Antonio

Antonio is billed as a ‘queer pop punk pirate musical’. Add a liberal sprinkling of Shakespeare and you have a production that goes where no show has gone before!

With a cast of 5, all playing multiple instruments, the pirate cast of Antonio sings up a storm on the high seas (or the Migration Museum). It is a song cycle of sorts set to punk rock. There’s a bit of everything in this production, comedy, slapstick, audience participation and most importantly songs with music by Ania Upstill, William Duignan, and Andy Manning.

The production is based on the imaginary premise that Shakespeare took the name for his characters called Antonio across multiple plays from a secret vagabond lover. The good ship Butch Mermaid takes to the high seas to visit the fictions of The Bard and a new story for the pirate who comes to play many parts.

In reality, Shakespeare wrote five different Antonio characters, not connected, but it’s fun to believe they may have been based on a real person.

The songs are extremely catchy (one of them ‘F**k Money’ having audience participation). Duignan (Antonio) has a strong voice with an amazing range and fronts the band and production.

He is delightfully over the top and almost has the audience believing that Shakespeare really did have a secret queer lover. With the help of his pirate crew, he explores sugar daddies, kink and the love, hate and jealousy of relationships.

Although the harmonies are spot on, the vocals are strongest when the cast is in unison, and they are pitch-perfect throughout featuring songs like ‘Pound of Flesh’, ‘I Want a Boy!’ and ‘My Life, Not Yours”, the show rollicks along but has a powerful message – “You deserve to be loved for your authentic self!”

Performances from the ensemble are strong, each having their moment to shine as they become the different lovers of Antonio. Even though the production is set centuries ago, it has many elements that resonate with modern day life.

What is impressive is the way each of the five performers supports the other. When they are not in character they are setting up for the next section or revving up the audience and keeping the energy going. If we all supported each other to this extent, the world would be a much happier place!

My only reservation with this production was some uneven miking on the opening night and performers not always working to their mikes resulting in the loss of some of the dialogue. This should resolve itself however as the season settles into its new venue.

Antonio is an hour of queer joy and song that will have you stomping your feet, laughing with the cast and maybe seeing Shakespeare in a whole new light!

Barry Hill OAM

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