Reviews

Round The Twist

Music, Lyrics and Book by Paul Hodge. Theme song by Andrew Duffield. Produced by Queensland Theatre and Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Directed by Simon Phillips. World Premiere season at Playhouse, QPAC. 12th Nov – 8th Dec, 2024

At last, an Australian musical that is true blue down to its very roots. Those roots are the work of Paul Jennings, our most beloved children’s author, without whom this delightful concoction for kids from 1-100 would never exist.

But it has taken the single-mindedness and multi talents of musical wunderkind Paul Hodge to give us a musical for the ages. It’s not a children’s musical, any more than Matilda (with which it will inevitably be compared) is just for children. It is delightful entertainment for every member of the family.

The Lord Of The Rings: A Musical Tale

Based on the novels by J R R Tolkien. Book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and original music by A R Rahman, Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale. Kevin Wallace Productions, GWB Entertainment and Middle-earth Enterprises. Civic Theatre, Auckland. Opening Night: November 12, 2024. Australian seasons follow in Sydney from 7 January 2025, Perth from 19 March, Melbourne from 26 April and Gold Coast from 4 July..

The opening night of Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale at Auckland’s Civic Theatre was as grand as the production itself. From the red carpet entrance to the magnificent foyer filled with A-list celebrities, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. Inside the theatre, attendees were greeted by several Hobbits, enhancing the immersive experience before the performance commenced.

August: Osage County

By Tracy Letts. Belvoir Street Theatre (a co-production with Black Swan State Theatre). November 9 to December 15, 2024

The Native American reservation has long gone – along with the mighty bison which once roamed the  Great Plains -  but Osage County in Oklahoma still bears the scars of its environmental and cultural destruction, turning into a dustbowl during the excruciating  heat of August.

Verdict

Written by Agatha Christie. Directed by David Bell. Presented by Centenary Theatre Group. Chelmer Community Centre, 9 November – 1 December 2024

Agatha Christie's 1958 play Verdict defies expectations of a classic whodunnit. While murder is central to the plot, Christie lays bare the identity of the killer during the murder, shifting the tension to uncovering who will be blamed and why. This departure from her signature formula allows the narrative to explore deeper psychological and moral themes.

Twisted: The Untold Tale of a Royal Vizier

Originally produced by StarKid Productions, with music by A.J. Holmes, lyrics by Kaley McMahon, and book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Eric Kahn Gale. Marie Clark Musical Theatre. Goodwood Theatre & Studios, Goodwood, SA. Nov 15-23, 2024

Marie Clark Musical Theatre Company have presented a musical theatre gem for their 50th Anniversary. Twisted is a SA premiere from the US theatre company Starkid Productions.

Jesus Christ Superstar

Lyrics by Tim Rice. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Regent’s Park Open Air Production. John Frost and Ian David for Crossroads Live. Capitol Theatre Sydney. Opening Night: November 14, 2024

Michael Paynter, in his professional musical theatre debut, almost blew the lid off the Capitol Theatre with his soaring high tenor rendition of the aria ‘Gethsemane’.

With spotlights circling the heavens, beaten and whipped, facing imminent crucifixion, he scaled notes with such clarity and passion that he scored an unheard of two mid-performance standing ovations. The rock singer has not been in a musical since he was in high school – what a debut!

The Wharf Revue – The End of the Wharf As We Know It.

By Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Philip Scott. The Seymour Centre. 11 Nov – 23 Dec, 2024

What shall we do without The Wharf Revue? ‘Tis hard to accept that this will be the last! For over 25 years Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe, Phil Scott (and his piano) have brilliantly lampooned politics and politicians from here and overseas. They’ve done it in song, in dance, in verse and on screen. Even in telling contemplations that played poignantly above the satire.  

Eurovision on Tour

Presented by Eurodrama Entertainment, SL. 13th of November, 2024 at The Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane; 15th of November at the Palais Theatre, Melbourne; 17th of November at the Enmore Theatre, Sydney.

Top mage: The full line up of performers standing on stage.

Drizzle Boy

By Ryan Enniss. Queensland Theatre, directed by Daniel Evans. The Playhouse, Canberra, 13–16 November 2024, and touring.

 

Milo’s Wake

By Margery and Michael Forde. Richmond Players. Richmond School of Arts, NSW. Nov 9 – 30, 2024.

Conceived from the intriguing premise of a man hosting his own wake, Richmond Players’ production of Milo’s Wake unravels into a vivid exploration of the Irish migrant experience with deep roots in personal narratives.

Milo (Sean Duff), who has spent many years in Australia, has chosen to celebrate his life in a rather unconventional manner. Although, initially, I perceived this as an impressive platform for the actor playing Milo, and it is, each character plays a significant role exploring themes of legacy, family dynamics, and personal growth.

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