Respect
Produced by Jim McPherson

Cast: Belinda Wollaston, Elenoa Rokobaro, Lucy Durack, Rhonda Burchmore

Written by: Dorothy Marcic
Director: Roger Hodgman

Publicist: Michael J Wilkie (Melbourne and National)

Australian Premiere: Twelfth Night Theatre, Brisbane. March 28, 2007.


The Lowdown:
Respect enjoyed a successful Australian tour in 2007, including two Brisbane seasons.


AussieTheatre.com Review:
With major theatrical sensations Billy Elliot, Spamalot and The Phantom of the Opera just around the corner, something has got to keep the spirit of the jukebox musical alive. It is at the modest Twelfth Night Theatre in Brisbane where this happening, with the ever-evolving Respect enjoying its Australian premiere.

The musical celebrates women through the ages and traces their emergence through Top 40 songs. It's a unique idea and by the show's end there's no disagreeing that music has evolved as each female generation took further steps towards independence.

Respect is by no means groundbreaking and while its message is one of strength its result is a party atmosphere where the audience is expected to, and indeed does, enjoy a night out. It is as simple as that - this is not a show like, for example, Sunday in the Park With George, which typifies a 'thinking' show.

Woven inbetween its many jukebox-style songs is a generally weak script, but that's not to say the show is let down because of it. There's enough enjoyment in the songs, the one-line jokes and the parts of the script that actually do work to keep the show afloat, and throughout the 90 minutes it runs there is very few weak moments.

The real brilliance of this production lies in its casting.

Rhonda Burchmore delivers a powerhouse performance and, as expected, is nothing short of breaktaking. Of course, Burchmore is the one getting bums on seats for the season and hence she enjoys some of the best parts of the show, confirming to the audience that she is indeed who they are there to see.

Of course, they end up being pleasantly surprised with the remaining three cast members - Belinda Wollaston, Eleanoa Rokobaro and Lucy Durack - ensuring that this small but energetic cast is nothing but first class.

In Respect, Wollaston proves her incredible versatility. In the last six months she has performed a wonderfully devised cabaret show of heart-wrenching material, played a poor third class Irish lass in Titanic and now she has found herself in the most unlikely of things for a performer of her style - a jukebox musical. Wollaston is easily able to move away from her traditional emotional performances, however. She kicks up her heels and delivers a fine performance. She's sassy, and powerful in voice.

Rokobaro is an undiscovered superstar and in another era would already be touring the world. Of course, the tables have turned over the generations and she faces a tough struggle to become known, but if musical theatre is the realm she has chosen, then the industry is better for it. She is adorable, full of class and has a voice you'd expect to come out of a 30-year-old. While elements of the script do not suit her age and seem a little out of place, it's her vocal performance that sticks in your mind.

Durack is by no means a weak link but she's given less room to move throughout the show and while she has some fine moments - such as a wonderful rendition of You Don't Own Me - there seems to be something missing. Perhaps along the way the development of her character and therefore her performance took a minor battering, however there's no denying she fits well into this extremely talented foursome, which harmonise well and should be given a gold medal for their efforts in all being on stage for virtually the entire show.

This is more of a revue than a musical, but it's an enjoyable experience for a woman, an uplifting one. Respect has all the makings of a hit.


Production Shots:



Further Information:
None available