Musical - Whats The Show

The Pirate Queen – An Epic Musical & Australian Premiere

20/07/2025 Debra Campbell🥈

The Pirate Queen Rating

★★★★★

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Based on the real-life story of history’s Grace O’Malley – an Irish Chieftain and notorious pirate, The Pirate Queen is an adventure chronicling the compelling, inspiring heroine who led an extraordinary life as a rogue, lover and mother in 16th-century Ireland. To protect her people and save her one true love, O’Malley must confront the one woman more powerful than her — her fierce rival, Queen Elizabeth I of England.

From the writers of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, the show combines classic storytelling and a sweeping score, with the powerful, vibrant traditions of Irish dance and song, to create a modern musical event that is both historic romance and a timeless epic.

Excited to be celebrating their 80th anniversary in 2025, MLOC Productions is the third oldest community theatre group in Australia. Founded in 1945 as the Mordialloc Philharmonic Society, they originally attracted return service men and their wives to form part of an 80-strong choir. Early performances included the opening of 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. By 1985, the group had become Mordialloc Light Opera Company (eventually abbreviated to MLOC) and have been performing a variety of productions in south-east Melbourne ever since. The Pirate Queen is an Australian first!

Being a new production to Australia, I had no idea what to expect and no pre-conceived expectations which is always adds difference either way because most shows (especially musicals) one has usually seen or at least heard about before. All I knew was that MLOC had done their amazing promo photo shoot at The Polly Woodside in Melbourne which intrigued me to see the show along with advice from a friend who went to the opening night and had loved it.

Firstly, this is a HUGE show requiring HUGE vocals and the main roles especially really have their work cut out for them in every song. HUGE applause therefore to Ella Fryer in her first lead role in a musical (playing ‘Grace O’Malley’) and Nickolas Brown, also his first lead role in a full-scale show (playing Grace’s true love ‘Tiernan’).

I think the character of Grace probably sang the equivalent of about an hour total, unbelievable stamina up there girl, good job!

Tiernan’s solo ‘I’ll Be There’ was a memorable rendition of heartfelt connection we hope all our men feel for us women, and coming from someone so young, very impressive!

Their entire supporting cast has enthusiasm to boot, (boots donned from the era of course). Varying ages in the show from Grace’s son (played by Jake Christie) to those like Evleen (played by Margot Sephton a MLOC life member) with a ton of stage presence over decades was lovely to see. It’s so important in theatre to bring up the next generation and that’s why I think community theatre groups just keep going full steam ahead; they are full of encouragement and support, both on and off the stage and they are not afraid to try something new.

The story of The Pirate Queen resonated a little of Disney’s ‘Mulan’ at the start as Grace pretends she’s a boy to get onto her father’s ship unnoticed, ‘Les Mis’ with sorrow and hardship, then throwing in some interesting accents similar to that given in ‘SIX’ and ‘Hamilton’. This newcomer to musical theatre certainly has the potential to fit in right where aiming its sword.

And no pirate themed anything would be complete without a sword fight or three. I particularly liked the one where they used slow motion and moderate strobe effect lighting (favourable note here that full/fast strobes are so unsuitable for many watching and though this show could’ve used them they didn’t).

Stormy seas are brought to life with the sudden drop of a massive sail giving us on our seats a gasp with it plummeting near the actors underneath, but yes, thankfully it was part of the theatrics, phew!

Transportation to the Emerald Isle is made authentic by the beautiful music and Celtic feel (special mention to Matthew Horsley, Claire Rainey & Brodie Nash on the pipes and whistles). The energy and true Irish dancing to this music has you toe tapping and there is great musicality in the choreography, as also noticed and mentioned by the friend I went with. We gave a shout out to Wendy Perrow. I couldn’t take my eyes off her quick feet embracing the poetry in motion of all those hops and heels up with the biggest smile of enjoyment on every step; she was having a ball portraying the Irish liveliness of more joyous scenes in weddings and birth celebrations (a baby born on stage, was a new one for me).

The costuming is exquisite; an embellished white gown of the Queen, the rich red and gold of those who guard her empire, and those dancing around the maypole with puffed sleeves, long petticoats and velvet ribbons – wonderful details along with those pirate outfits and boots on the ship sailing Clew Bay in 1558, the domain of the O’Malley clan.

‘Clan Rivalry’ is one thing I’ve experienced first-hand; I married a ‘Campbell’ and I found out you cannot visit the Highlands even these days without comments about their history with the ‘MacDonalds’ competing for dominance from every tour guide and pub owner…. However in this show the O’Malleys must make alliances with the O’Flaherty clan and so together the fathers of Grace O’Malley and Donal O’Flaherty (played entertainingly by Tyler Delacretaz) make a pact, and Tiernan, Grace’s true love, must step aside. Will he ever have the chance to reunite with her again? After all, Grace did say ‘you have my hand’ earlier…..

One thing is surely known after seeing The Pirate Queen’s curtain closing, the adventure spirit is alive and well in amateur theatre and I look forward to more shows from MLOC.

Congratulations to the creative team and cast, it takes bravery to put on a show that hasn’t been seen here before and you have conquered!

CAST

GRACE Ella Fryer
TIERNAN Nickolas Brown
LORD BINGHAM Keegan Dart
QUEEN ELIZABETH I Niamh McPartland
DONAL O’FLAHERTY Tyler Delacretaz
DUBHDARA Jarod Rhine-Davis
CHIEFTAN O’FLAHERTY Nicholas Bywater
EVLEEN Margot Sephton
MAJELLA Bridie Clark

Ensemble:
Amber Hoffman, Amy McKie, Arlo Hitchman, Bailey Ogden, Carmilo Idarrage, Christina Gladman, Edison Hernandez Castrillon, Hope Beale, Jake Christie, Lyndsay C Kirkham, Madeleine Fox, Maria Ah-Yu, Mikayla Brown, Shannon Woollard, Tanya Steele, Tegan Haywood, Shayla Warwick, Shelley Connell, Veronica Devlin, Wendy Perrow.

Playing: 1-19 July, 2025

Venue: Frankston Arts Centre, 27-37 Davey St. Frankston, Vic. The venue (undergoing some renovation currently didn’t affect our viewing) has its own paid car parking onsite, lots of street parking around the area plus heaps of restaurants and cafes, but there is also a generously sufficient bar, coffee and snack bar inside the theatre venue itself too.

Production Team:
Artistic Director – Chris Ryan
Musical Director – Matthew Pines
Choreographer – Bridie Clark
Vocal Director – Alyssa Sorgiovanni
Production Manager – Debbie Jenkins
Sound Designer – Daniel Bowen & James Dobson
Lighting Designer – Daniel Bowen & Chris Ryan
Costume Co-ordinator – Debbie Jenkins

Book by ALAIN BOUBLIL, CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG, RICHARD MALTBY JR.
Music By CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG
Lyrics By ALAIN BOUBLIL, RICHARD MALTBY JR., JOHN DEMPSEY

To book tickets to The Pirate Queen, please visit https://mloc.org.au/productions/the-pirate-queen/.

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Frozen Jr

18/07/202518/07/2025 Rob McKinnon🥉

Review: Frozen Jr Rating

★★★★★

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Based on the Academy Award winning Disney animated feature film, Frozen, the Adelaide Theatre Academy’s limited season of Frozen Jr at the Goodwood Institute, is a first-class vehicle to highlight the outstanding flourishing talents of the young cast in this highly entertaining production that brings Anna, Elsa and the crew alive on stage.

The plot develops in the Kingdom of Arendelle as Young Anna and Young Elsa play as summer is celebrated by the Townspeople. Young Anna pesters Young Elsa to use her magical powers to create snow and ice. Queen Iduna and King Agnarr prompt them that Young Elsa’s powers must be kept a secret. That night they build a toy snowman called Olaf, and Young Elsa inadvertently uses her powers resulting in Young Anna becoming unconscious. The King and Queen enlist the help of the Hidden Folk and their leaders Pabbie and Bulda revive Young Anna and remove the memory of Young Elsa’s powers from Young Anna’s head. Fearful of her potentially harmful magic, Young Elsa vows to hide her powers and removes herself from everyone including her sister.

The King and Queen travel away from the kingdom but are lost at sea and the sisters are isolated from the outside world and each other. Later Elsa is to be crowned Queen and for the Coronation the castle gates are opened after being shut for many years. Anna becomes excited with the prospect of having people back in the castle. Anna falls in love with Prince Hans and Elsa again loses control of her powers and flees, Anna tries to find her sister leaving Prince Hans in charge of Arendelle. In her search she encounters Kristoff and his reindeer Sven, then Olaf the talking snowman who all join her in her quest to find Elsa.

