Prix D’Amour (The Price of Love)

The popular wisdom may be that Rose Hancock married her mining tycoon Lang Hancock for his millions. But according to this production there was also love in the equation.

The world premiere season of this fascinating story was performed in a very intimate theatre, at Merimbula NSW. The Spectrum Theatre Company should be so very proud of themselves, making the evening such a memorable night out, and producing great sets, costumes and speciality props on such a small stage.

The script has humour as well as pathos, the lyrics are great as is the music, although we would have preferred to hear a live band. The sound at Spectrum is superb, but the controller of the music should learn to fade out the music when the scene is set and ready to go. This is only a small problem which possibly has now been fixed by the writer Paul Dion, and Director Elaine
Waddell.

Rose was portrayed by a very beautiful Jennifer Hughes, who acted and looked the part, but some of the songs were a little beyond her vocal capability.

Her costumes were a delight and we understand Oscar Winner designer Anna Senior was responsible for some of the very glamorous outfits. Credit should go to Robyn Whitby, the wardrobe manager, for the costumes and glamorous jewellery that shone throughout the production.

Lang Hancock (Geoff Carswell) certainly looked and acted the part, and the audience’s favourite Sir Joh Bjelke Peterson (Bill Deverill) won many laughs with his quips and quotations.Bruce Waddell portrayed the part of Ledger (Lang’s overworked accountant) with superb hilarity.

Paul Dion (writer) and Elaine Waddell (Director) are to be congratulated for bringing the show to life. As Paul says in his programme notes, ”It takes courage to take on the untested and untried and I salute Spectrum Company for taking up the challenge of this large scale new work”

This was the premiere of a great little musical, which should be picked up by both professional and amateur companies alike.

Coralie Wood

Geoff Carswell (Lang Hancock), left, Jennifer Hughes (Rose Hancock) and Tom Oriti (Willie Porteous). Photo: Steve Gordon.