Sideshow Alley

Cast: Silvie Paladino, Alex Rathgeber, Christopher Parker, Robyn Arthur, Paul Ross, Michael Bishop, Bay Abbey, Carrie Barr, Anton Berezin, Irene Dios, Emma Hawkins, Glen Hogstrom, Darren Natale, Kellie Rode, Luke Stephens, Sally-Anne Upton, Grant Durham and Taneel Van Zyl.

Written By: Gary Young and Paul Keelan

Publicist: Suzanne Snape

Australian Premiere: QPAC Playhouse, Queensland. February 3, 2007.


The Lowdown:
This Australian musical ran only in Brisbane. Poor ticket sales led to its ultimate cancellation and it failed to tour.


AussieTheatre.com Review:
Saturday night at the Playhouse in Brisbane's QPAC centre was probably one of the more significant nights in the history of recent music theatre in this country and the abundance of producers, directors, entrepreneurs, agents and stars of the industry in attendance indicated that the opening of a major production of a new Australian musical (not an Australian musical with American pop songs!) was a real event.

Of course I speak of Sideshow Alley, the Pratt prize winning new musical by Gary Young (who also directs with consummate skill) and Paul Keelan (musical director) that kicked off what will (hopefully) be a national tour in this most attractive and appropriate of theatres.

Unlike just about any major new production in recent times which have gone faults and all headlong into a season in Melbourne or Sydney, the producers have sensibly opened in one of the smaller states to iron out the flaws before taking it the big theatre centres. Sensible indeed, for, although there is very very much to admire in this musical, there are problems which hopefully will be given immense attention by the creative team and cast during the next 4 weeks in Brisbane.

Sideshow Alley is set in the 50s during the era of the sideshow tent shows that played small and large showgrounds and country fares, its characters are the freaks and misfits, the showmen and the bizarre eccentrics of this world . Its a terrific premise for a musical (a similar one with a similar title was badly botched on Broadway a few years ago) and expectation was high amongst the on- side opening night crowd as the show opened with a rousing, tuneful opening number introducing the characters in a way not unlike the opening number from Pippin. This is, however, no poor man's Broadway musical rip off, the show has a wonderful and unique Australian flavour. The score is likeable at worst and highly memorable for at least three or four numbers.

The first 20 minutes are like a beautiful theatrical dream; a strong and committed cast, a wonderfully evocative setting, (fabulous set by Richard Jeziorny) rich orchestrations (superb by Guy Simpson) and original and comic choreography (magnificent work by Andrew Hallsworth, who with this show makes his mark as arguably the leading choreographer in this country).

The central premise - the exotic Rita (Sylvie Paladino), her love affair with young boxer and most loved member of the troup Billy (Alex Rathgeber) and the interruption by the mysterious stranger to town - Alec (Chris Parker) sets up a quickly developed menage a tois.
This is comfortably balanced with the story of the multitude of 'showies:" lead by Tiny (Michael Bishop) and his lovable earth mother of a wife- Bev (Robyn Arthur, truly one of this country's music theatre national treasures).

It is only when (what seems) a multitude of slow and not memorable passionate love songs are too quickly off set with a series of cheery show tunes performed by the showies, that repetition sets in. It is a form of repetition that leaves an audience at interval not sure exactly where the show is going or what else there is to offer that is new. The first act ends with what is supposed to be an out of the blue surprise twist that puts a whole new slant on the relationship between the three central characters. Unfortunately it has been signposted so many times (especially by Rathgeber's song "Never Felt Like this Before" which surely should come in Act two) that the twist doesn't have the curtain falling shock it is supposed to have.

The second act moves more quickly, the drama reaches a series of expected climaxes., there is a nice "Farmer and the Cowman" type ensemble number (again with comic and inventive choreography by Hallsworth) and we are set to build to a pot boiler of a finale that is both tragic and sadly expected.

This portrait of misfits and people who are different trying to adapt to the small mindedness of the starched and restrictive 50s in the Australian countrside is a truly important work. Without doubt its the most impressive new Australian musical since Summer Rain and goes beyond that work in exploring more sophisticated and darker themes that resonate well with an audience today.

Casting is generally good with Chris Parker a star standout (his fight scenes with Rathgeber are amazing in their mix of forceful theatricality and intended homo-eroticism). Parker , as has been proved by a number of roles in the last two years, is one of our most exciting young leading men in the making.

Sylvie Paladino is fine without being exceptional, in her character one feels there is more that she is not exploring; her superb singing lacking a depth and dramatic through line that it so deeply needs. Alex Rathgeber works with great strength and stage presence, he doesnt always carry off his big musical moments with quite the elan we would like, but I think this will improve as the show runs in.

Robyn Arthur (as mentioned quite magnificent), Michael Bishop and most of the colourful character players such as the glorious Sally-Anne Upton, Carrie Barr, Kellie Rode and Luke Stephens are standouts in their individual moments.

The length and some of the casting and the overtly convoluted final third of the story needs serious attention. When the show is good (songs such as Rita's haunting "You Take me to my Dream". Billy's "Never felt Like this Before" and the bouncing ditties of the ensemble which are memorable at first hearing) it is very good. When the love songs become too repetitious and turgid and the casting becomes uninspired (I particularly think of an important secondary character who is given what could be a mighty eleven o clock number in the hands of an Iota or Paul Capsis) the show creaks and grinds. This is, however, fine for an out of town tryout and is much better than half the shows that went from being on the road to major Broadway hits.

The question is here whether the doctoring required is given time to make the show come to its true fruition. The show's triumph is so close one can almost feel it. Tweaks, cuts and some changes can deliver the true Aussie musical hit for which we have all been longing. Then we may may see an audience do what the best song in the show suggests - 'comin back for more".

Footnote: Conisderable attention must be paid to the producers who brought Menopause the Musical to this country and who have taken some of their considerable profits from that hit show and put it into making this show happen. This sort of belief in artistry and the importance of the musical art form over making a quick buck is so so commendable. It is only hoped audiences will now pour into the theatres around the country and support this show.


Production Shots:
None Available


Further Information:
None