Pymble Players’ production of The Heartbreak Choir’, by Aidan Fennessy, at Zenith Theatre in Chatswood, is brilliant. The Zenith Theatre is one of Sydney’s gems. There’s something magical about a community theatre group performing a play based on a community choir. Choirs foster connections and the audience certainly connected with this production.
When a tragedy rocks a township, it dramatically affects relationships. The local choir splits into two groups. Through this upheaval, ‘The Heartbreak Choir’, emerges. A group of people with a range of ages and backgrounds, come together. These individuals are in search of their own voice and in doing so, support each other. The choir rehearses several iconic Australian pop songs in acapella-style. If you are fan of Paul Kelly, Natalie Imbruglia, Hunters and Collectors, you are in for a treat. All the performers can sing beautifully and their harmonising is spot-on. Many people in the audience were joyfully humming along.
Being an Aidan Fennessy play, the dialogue is witty, poignant and impactful. The Gospel feeling of the songs helps the characters traverse all their emotions. Barbara (psychologist and choir leader), is joined by Mack (an outspoken herb farmer), Aseni ( a heavily pregnant African doctor), Totty (a fluro-vest wearing entrepreneur), Savannah ( an anxious young woman, who whispers rather than talks, yet has a powerful singing voice), Peter (a local policeman with some interesting dance moves) and Beau (Peter’s son who forms a bond with Savannah). These characters prove that what unites us is greater than what divides us.
The life-affirming powers of music are celebrated in this show. When tragedy occurs, it’s often an involvement in music that will enact the healing process and soothe the soul. Playwright, Aidan Fennessy, was dying upon completing this play. Fennessy’s own sense of mortality adds an enormous amount of gravitas to the work. There’s a real urgent plea for people to overcome and collaborate.
The finale, ‘Lanterns’, (Birds of Tokyo song), is sung with such anthem-like passion, that everyone around me joined in. It’s lovely to see members of the Pymble Players on-stage with their lanterns, to add to the spectacle.
Heather Pitt has directed ‘The Heartbreak Choir’, with obvious enthusiasm, as she also plays the choir lead role, of Barbara. Kristin Kok, Chantal Harrison, Gina Willison, Aja Elshaikh, Trent Gardiner and Will Evans, perform their roles with aplomb. Mark Pigot, Musical Director, could be snapped up by The Voice or Australian Idol, as the singing was top-class. Wayne Chee and Nicholas Pang, did a great job with the lighting and sound. Heather Pitt also worked with Daniel Ferris to create a charming set. I had previously seen the MTC and Ensemble Theatre productions of ‘The Heartbreak Choir’. Pymble Players certainly have the heart and soul to match them.
To book tickets to The Heartbreak Choir, please visit https://pymbleplayers.com.au/the-heartbreak-choir.
Photographer: David Allsopp
