Reviews

The intriguing title heralded an intriguing musical. The Caroline refers to Caroline Thibodeaux, a maid in a Jewish home in Louisiana in 1963. The change, on one level, refers to the coins which she finds in the pockets of her employers. Caroline – a struggling single mother – is encouraged to keep the nickels and dimes she finds to help her own children.

Fly is an Australian opera composed by Barry Conyngham which debuted in 1984 with the late, lamented Victorian State Opera. The subject is Lawrence Hargrave, an Australian engineer, explorer, astronomer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer.

I found this opera quite approachable. The music enhanced the drama and flowed lyrically. The venue was just a square brick box with very lively acoustics. Unfortunately, words were sometimes lost when performers were not facing the audience. However, generally diction was very good.

This cast tore up the stage in a sizzling display of music, dance and cynicism. They were every bit up to the challenge of doing justice to the pared down version of Chicago, which was revived on Broadway in 1996 and is still going 23 years later.

Chicago feels like an almost perfect model box of a musical. It has one great tune after another and at its heart is a jaw dropping good story.

Mental Health had been a “taboo” topic of conversation up until 1975 when the film version of this play starring Jack Nicholson came to our attention. Since then the community has become increasingly aware of the circumstances surrounding this medical condition and fortunately the treatment has improved tremendously.

Mike Sheehan’s production gives the audience a “real” understanding of how things were and his entire cast treat the play with dignity while portraying those affected by this situation.