Reviews

‘A story entered, a tiny key we turned’ sings Alice Spencer, on the platform of a London Underground station, shrinking from the sounds of the Blitz above her. It’s an escape, a safe place – or maybe not, because this is Wonderland.

In the car park behind the Prahan Town Hall sits a big passenger bus; people are queueing up eager to jump on this theatrical joyride. Speed: The Movie, The Play, devised by the Brisbane based comedy theatre company Act React - they specialise in pop culture inspired performances and immersive theatre. Touring nationally across Australia, offering audiences a hard arse hour of unstoppable entertainment, they have now returned to Melbourne Fringe.

Surely there were a few nerves before the inaugural third-year industry showcase from the QLD Conservatorium Bachelor of Acting students. The 2024 graduating class certainly didn't let any trepidation show on stage. The talented young cast treated us to a wide variety of short excerpts from classical and modern works out of Australia, the US, and Europe. Consisting of comedy, drama and songs, the extracts were cleverly stitched together to create one gratifying work that allowed the performers to show versatility in playing a variety of roles.

Many believe the musical Grease came to life in the hugely popular 1978 film starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, however writers and lyricists Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey first staged a version of the musical in Chicago in 1971, before diluting its content for Broadway release in 1972.