Okay so this is show review #2 for me, sorry if I rabble on but I’m still used to reviewing books so you get what I’ve got ☺ There’s an old Music Theatre Lyric that I’m quite fond of that says: ‘Whatever Happened to Class?’ Though that’s a very valid question in this day and age, the truth is that Class is alive and thriving in Mackay thanks To Joel Bow and Tania Attard of Red Giraffe Theatre. I’ve just come from Opening Night of ‘Songs For A New World,’ and I must say that I sort of feel as though I’ve strolled out of some boutique cabaret theater in Melbourne.
Before you book your ticket- and you simply must- you have to understand that Songs For A New World is not a musical in the traditional sense. It’s referred to as a song-cycle, so instead of being fed dialogue and choreography with an excess of sets and props that narrate one clear story with a beginning, middle and end, this particular song cycle delivers a handful of separate stories that are lightly linked around a common theme. That does not mean that it is only an audible experience though, because the costuming, elegant sets and lighting was were delightful and sophisticated to they eye without detracting from the performers’ faces and voices that are carrying the story. In true Red Giraffe style, the colors used were black, white and red, which are my favourite colors, strong and incredibly emotive. Throw in a bit of shimmering diamonds and soft mood lighting and it was a three dimensional work of art.
Safe to say, this is a brave kind of show, and required a sharp, professional cast to pull it off. There are no cheap laughs or crowd participation, no cliches or physical movement- every song is a powerful, emotive ballad and demands the highest calibre of performances and naturally, Red Giraffe wouldn’t settle for anything less and that is what they delivered. The voices of the cast were spectacular, both singularly and collectively, and I take off my hat to them for how well they worked with the band, which could have been pre-recorded for how flawless its performance was.
Although the entire cast were fantastic like I said, I can’t help but mention the highlights for me and luckily with this show,the cast was clear and clean enough for everyone to get their chance under their well-deserved spotlights. I shouldn’t have to say so by now, but I would line up in the snow to buy a ticket to hear Jason McCully sing ANYTHING an that’s a fact. He was the backbone of the show for me, no theme required. From the first minute to the last he was hitting power notes that had me and my companions grinning at each other (the way we theatre folk do when it gets done RIGHT) and doing little fist pumps when he killed it. Mackay if you are in two minds about seeing this show and haven’t seen Jason McCully yet please just do it. Most performers of his calibre have an agent and a bunch of security personnel hanging around them but Jason’s here in Mackay knocking people’s socks off locally, from his awesome performance of ‘You’re The Voice’ in The Larrikin to every note he sings in this one, the man is on fire this year and you best get burned.
Special mention also goes to Tania Attard and Amber Clark, who I have known for a while but haven’t yet had the pleasure of hearing sing solo and live. I got goosebumps, especially in the last few bars of Amber’s rendition of ‘Stars and the moon’ and when Tania really brought the house down at the end, sewing stars and proving just how many stripes she’s earned onstage over the years. These two, as well as Ethan McCarthy and Angela Smith really connected with their characters and brought a lot of vulnerability and likability to the performances, which made it easier to connect with the character’s stories even if you could not relate to them in any way on a personal level. I was pleasantly surprised to see Ethan, who I usually consider to be a comic actor, really rein himself in and deliver an adult performance that was enhanced by his natural enthusiasm and cheeky smile. Danielle McCully, as anyone in the Mackay theatre scene would know is a class act every single time and always know how to put a sparkle in the sweetest notes, and Ben Cooper and Molly Rosetto were incredibly powerful to watch and listen to and have the poise of people that have been onstage for decades despite how young they are.
My favourite song was Angela Smith’s Christmas parody, not just because of how exciting she was to watch, because of how incredible and eclectic her vocals were. And I’ve been following young Tiernan McCallam on Facebook for a while now because he has a god given voice like Jason. Though his part in this show was minor, I see his name in spotlights one day, no doubt, and you will too when you hear his lovely voice.
And though they are not technically part of the cast, I have to give a standing ovation to Kat Campbell and Tim Philips for what they brought to the show as musical director and sound technician, and I have to say that one of my favourite performances was with Tim getting so swept up in the music that he was head-banging towards the end, though it was to a ballad. That’s passion, and this show had that in excess.
Honestly, songs For A New World was just incredibly moving, polished ( I don’t think I’ve ever seen an opening night run that smoothly, just wow!) and though I would have said not long ago that the style and style of the show was perhaps a little too sophisticated compared to the broader stuff that we’re used to it around here, Red Giraffe are working hard to open us up to new experiences, and succeeding tremendously. And after what this region has been through in the last week, I must say that it was refreshing to be able to sit and absorb something so uncomplicated and seamless, that took me out of my own head for a few hours in a lovely, oceanside setting.
There are still 4 performances left, so get your tickets to Songs For A New World ASAP!