The show includes the favourite songs from the original film, “Let It Go” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” as well as new songs for the stage.

With the limited confines of the Goodwood Institute and the large size of the cast, the set design is minimal, relying on a series of ladders that are moved throughout the show. While practical considerations are obviously in play in relation to the minimal set design, the minimalism may lead to confusion with the story amongst younger audience members of which there was a large number in the session reviewed. There were also minor sound issues but not enough to mar the show. Costumes are very good, however the stylised Olaf costume may again lead to confusion for younger audience members.

Two casts alternate between sessions, a “Winter Cast” and a ” Summer Cast”. The session reviewed was performed by the “Winter Cast”. The whole cast has impressive developing talent. They all performed to a remarkably excellent level considering their age and would all seem to have bright futures. Given the excellent performance of all the cast it seems unfair to single out individual members, but the leads Claire Wilkes as Anna and Lucy Parkes as Elsa, deserve special mention for outstanding achievements. Lucy’s singing voice is already at an accomplished level. Special scene stealing mention also to Olive Kennedy as Olaf.

The Adelaide Theatre Academy should be proud of their production of Frozen Jr as it highlights the brilliant developing talents of the cast in this charming take on Disney’s Frozen characters.

Frozen Jr runs to 19 July 2025; remaining session dates and times are as follows:

– Friday July 18th – 10:15am & 6:30pm
– Saturday July 19th – 11:00am & 6:30pm

To book tickets to Frozen Jr, please visit https://theatrebugs.com.au/theatre-bugs-shows-and-events/.

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Loving The Alien

07/07/2025 Oscar Bray🥉

Loving The Alien Rating

★★★★★

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David Bowie was an icon in every aspect of his art. Through music, shows and myriad personas, the iconic rockstar remained relevant for decades as an icon of glamorous, theatrical spectacle. The show Loving The Alien juxtaposes itself with this history, interweaving songs and anecdotes to tell a story not of Bowie The Rockstar, but of Bowie The Narrative. In the process, creator and performer Karlis Zaid aims to answer the deceptively simple question: who was David Bowie?

The show’s stripped-back aesthetic complements this quest well. It’s unusual for a show about one of the most ostentatious rockstars to ever live to take place in a black box with four smartly dressed performers, their instruments and some slightly more elaborate lighting design. This may explain why the audience seemed awkward at first, but Zaid and co-star Aurora Kurth did an excellent job at easing us gently into the show’s world. Their easy banter created a nerdy superfan vibe, and the vocal performances were dramatic while still feeling natural and fun. The cast’s passion was their greatest asset, there were more laughs and vocal reactions from the audience as the show went on and by the end, we were all out of our seats, clapping and singing to ‘Heroes’.

The songs themselves, performed by Andrew Patterson on keys and Aaron Syrjanen on guitar, are lovingly crafted arrangements that feel familiar and welcoming while still offering surprises. ‘Sound and Vision’ is retooled into a smooth ballad, ‘Changes’ and ‘Let’s Dance’ start softer and build to great climaxes, and ‘Fame’ and ‘Ashes To Ashes’ used beautiful harmonies to highlight how well Zaid and Kurth’s voices work together. They’re also placed very well throughout the runtime, not always chronologically but mirroring the stories told in between to create a subtle emotional arc. The last two songs in particular hit with a sombre tone that feels earned and cathartic. Nothing feels out of place, though with a repertoire as strong as Bowie’s it would be difficult to put a foot wrong.

The lack of visual references makes it clear that the show is for people who are already fans of David Bowie. We know the songs, and we may know some of the stories, so it’s up to Zaid and his team to put them in a new context. The story of Bowie’s life is told in quite broad sweeps and given the show’s theme of finding the man underneath the image, it may have been nice to examine and with more of Bowie’s personas – the only one who gets significant discussion is Ziggy Stardust. However, the show is clearly not trying to be a straight biography. When specific events are focused on, they’re often less known or more controversial details about Bowie’s life, such as an exploitative contract he was under or the role he may have played in the breakdown of his marriage to his first marriage. Due to its personal nature and willingness to explore all sides of Bowie’s narrative, the script steers clear of hagiography and ensures that most people will learn at least one new fact about their favourite rockstar.

