The Merry Widow from Bluegum Creek

The last time I saw this Australian adaptation of the most popular operetta of the 20th century, the grand nephew of Franz Lehár was sitting next to me.  Alex Lehár flew out from the United States to watch the world premiere of 'Bluegum' in Dubbo in 1999. 

During that production there was a little mirth when on stage, three members of the chorus appeared at the embassy ball in fancy dress as The Three Sisters. The joke was that we had stopped to see the real Three Sisters on our drive over the Blue Mountains from Sydney to Dubbo.

Seventeen years later on another drive (this time from Sydney to Queanbeyan) once again I spotted something that would be on stage at the fancy dress ball - Kangaroos. Unfortunately the roos were looking worse for wear along the side of the highway.

There was nothing worse for wear about this production by the Queanbeyan Players.  Sitting next to me was my Austrian born mother, very impressed at the large orchestra under the baton of Jennifer Groom, faithfully playing the sumptuous music that made the operetta such a hit in 1905.

None of the music is altered in this edition. Instead of it being set in the Paris embassy of the newly formed Balkan nation of Pontevedrinia, The Merry Widow from Bluegum Creek is set in the Australian embassy in Paris.

The ambassador Zack  (Robert Grice) tells his French guests "that our new born nation, only Federated this year, is holding a grand competition to design a new flag … I myself have come up with a pretty fair design, even if I say so myself (he inclines his head towards the nearest six-tailed Kangaroo)."

The hapless French have to decipher the Aussie lingo. Matt Greenwood as Michelin explains that he does not know what is a 'chook' or how to 'take a Captain Cook.'

The local audience enjoyed the twist to the story .

However a few admitted afterwards that they were not familiar with all of Frank Hatherley's Aussie "lingos".

The leading man Charles Hudson - as Danny Macquarie - fit very comfortably into the skin of his character. He looked and sounded the part in the role as an embassy attaché, who starts off enjoying being a playboy in Paris, but rekindles the flame for his first love.

Louise Keast - the Merry Widow of a wool baron, Mrs Anna Gladstone - had a knock-about charm and a lovely voice, highlighted during her aria ‘Vilja’ which becomes ‘Bluegum’, an anthem to the Australian bush.

There was a nice chemistry (and a sweet Waltz) between the two of them, which summed up the mood of this production.

David Spicer*

David Spicer Productions is the agent for The Merry Widow from Bluegum Creek.