Mack and Mabel

Musical Theatre tragics and fans (myself included) have been in love with the Broadway Cast recording of Mack and Mabel for more than 40 years. Its lush traditional Broadway score by Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly, Mame, La Cage Aux Folles) is arguably the best ever written for a Broadway Musical flop.

The plot revolves around the relationship between early comedy film director Mack Sennett (Bathing Beauties, Keystone Kops) and his star Mabel Normand, and movie making in Hollywood’s silent era.

Though explanations abound as to why Mack and Mabel played just 66 performances on Broadway in 1974, they don’t tend to blame the score (hell, Torvill and Dean skated their way to fame with its overture as their soundtrack).

Now wider Sydney audiences have a splendid opportunity to enjoy this little-known favourite of the aficionados, courtesy of the innovative creative team of Trevor Ashley (Director), Cameron Mitchell (Choreographer) and Bev Kennedy (Musical Director), Lauren Peters (Set Design) and Angela White (Costume Design). The intimacy of the Hayes Theatre Co is a perfect fit for the show, cut back to a tight ensemble cast of 13, in a fluid production using mostly props that would be the found objects around a Hollywood sound stage to suggest a variety of settings, on a black box stage. It’s a production which sometimes explodes into song and dance, then hovers ghost-like in an echoing void, and at other moments creates absolute intimacy.

It’s outstanding performances in the title roles, glove-like fits, that are at the heart of this production’s appeal.

Charismatic Scott Irwin totally inhabits the stoic, inarticulate film-maker Mack. Only in his asides (though he breaks the 4^th wall from time to time retrospective reflection) does he reveal his true feelings. Irwin’s rich baritone does full justice to Mack’s share of the classic Herman songs.

Petite dynamo Angelique Cassimatisis totally winning as Mabel, balancing impish comedy with endearing pathos, and a Broadway belt voice to die for. She’s a marvelous triple threat, well and truly deserving of a leading role on our major commercial stages.

They head a capable, high-energy ensemble cast, most notably Deone Zanotto as Lotte, vivaciously leading the hoofing highlights, and Adam Di Martino’s sensitive performanceas the fledgling writer, loosely based on cinema legend Frank Capra.

Probably too dark for audiences in its day (long before Les Mis popularly substituted musical carnage for musical comedy), the enigma of Mack and Mabel’s great score has driven many revivals and revisions overseas, while several excellent amateur productions over the years introducing it to local audiences.

While the script has never matched the score, in its current pared back form at least now it’s the songs that do most of the talking, strongly supported by choreography that’s in tune with the narrative. Bev Kennedy’s excellent five-piece band often sounds far closer to a full Broadway pit.

Get along to Mack and Mabel at the Hayes, a production destined to significantly grow the show’s ‘cult’ following.

Neil Litchfield

Images: Lightbox Photography