Music by: Max Lambert - Book and Lyrics by: Nick Enright
Director: Darren Yap - Musical Director: Max Lambert -Choreographer: Kelly Abbey
Set Designer: Michael Hankin - Costume Designer: Roger Kirk
Lighting Designer: Hugh Hamilton.
Presented by Luckiest Productions -Hayes Theatre Sydney – October 17
to November 16, 2014
Reviewed by Bill Stephens
There
seems to be a resurgence of interest in the work of Nick Enright. For a couple
of weeks this month it was possible to see two of his works, “Miracle City” and
“Daylight Saving”, running simultaneously in professional productions on stage
in Sydney.
Perhaps
the most intriguing is the musical “Miracle City”, which is perhaps the most
famous Australian musical we’ve never seen. That is until now.
“Miracle
City” was originally given a development season by The Sydney Theatre Company
in 1996, directed by Gale Edwards. It received an enthusiastic reception at the
time, but apart from a modified version, directed by Enright himself for WAAPA,
it has not been seen again until resurrected by Luckiest Productions for this
season at The Hayes Theatre.
Set in
the 1990’s and inspired by the careers of televangelists, Jim and Tammy Faye
Bakker, all the action in “Miracle City” takes place in a cable television
studio, on a Sunday morning, before, during and after the televising of the
Truswell family’s weekly television show.
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Mike McLeish as Ricky Truswell - Blazey Best as Lora-Lee Truswell
|
Mike
McLeish gives a superb performance as the evangelist, Ricky Truswell, using his
winning smile, silver tongue and apple-pie-fresh family to convince viewers to
part with their savings to finance “Miracle City”, his religious theme park. How
far Truswell will go to achieve his aim becomes shockingly clear as the show progresses.
Hilary
Cole is delightfully convincing as Truswell’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Loretta,
and Cameron Holmes as her young brother, Ricky-Bob is heartbreaking as he
registers the realisation of the fate of his sister.
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| Blazey Best as Lora-Lee Truswell |
However
it is Truswell’s charismatic wife, Lora-Lee, who is the linchpin of the family
business and the family, and in this role Blazey Best is simply mesmerising.
Whether exhorting the viewers to support her husband, leading the choir in
inspirational songs, comforting her staff, or crumbling under the weight of her
husband’s deception, her performance is as charismatic and masterful as the
character she plays. Her final scene in which she discards her make-up and
pride to plead with her husband is a gut-wrenching tour-de force.
As the
Truswell’s three back-up singers, Marika Aubrey, Esther Hannaford and Josie
Lane, not only sing up a storm but also manage to create three distinctly
interesting characters. Esther Hannaford, as struggling drug-addict Bonnie-Mae,
gets the best opportunities and the best song in the show, the soaring ballad
“I’ll Hold On”.
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| Esther Hannaford as Bonnie-Mae |
Peter
Kowitz is flesh-crawlingly creepy as the self-serving sleazy guest
televangelist, Millard Sizemore, and Jason Kos brings notable presence to the
role of Billy Trengrove, the stage-manager whose job it is to keep the show on track
amid the chaos threatening around him.
Michael
Hankin’s set design of a moveable semi-transparent gold curtain, moved around
the stage by the cast, is a lesson in economical stage design. It allows us to
see the action happening behind the scenes, while creating the correct
atmosphere for what is happening in front, and is used to maximum effect by
director Darren Yap who moves the show along at a cracking pace for its 90
minute duration, performed without an interval.
Choreography,
costumes and lighting by Kelley Abbey, Roger Kirk and Hugh Hamilton serve the
production well by capturing the feel of the early 1990’s. Max Lambert’s music
is tuneful, appropriate and accessible while Nick Enright’s book and lyrics remain
as powerful and fresh as when they were written.
The good
news is that this production has been recorded for CD release. If you see it,
get yourself a copy. Luckiest Productions have done music theatre enthusiasts a
great service by rescuing this important
Australian music theatre gem from obscurity with this excellent production.
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Josie Lane, Marika Aubrey, Esther Hannaford
This review also appears in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW |
