Directed by
Jordan Best – Musical Direction by Nicholas Griffin
Choreographed
by Jacquelyn Richards – Set designed by Ian Croker
Presented by
Echo Theatre Company – The Q, Queanbeyan until 12 March.
Performance
on 3rd March reviewed by Bill Stephens.
This glorious
Paley and Laird 1992 spoof on the Broadway musical is given a rather wonderful
production by Echo Theatre Company in the Q in Queanbeyan.
The musical
traces the rise and rise of child prodigy, Tina Denmark (played with manic intent
by Jessy Heath) who is gifted with a surfeit of talent and will stop at nothing
to achieve her ambition to become a Broadway Star.
If this
brings to mind movies like “The Bad Seed” and “All About Eve” you’re on the
right track. But also think musicals like “Applause”, “Gypsy”, “Mame”, even “A
Chorus Line”, all of which have been plundered by composer, Marvin Laird and
writer, Joel Paley for the clever pastiche score and cliché-ridden script, to
create this hilarious over-the-top send-up.
For devotees
of Broadway musicals much of the fun in “Ruthless” comes from recognising which
Broadway show is being referenced at any given moment. But even if you agree
with one of the characters, theatre critic Lita Encore (marvellously portrayed
by Janie Lawson in full Ethel Merman mode) who provides one of the highpoints
of this production when she trumpet’s defiantly “I Hate Musicals”, you’ll find
it hard to resist the joyous silliness of the concept.
 |
| Tracey Noble (Myrna Thorn) and Jenna Roberts (Judy Denmark) |
Director Jordan
Best has assembled a superb cast who obviously relish the opportunity to pull
out all stops to cope with the myriad of preposterous revelations and plot
twists. Jenna Roberts is quite marvellous as Judy Denmark, the mother of the
ambitious Tina, who despite her best efforts to remain the perfect housewife
becomes a Broadway Star herself.
 |
| Jenna Roberts (Judy Denmark) and Jessy Heath (Tina Denmark) |
Dee Farnell
channels Patti Lupone to hilarious affect as the tart-tongued theatrical agent
Sylvia St. Croix, while Tracy Noble scores as the wonderfully funny third-grade
teacher, Myrna Thorn, herself a frustrated actress who battles heroically to
stage her appalling school musical “Pippi in Tahiti”. Eryn Marshall contributes
to the fun in two cameos, firstly as the unfortunate Louise, then later as the
conniving would-be actress, Eve.
Anna Senior’s
quite lovely costumes, complimented by Ian Croker’s elegant cartoon -colourful setting, and
Jacquelyn Richards spot-on choreography, all provide a professional gloss to the production.
Unfortunately
all this good work is marred by the
stadium level sound design which had the cast battling to get the clever lyrics
heard over it and which distorted the excellent on-stage keyboard accompaniments of Nick Griffin and
Sharon Robinson, particularly unfortunate during the overture. Some too low
lighting levels and the notoriously slow main stage curtain which spoiled comedic
scenes which required a fast curtain and blackouts, didn’t help either.
Those gripes
apart, this is a delightfully staged production of a rarely seen but wonderfully
entertaining musical.