging contest with themselves.

Stephen Gray’s small music ensemble was solid, as you would expect, but I did long for a fuller and richer orchestration for some of the numbers.

All in all it was an entertaining night and the future of Musical Theatre looks to be in safe hands.

Coral Drouyn

Photographer: Drew Echberg