Class of 2020 Showcase

It’s ironic that the last show I reviewed before the Covid  lockdown was the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University's Musical Theatre students in Elegies – A Song Cycle, and now one of the first shows I’ve reviewed after the restrictions have been eased is their Class of 2020 Acting and Musical Theatre Showcase.

In the past six months, the students have been through online lessons, workshops, masterclasses, industry meetings, filmed performances and auditions, and are now about to graduate as ‘industry-ready’ performers.

This workshop is a brutal audition where each performer gets 90 seconds to show their ability. It’s cut-throat but it’s a good and necessary experience for what obviously lies ahead in the commercial theatre.

Amongst those who pushed their charisma to the limit were Kaitlin Nihill, whose delivery of Victor Herbert’s ‘Art Is Calling Me’ and The Apple Tree’s ‘Gorgeous’ had a ton of personality, likewise Paul Roos with his lovely take on Aladdin’s ‘Proud of Your Boy’ and a great ‘Extraordinary’ from Pippin.

Jade Delmiguez, with her incredible pipes, nailed Hamilton’s ‘That Would Be Enough’ and closed the show with a blistering ‘Fabulous, Baby!’ from Sister Act.

Others to impress were Danielle Remulta in ‘Waiting For Life’ (Once On This Island); Campbell Lennox with ‘Being Alive’ (Company) and Lauren Beatson, who unleashed an amazing soprano finale in ‘Vanilla Ice Cream’ (She Loves Me).

The Batchelor of Acting Graduates performed a number of monologues from plays by David Mamet, Jean Anouilh, Andrew Bovell, Noël Coward et al. Trent Taylor-Brain did a nice job with ‘Christopher’s Monologue’ from The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time,’ whilst Harrison Hughes also registered highly with Louis’ Monologue from Tony Kushner’s Angels In America.

Heidi Loveland, again, was an incredible guiding force at the keyboard.

There’s a lot of talent amongst this group and let’s hope when Covid ends they get the chance to show it on our main stages.

Peter Pinne

Images: Showcase company, Kaitlin Nihill and Paul Roos.