Bearded

Bearded is a gutsy, full-throated roar of a musical, set in the lead up to the referendum on marriage equality. (Although there’s some unnecessary confusion at the start when a character tells us that the ‘YES’ vote got 60% as if it’s already happened - but we all do know, of course, the outcome of that referendum and, surprisingly, the roof did not fall in, society and even marriage itself survived (despite the lies of the ‘NO’ people). The stage is dominated by huge banners pro and con, plus the unsmiling face of the ‘family values’ ‘NO’ candidate, Richard Rawling (Anton Berezin). No opponent is featured or even named – because in this show it’s the gay kids vs fear, repression, and authority. Naturally, Richard, a bad-tempered, short fuse termagant - wants to campaign with his perfect family: obedient wife Janet (Michelle Fitzmaurice) and daughters Hailey (Belle Parkinson), a pretty but annoying prig who wears a crucifix on her impeccable school uniform, and Bet (Bek Schilling), a more troubled, rumpled, ambivalent number, already sort of secretly and trepidatiously in love with Kelly (Charlie Jaz Abbott Higgins). Bet’s grumpy resistance to playing along and supporting her father makes him anxious, nasty, and shouty, but he doesn’t get whatever it is that is her problem – although, of course, we do. 

Meanwhile, Bet’s best friend is shy doofus Ace (playwright and composer Sean Donehue), who lives with his single Dad, working class David (Michael Linder). Ace too is struggling with his sexuality; he’s pretty sure he’s gay, but he’s scared, worried about his Dad, and has yet to do anything about it… As pressure mounts, Ace and Bet agree to be each other’s ‘beards’ – and suddenly they’re ’normal’ even if their gay pals are either dismayed or unconvinced…. In fact, Donehue and Schilling make a sweet couple and it’s good to see a loving, non-heteronormative pair on stage without the usual bitchy wisecracks. Ace and Bet’s friend Christa (Rachel Tunaley) is an absolute delight – Tunaley is an anarchic natural clown – while Ace’s love interest Casey (Alexander Tye) is matinee idol handsome – and Ace just melts.

The show proceeds almost completely via contemporary music theatre songs – you won’t leave humming, but they are songs of powerful emotion - and high energy dance numbers by our leads and the ensemble. Co-writer Nick Waxman’s direction is slick, efficient, and never lets up on pace (until the final scenes). Aaddhya Wijegoonawardena’s choreography is excellent – some of the best I’ve seen in Melbourne music theatre – and the cast executes every number with verve, precision, and style. Tom Vulcan’s stage design is simple groups of platforms, which, assisted by his lighting, stand in for political campaign stump speeches, family homes, school playgrounds, a bed, and party venues. The on-stage band is not named on the website, but it’s worth noting that the sound mix fights the singers – the drums can be heard in the foyer - rather than supporting them – as is often the case on opening nights.

It’s possibly a strange thing to say about a musical, but there may be just too much singing and dancing in Bearded – that is, too much at the expense of story and character. For all its energy and exuberance, and the evident enthusiastic engagement of the audience (whom the show flatters), the story is simplistic, not to say predictable, even cliché. We know before the first rousing song who the villain is and when the surprise reveal comes, it’s not that surprising. The gay characters, apart from the leads, seem unreservedly happy in all their scenes, songs, and dances. Resistance to marriage equality comes entirely from uptight (and hypocritical) ‘Christians.’ Bet and Ace acting as each other’s ‘beards’ is awkward and funny, but there’s not much tension or pain. Emotional depth comes mostly from the relationship between Ace and his father, David (the song, when Ace comes out – and after his first night of love – is truly moving) but we already knew that rough head working class David is a good guy. It’s a show that feels it must power on to several endings, becoming wearily repetitious; Bet’s last aria, for instance is quite unnecessary: we certainly know Schilling can sing, we know how Bet feels and, anyway, she doesn’t act to change things.

The lead up to the referendum on marriage equality was the source of much persecution, discrimination, and cruelty for LGBQTI+ people. Perhaps because Bearded is a period piece and we know the referendum’s triumphant outcome, it’s okay to skate cheerfully over the surface – unlike the sharper and musically more complex Rent for instance. Donehue and Waxman have opted for uplift, positivity, and endorsement of the gay life and culture (Ace’s last song, to roars of approval, begins ‘I love being a homo’), but a little light and shade, and some more complexity might throw the show’s real qualities into sharper relief.

Michael Brindley