Strictly Ballroom The Musical
STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL, Global Creatues at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, April 12 2104. Photography by James Morgan: above – James Lacey and Phoebe Panaretas; right – the company.
BY BRYCE HALLETT
The story of Strictly Ballroom’s journey from stage to screen – and back to the stage, this time as a fully-fledged musical - echoes the film’s David and Goliath and Cinderella themes, and its spirit of creative freedom and indomitable passion. From humble beginnings, Strictly Ballroom, with its glitzy theatricality, bold characters, layers of fantasy and heart-warming tone, justly became the stuff of legend.
Almost from the moment Baz Luhrmann’s film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1992, it took the world by storm. The characters, particularly the underdog heroine Fran, the monstrously comic Shirley Hastings and the dripping-in-pathos Doug Hastings, struck a chord with the public. As did the sure-footed, sexy and triumphant Scott Hastings, played with an almost inimitable combination of sexiness, sensitivity and swagger by first-time actor and former Australian Ballet dancer, Paul Mercurio.
Fast forward to April 2014 to the bright colour-coded seats at the Sydney Lyric where the world of the film is unleashed in bold and magical splendour, right down to the biggest mirror ball you are ever likely to see. Although the movie was not a musical as such, it possessed many of vital ingredients, including such memorable tunes as Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time and John Paul Young’s Love Is In The Air. Both, of course, are appealingly exploited in the stage show by Luhrmann and co-writer Craig Pearce, in book and song.
With its heightened theatricality and innate musicality, the romantic comedy was the first installment of Luhrmann’s Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes the theatre-motif-related films Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge.
From the outset Lurhmann and designer Catherine Martin said the stage musical would amplify key elements of the film and retain its familiar, crowd-pleasing features. In this respect, Strictly Ballroom The Musical succeeds admirably. Visually, the show looks and works a treat, particularly when, amid swirling scenery, we arrive at Fran’s suburban home and carnival backyard. To my mind, it is at this moment that the drama and vigour takes flight after the panto-like opening sequence that establishes the immediacy and excess of ballroom dancing rivalries and the cut-throat bureaucracy behind it. Before a single dance step or a line of dialogue has been spoken, Dance Federation emcee JJ Silvers (Mark Owen-Taylor) makes droll remarks while spinning records. It sets the scene but it’s not the most powerful way to start a new musical.
For every predictable scene, however, there are several that are imaginative, brilliantly executed and truly magical. When the ballroom dancers make their first appearance it recalls the glorious romance and showiness at the heart of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies, and the wistfulness and yearning resurfaces throughout at pivotal moments with understanding, intelligence and flair. The joyously uplifting tale and its message that “a life lived in fear is a life half-lived,” is known to audiences the world over, and Lurhmann and his creative team could have taken greaterliberties to bring it out of the film’s long shadow.
Having said that, there are many things tolove about Strictly Ballroom The Musical, and that includes its outstanding cast, Martin’s eye-popping costumes and simple yet beautifully detailed sets. As Scott Hastings, Thomas Lacey has impossibly big shoes to fill. As he grows more assured in the challenging role I have little doubt that he will fill them by playing to his own strengths. He is a strong, disciplined dancer and, if he’s not yet on top of some of the musical numbers, it’s partly because the songs aren’t especially well crafted and, too often, the lyrics are pithy rather than witty.
As the “ugly duckling” Fran, Phoebe Panaretas is ideally cast and a star in the making. She is a superb singer, with great ease and control, and a fine dancer. Not only that but her comic timing and instincts afford considerable presence while ensuring that the character is identifiable, grounded and truthful. Panaretas’s thrilling duet with Lacey in Act II is one of the show’s emotional high points, as good as anything that’s been heard on the Australian musical theatre stage in the past few years.
The supporting cast is first-rate. In what could easily veer into grotesque caricature, the remarkably talented Heather Mitchell finds warmth and humanity in the dominating, “happy face” mother Shirley. She milks the laughs yet somehow, we feel for her plight rather than demonise her. This is no small feat.
As the Federation supremo Barry Fife, the versatile Robert Grubb excels in what is arguably one of the best performances of his distinguished career. He acts with volatility and shrewd charisma, and sings with meaty resourcefulness. As the loyal, meddlesome yet well-meaning Doug, Drew Forsythe strikes an effective balance and tone.
The “new” music commissioned for the production is generally efficient and purposeful, but lacks a unifying thread to pull the musical into coherent shape. Again, one of the most seductive and arresting moments comes when Scott and Fran explore their awakening relationship through the music and words of Time After Time. By the time they’re on the rooftop crowned by a Hills Hoist and silhouetted by the dazzling Coca-Cola billboard, the show lifts into its own magnificent fantasy that’s pure showbiz and totally Luhrmann.
Choreographer John O’Connell invests the show with energy and verve, but there’s nothing audiences growing up with shows such as So You Think You Can Dance? haven’t seen before. Musical director Daniel Edmonds ensures the pace is brisk while musical supervisor Max Lambert has brought much welcome panache where he can.
In the Fran household, Natalie Gamsu as the grandmother and Fernando Mira as Fran’s father contribute outstanding performances. They bring genuine rhythm, spirit and heart to proceedings. Amid the often fast and furious action, the ensemble find moments to sparkle, notably Bob Baines as Les Kendall, Andrew Cook as Scott’s mate Wayne, and Vanessa Cronin as Ash Bee, Nadia Coote as Tina Sparkle and Rohan Browne as Ken Railings.
Strictly Ballroom The Musical may not yet have found its feet but, with some judicious edits in Act 1 and as the show settles in, it will, like Fran, become confident, fearless and every bit the sensation that we want it to be.
NB: Bryce Hallett is a contributor to the Strictly Ballroom The Musical program.
