Tarzan

A production with colour and joy, with appeal for the whole family. Laughing Horse Productions’ Tarzan - The Stage Musical is a well-polished, nicely performed, production, playing at Koorliny Arts Centre. Opening on one of the busiest theatrical weekends of the year, Opening Night did not attract the audience it deserved, but this show has a lot to love.

A lush green, multi-level jungle set means that the apes in the story have lots to clamber over, and the set even has a water feature. Fun costuming, designed by Sheryl Gale, gives both apes and humans distinctive looks and the lighting, designed by director Adam Salathiel helped establish the atmosphere.

Jake Lippiatt is picture perfect in the title role, bringing a great deal of personality to his first leading role in a community theatre production. The younger Tarzan is played by look-alike Hunter Young (both sporting lovely long blonde hair) in a performance that is particularly impressive. Natalie Winsall makes a very welcome Western Australian debut as Jane, with a sweet and beautifully voiced performance, even more impressive given that she also stepped into role of Musical Director partway through rehearsals - and clearly guided this cast very well.

A standout in the cast was Renee Bickford as Mama Ape Kala, physicalising the role with expertise and crafting a journey with depth and reality. Nice work also from Neil Young, strong and imposing as patriarch Kerchack, while Lalkrishna Rajesekharen and Artemis Lockyer were good fun as Tarzan’s best friend Terk, at different ages. Kudos to the whole team of apes, who worked well as a believable family - each with individual quirks, and who moved well under the guidance of choreographer Zoë Jay, who was also appearing on stage, due to Covid absentees.

Sam Barnett was clearly relishing his role as the villainous Clayton, deliciously evil, while Vaughn Lowe made an impressive theatrical debut as Jane’s father Professor Porter. Solid work from supporting artists including Erin O’Brien as Mother, Emma-lee Sinclair as the Leopard and Phil Bialis as The Creature - and swinging in for a Covid afflicted Evan Bialis as Snipes.

A production with colour and joy, with appeal for the whole family.

Kimberley Shaw