Conceived and
performed by Phil Scott and Blake Bowden
Courtyard Studio,
Canberra Theatre Centre 19-21st May 2016
Reviewed by Bill
Stephens
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| Mario Lanza |
Mario Lanza’s film
career lasted barely 10 years. Yet by the time he died at the age of 38, Lanza
had achieved enormous fame as a film star and opera singer. This despite the
fact that his film output had been relatively small and his actual appearances
in opera remarkably few
But Lanza possessed a
charismatic personality, and a remarkably beautiful tenor voice, which was
often compared with that of Caruso. At the time of his death, his movie career had
already started to wan as a result of problems caused by his fluctuating
weight, and tempestuous personality, and even though there was a perfectly
plausible explanation for the cause of his death, at the time, conspiracy
theories as to the real cause, continue to fascinate more than 50 years after
the event.
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| Phil Scott and Blake Bowden in "Mario - The Story and music of Mario Lanza" |
Phil Scott and Blake
Bowden have plugged in the Lanza legend to create a captivating theatrical
cabaret in which they sketch, almost as a mini-musical documentary, the broad
details of Lanza’s life.
In a series of short,
sharp scenes, in which Bowden portrays Lanza, and with Phil Scott playing
everyone else, they trace through Lanza’s career, from his early singing
lessons, through the Hollywood Bowl concert which led to his meeting with
Hollywood mogul, Louis B. Mayer, and his first film. They follow the rise and
rise of Lanza’s remarkable career to the events which lead him to leave
Hollywood and attempt to pursue his career in Italy, where he suddenly died.
Throughout the
journey, Bowden, sings a generous selection of songs associated with Lanza among them “With
a Song In My Heart”, “The Loveliest Night of the Year”, and “Because
You’re Mine”, as well as operatic showpieces
including Verdi’s stirring “La Donna Mobile” and the gentle Puccini aria, “Your
Tiny Hand is Frozen”.
One of the country’s
fastest rising young male music theatre stars, Blake Bowden came to Canberra directly
from the national tour of “Fiddler on the Roof”, in which he played Perchik,
opposite Anthony Warlow’s Tevye. Prior to “Fiddler” , Bowden has played leading
roles in series of high profile musicals including the Cat Stevens musical
“Moon Shadow”, as well as “South Pacific” for Opera Australia, “West Side Story”, “Blood Brothers” and
“Dirty Dancing”.
“Mario” provides a
superb showcase to display the many talents of the personable Bowden. Besides
demonstrating that he’s equally at home
crooning a beautifully phrased version of Jerome Kern’s, “They Didn’t Believe
Me” or delivering a bravura, full-throated rendition of Puccini’s “Nessun
dorma”, Bowden also proved to be a fine actor. His characterisation deftly
captured Lanza’s reputed arrogance, as well as the charm and charisma which propelled
Lanza into International superstardom. He also threw in a few nifty dance steps
that Lanza may have envied.
Phil Scott’s
contribution is no less impressive. Using a variety of wigs, scarves and hats,
Scott created a succession of wickedly tongue-in-cheek characters including Louis
B. Mayer, a personal trainer, a New York singing teacher, a German conductor
and even a disgruntled Mario Lanza fan who loudly disputed the veracity of some
of the facts mentioned in the performance.
On top of all that,
Scott accompanied each of the songs superbly, utilising every inch of the
Steinway keyboard to provide sparkling, florid backings to approximate the
sound of a vast MGM orchestra for Romberg’s “Drink, Drink, Drink”, or with
great sensitivity for Giordani's lovely “Caro mio ben”.
“Mario – The stories
and music of Mario Lanza”, is presented without interval and runs a neat 60
minutes. It’s already been seen at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and in a season
at the Hayes Theatre. It’s a little gem which is currently touring, so if it
comes your way - don‘t miss it.
This review also appears in "Australian Arts Review". www.Artsreview.com.au