The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)

Editorial

When: 3 – 12 December, 2009
Where: The Courtyard Studio
Canberra Theatre Centre
Tickets: $20 - $30
Bookings: (02) 6275 2700

Now here's a bargain - and a lot of fun too. This musical satire, direct from Off-Broadway and presented by Everyman Theatre, is five musicals for the price of one!

It's the story of a young ingénue, June, who's finding it hard to pay the rent, and is threatened by her evil landlord, Jitter. But where is her pretty but pretty hopeless boyfriend Willy when she needs him? Luckily she has her best friend Abby there to dispense advice.

What's interesting here though is that this timeless story is given five very different musical theatre treatments, thanks to the musical prowess of composer Eric Rockwell and lyricist Joanne Bogart. They parody, satirise and pay homage to five of musical theatre’s legends. There's Corn!, in the style of Rodgers & Hammerstein; A Little Complex, a nod to Stephen Sondheim; Dear Abby!, a tribute to Jerry Herman, writer of Hello, Dolly! and Mame; Aspects of Juanita, channelling Andrew Lloyd Webber; and Speakeasy, taking the mickey out of Kander & Ebb's Cabaret and Chicago - and a fairly liberal dose of Liza Minnelli.

The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) is directed by Duncan Ley, and features five talented performers, Lucy Bermingham, Louiza Blomfield, Adrian Flor, Hannah Ley and Jarrad West - all veterans of musical theatre in their own right. This is definitely one show not to be missed!

For more information, visit the Canberra Theatre Centre website.

Tim Hunter, Citysearch