Loving The Alien lives up to its name by inviting us into a heartfelt, thought-provoking dive into Bowie’s story. The love and care is clear in the music, performances and writing, and while it may not be the Bowie tribute you may expect, fans will find a lot of joy and pathos in it. Whoever Bowie was, as a person and performer, this show demonstrates why we still care, and why it will always be important to celebrate uniqueness and otherness wherever it flourishes.

To book tickets to Loving The Alien, please visit https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/event-archive/2025/contemporary-music/loving-the-alien.

Photographer: Angel Leggas

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Jesus Christ Superstar: A Modern, Mesmerizing and Immersive Experience

07/07/202507/07/2025 Paul Ellicott🥉

Jesus Christ Superstar Rating

★★★★★

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It’s opening night in Brisbane after a successful Australian tour, and there is no denying that Jesus Christ Superstar rises again. For those uninitiated, the action focuses on the final days of the man himself, culminating in his crucifixion. However, this is no ordinary bible story – nor ordinary musical; Jesus Christ Superstar is conceptual rock n roll, and this production brings the classic firmly into 2025, with the help of eminent Australian pop, rock and soul musicians, inspired choreography, and exemplary calibre of cast. This is a show even for people who don’t typically enjoy music theatre, while still delighting those of us who do.

I’ve seen Jesus Christ before, both the fantastic 1973 movie and an enjoyable high school production many years ago, which featured my sister in the orchestra. However, it has been long enough for me that events unfolding seem surprising and fresh, while I realize the master plan toward which they culminate. This interpretation feels right now but retains the campy strut and sensibility of early iterations; A feature of Jesus Christ Superstar is how well it translates into different eras, being so beautifully open to experimentation.

As Jesus, Michael Paynter’s singing is exceptional, with clarity, control and conviction. An experienced professional musician with success in the pop charts, this show is Paynter’s first foray into the musicals; While I consider that he grows in stature throughout the performance (he is firing on every cylinder in the second act), the more I think about it, his calm, innocent, nearly boy-like portrayal in the first act is an appropriate and effective character choice.

Mahalia Barnes as Mary is also new to musical theatre; However, JCSS can be fairly considered part of the rock realm, so more her world than most musical theatre. Like Paynter, she is a music industry veteran, and a beautiful interpreter of song; She gets to sing some of my personal favourites in this show, giving soulful tone and connection, while radiating wholesome beauty. Her duet with Peter (Tana Laga’aia) is notable, bringing some gentler reflection into the strident second act.

As the flamboyant Herod, Reuben Kaye’s beauty is somewhat less wholesome than Barnes’s, but nonetheless riotously evident. Kaye is a force of nature, and while his stage time is shorter than the other cast, his presence is indelible, eating up the stage with electric energy, sinister sexuality and some impressive vocal histrionics – spanning from gargle to whistle and back again. No stranger to controversy himself, and certainly willing to ‘go there’ (watch his 2023 interview on The Project re: his love of Jesus, if you’re unfamiliar/not easily offended), Kaye goes all out as Herod, his courage and charisma perfectly cast in the role.

Javon King as the maligned but misunderstood Judas blends exuberance and anguish into a very memorable portrayal. Judas gets some of the show’s absolute banger musical numbers, and King handles them royally, with soulful elevation and powerful falsetto. While remembered for his betrayal, Judas is a complex character with arguably noble intentions, who errs, then cannot bear the burden of his own conscience. King captures these contrasts with phenomenal energy, nuance and commitment.

Other especially memorable performances are given by Elliot Baker, oozing machismo as Caiaphas, and Graeme Isaako, giving grit and sincerity as Simon. The standard of the whole cast is superb, and the production feels alive and in the moment. This show is not about main members singing stationarily in the spotlight, but rather the entire cast exploding throughout the stage, creating texture and dynamism both visually and narratively.

Special mention must be given to Choreographer Bree Tipoki, for her input behind such a captivating feature of the show; The dance and movement bring fascinating life and shape to the stage, and to the story. The live band, costuming, stage design and lighting are all dialled into the highest professional standard. As a whole, Jesus Christ Superstar gives life, as the plot takes one away. Yet, there are no sins to speak of; The shows deeper commentary on society’s casual detachment, desensitization and perverse voyeurism toward the suffering of one we raise up only to smack down – is thought provoking. Each distinct element blends vibrantly to create a modern, mesmerizing and immersive experience, that should not be missed.

To book tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar, please visit https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/2025/jesus-christ-superstar.

Photographer: Jeff Busby

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