The Scarlet Pimpernel

The calibre of non-professional theatre in Melbourne continues to soar with OSMaD’s lavish production of The Scarlet Pimpernel.  This much underrated and rarely performed musical echoes the romance of Phantom, the drama of Les Misérables and the cheeky humour of a Gilbert & Sullivan opera.  Composer Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll and Hyde, the musical) collaborated with playwright Nan Knighton (Saturday Night Fever, the musical) resulting in a nomination for the 1998 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical as well as a flood of other theatre awards.  The musical is an historical fiction, action adventure based on Baroness Orczy’s 1903 play (one of London’s most successful, running at over 2,000 performances) and subsequent 1905 novel of the same name. The titular character is the alter ego of Sir Percy Blakeney, a wealthy English fop, a man seemingly concerned more with his clothes and appearance than anything else!  Covertly, he is a brave, quick thinking escape artist, who along with his friends (known as The League) save French aristocrats from “Madame Guillotine” during the French Revolution.  With his secret identity, the Scarlet Pimpernel is literature’s first superhero, and has inspired a whole pop culture of books, comics, movies and musicals.

Director Penn Valk is very brave in choosing a relatively unknown musical for OSMaD’s post Covid return. However, her knowledge of stagecraft has resulted in a dazzling, perfectly cast, beautifully conceived show that could easily grace any West End or Broadway stage. Another bold and successful choice is the use of LED screens as the main sets, along with conventional props, something rarely used in non-professional shows. With 17 different scenes depicting both interior and exterior places in England and France, using traditional sets would make this production almost insurmountable. Castles, ballrooms, chandeliers, secret hideouts, luxurious gardens and even an ocean voyage are all depicted digitally, but oddly enough still feel believable. Brenton Van Vliet’s audacious set and lighting design provides a touchstone for other companies thinking of using digital scenery.   

Sound design by Jake Sipcic perfectly balanced out the cast with the orchestra allowing every word to be heard clearly. Costumes by Penn Valk and Dirk Strachan are vibrant, elegant and authentic to the time period. Choreography by Joel Anderson is true to the era, at times comical and others altogether challenging. The clever use of masks worn in the ball scene resulted in some very novel and difficult manoeuvres from a well-polished ensemble. The showmanship of sword fighting is a highlight of the Act Two finale, meticulously choreographed by DJ Pearce (I had to keep reminding myself that this was only pretend and that the actors would survive!).