Stage adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. Based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford. Music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford. Additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins nd Jim Steinman. Directed by Anthony Swadling. Musical direction by Jenna Hinton. Choreography and assistant direction by Rachel Thornton. Manager David Tricks. Stage Manager Rachel Laloz. Repetiteur Brigid Cummins. Costume design Rhiannon de Margheriti. Set design Steve Galinec and Anita Davenport. Lighting design Jacob Aquilina (Eclipse) Sound design Kyle Maley (Eclipse) Properties Master Helen McIntyre. Queanbeyan Players. The Q. Queanbeyan and Palerang Performing Arts Centre. June 23 – July 3 2023. Bookings 62856290.
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins.
Footloose
is your quintessential American musical. It’s a triple threat explosion of
acting, singing and dancing and Queanbeyan Players’ large ensemble of youthful
talent give it everything they’ve got. From the opening number Footloose Rachel Thornton’s lively
choreography leaves no doubt that Footloose
the Musical is a celebration of dance
with Jenna Hinton’s musical direction of her ter5rific band and pit singers
pushing up the pulse and getting Anthony Swadling’s production off to a foot
tapping , heart thumping start.
Even
the plot is a snapshot of rural, bible bashing America. Ren (a charismatic
performance by Luke Ferdinands) and his mother Ethel (Hayley Calderwood) are
forced to move to the small Midwest town of Bomont after Ren’s father abandons
them. Town preacher Reverend Shaw More ( a performance of great gravitas from Pat
Gallagher) has banned dancing after his son died in a car accident after a
night of carousing and rock ‘n roll. His daughter Ariel (Sammy Marceddo) is the
teen rebel in a relationship with the town delinquent Chuck Cranston (Zac Izzard) and Ren is treated as
the outsider until he befriends hic cowboy Willard Hewitt ( a wonderfully comic
performance by Jonathan Whinfield) and strikes up a relationship with Ariel setting
the scene for rivalry with the belligerent Chuck. Writer Pitchford’s themes
strike a familiar chord. Footloose
exposes the generation gap and family disputes. There is the xenophobic regard
of the newcomer and the strong hold that religion has on the townsfolk. But it
is the power of transformation that can ultimately win the day and with a score
by Tom Snow that can have your heart thumping with rock combo force (Still Rocking) or melting with Ariel and
Ren’s duet Almost Paradise Queanbeyan
Players’ production takes you on a rollercoaster ride of bursting energy and
tear dropping sentiment. Director Swadling assisted by Jacob Aquilina’s vivid
lighting design keeps the action fluid and cast and creatives sweep you along
through a plot that is familiar but a production that is uplifting and entertaining.
The combination of direction, musical direction and choreography lend this
production a professional gloss that is celebrated in the performance of every
member of this highly talented and enthusiastic cast.
Too
many to mention, principals and chorus capture the authentic flavour of the
townsfolk of Bomont. There are excellent performances from Ariel’s girlfriends
played with backing singer chicness by Emily Pogson and Kay Liddiard with Kara Murphy (Let’s Hear It
For the Boy) . Kara Murphy also portrays a likeable innocence in her
performance as Willett’s love interest Rusty and Sarah Hull’s Vi (Can You Find It In Your Heart) is totally
convincing as Ariel’s mother. There is the no frills, tell it like it is
roughness in Sarah Powell’s Bar Owner, Betty.
You’ll
be hard pushed to stay still in your seat at this pumped up gotta dance musical
and you’ll still be rocking to the songs and the company numbers as you leave
the theatre. You’ll laugh. You’ll shed a tear and you’ll have a fun night out
if you are lucky enough to get your feet down to The Q to see Queanbeyan
Players’ production of Footloose.
