Rent
Produced by Utopian Productions Aus

Cast: Richard Coleman, David Tucker, Anne-Marie Hillermann, Adam Michael Libke, Luke Wright, Kat Stewart, Andrew Lindsay, Launcelot Roma, Natalie Carboni, Rachael Thompson, Chris Archer, Alison Brazel, Jennifer Lucas, Rachel McGee, Grant Jones, Derek Blundell, Aaron Starkey, April Warren, Belinda Johnson, Leanne Shiagetz, Jayme-Ann Sargent, Katie Griffiths, Rebekah Want, Ben Want, David Katague

Music & Lyrics: Jonathan Larson
Director: Grant Jones

Publicist: Watchdog Communications

Australian Premiere: Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith. September 23, 2005.


The Lowdown:
Semi-professional production of the classic rock musical.


AussieTheatre.com Review:
I've always wondered if Rent would have risen to such worldwide acclaim had its creator Jonathan Larson not died suddenly during the show's final steps towards Broadway. The answer, after having a close look at this production of the classic rock musical by young company Utopian Production Aus, is definitely yes. But while Rent's message is still incredibly valid today, one wonders if the shock value this production relies so much on will eventually fade away. In some ways, it already has.

Rent is about so many powerful things, from drugs to Aids, sex and love. It is hard to watch this show and not be moved by at least one of the subject matters or characters, all of whom are going through their own personal Everest of emotions.

The show is set in New York and focuses on the lives of a group of friends living in the Lower East Side, all struggling to not only pay the rent, but face up to the many problems in their lives. Still, they find friendship and hope in each other, and the musical provides a different insight into community, friendship and love.

Taking on a show of Rent's magnitude is a mammoth task but Utopian Productions Aus produce a credible production. Many of the problems that plagued opening night - issues with the band being too loud, the lights not working correctly and the sound being just plain awful at times - will fix themselves as the season progresses. And while it's important to note that these problems were most likely one-offs, it must be said that the audio and sound issues took so much away from what could have been a spectacular production. The problems must be fine tuned because they have the potential to turn the show from a semi-professional production to an amateur one.

The production gets off to a very shaky start but shows its first signs of greatness when Natalie Carboni takes to the stage as S&M dancer Mimi. Carboni's duet with Richard Coleman (Roger) is the first highlight of the show and her vocal ability leaves you in wait for "Out Tonight" later in the first act, which she performs solidly. Carboni is the show's best performer, and while she seems hit and miss at times vocally, her stage presence is superb and her rendition of "Without You" in the second act is truly beautiful.

There's other great performances too - Rachael Thompson as Maureen comes out of her shell eventually and produces a wonderful performance, while the vocal talents of Kat Stewart cannot be denied - she is brilliant as the ever-confused Joanne.

The cast is a well put together selection of semi-professional artists and while there are bumps and bruises along the way (something you would expect from even the best semi-professional productions), they all come out the other end with well-deserved applause. It's a tough show to do - as a director, a producer and a performer - and going through the emotions it provides for over two hours every night is tough and should be applauded.

There is no doubt in the world that Grant Jones and the team from Utopian Productions Aus have tried so hard to produce a stellar production of Rent, and while at times it does reach points of brilliance, it unfortunately never really takes off from the runway. But it's an effort that needs to be congratulated - because many others would never have even attempted it.

At the end of the day Rent is an incredible musical and while this production doesn't realise its full potential, it does do the show justice. And whether or not Rent is losing its shock value is still a question up in the air, but I guess time will tell.



Production Shots:



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