Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul - Book
by Peter Duchan
Directed by Zoe O’Leary Cameron - Musical Direction by
Jack Quail
Choreographed by Em Roberts –Set designed by Millie
Bull and Kat Carrington
Costumes designed by Jen Murnane – Graphics
Coordinator – Katie Ward
Presented by ANU Musical Theatre Company
Belconnen Community Theatre – August 16th
to 25th
Performance on 18th August reviewed by Bill
Stephens
 |
| Olivier Klinger (Gibbs) - Samuel Thatcher (Marine) - Tristan Davies (Bernstein) Christian Maaia (marine) - Rohan Pillutia (Birdlace) |
The dogfight in the title of this musical refers to a
practice, apparently encouraged by American marines during the Vietnam War as
an informal exercise in dehumanization, to make it emotionally simpler for them
to carry out their violent orders. This dogfight is a party where the marine
who brings the ugliest, unsuspecting date wins a cash prize.
The show itself, set in the 1960’s, and first seen off-Broadway
in 2012, is an early effort by the song-writing team of Pasek and Paul, best
known for the films “The Greatest Showman” and “La La Land”, and an interesting
and challenging choice for the ANU Musical Theatre Company and first time
director, Zoe O’Leary Cameron.
With its coarse language and misogynistic behavior it
is sometimes uncomfortable viewing, but despite budget and casting limitations,
O’Leary Cameron and her team have managed to produce an interesting and
thought-proving production which showcases a truly outstanding performance by
Tegan Braithwaite as the central character, Rose.
As the too-pretty date of Birdlace (Rohan Pillutia),
who with his two rooky marine mates, Bernstein (Tristan Davies) and Boland
(Jeremy Spencer Broom), organize the dogfight, Braithwaite is mesmerizing.
Despite a limited vocal range, her singing is so heartfelt that her songs sound
like an extension of her dialogue. She has the ability to lose herself in her character
so that her every move and reaction is totally believable. Her performance
alone is worth the price of admission.
 |
| Tegan Braithwaite (Rose) - Rohan Pillutia (Birdlace) |
Rohan Pillutia impresses as the unrelentingly intense Birdlace,
who finds himself juggling his confusion over his growing feelings for Rose,
and his loyalty to his mates, and Daisy Sibtain, as the hard-bitten,
worldly-wise prostitute, Marcy, gives a strong performance.
Millie Bull and Kat Carrington’s excellent multi-level
setting incorporates colourful LED graphics to conjure up various locations and
is used to good effect by O’Leary Cameron in her staging of the production
numbers and particularly for the scene on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge,
and the bedroom scene towards the end of the second act.
Of particular
interest in this production is the opportunity to hear the Pasek and Paul score, which, while not particularly
distinguished, is beautifully performed
here by Jack Quail’s onstage ensemble,
and mostly, well-sung by a cast in which any lack of experience is more than
compensated by their strongly committed performances.
 |
| Rohan Pillutia (Bridlace) -Jeremy Spencer Broom (Boland) -Tristan Davies (Bernstein) Samuel Thatcher (Fector) - Christian Maaia (marine) - Campbell Moore (marine) |
Full marks to the ANU Musical Theatre Company for
providing the opportunity to enjoy this creditable staging of a challenging and thought- provoking musical,
which continues in the Belconnen Community theatre until August 25th.
