The Boy from Oz

Having seen a professional production earlier this year, I wasn’t sure how I’d react to an amateur company performing The Boy From Oz, but came away feeling thoroughly entertained.

The stage was quite shallow and the band was on two levels at the back. Many entrances were made through the auditorium, which kept the audience involved.

Of course, this show relies heavily on the title character, and Matt Jakowenko had a good singing voice and an engaging personality which drew the audience in and he never dropped character through the long night. He had lots of energy and charisma.

Wendy Alberni was a constant presence as his mother. She sang a heartfelt “Don’t Cry Out Loud” after his father committed suicide. Saskia Penn was another constant, singing well as Judy Garland, Allen’s mother-in-law, who also reappeared several times after her death.

Hallie Goodman was a convincing Liza Minelli, singing well and looking the part. Frankie Guida played Allen’s lover, Greg, and sang a tender “I honestly love you” when he found he had AIDS. Dayna Tinline, Zoe Matthews and Jess McCallum did well as the trio of backup singers.

The choreography worked better in some places than others. The lighting was patchy, and the band, which played well, sometimes drowned the dialogue on stage.

But overall, this was a highly entertaining evening.

Graham Ford