The Little Big Company’s production of ‘The Mad Ones’, at Loading Dock Theatre in Darlinghurst, is a must -see new musical.
As soon as this show begins, the audience sees a red car (not to be confused with The Wiggles red car) on-stage. We immediately sense we’re in for a rollercoasrer ride.
‘The Mad Ones’, centres on Samantha Brown (Meg Robinson), a teenager in turmoil. On the brink of Ivory League acceptance, Samantha has lots of voices in her head. The more-than-best-friend, Kelly Manning (Teo Vergara), is passionate, impulsive and impatient. Adam (Ethan Malacaria), the boyfriend, wants to follow in his father’s footsteps of owning a tyre business. Academia is not on his radar. Samantha’s mother, Beverly Brown (Tisha R. Kelemen), wants her daughter to go to Harvard. Beverly does not approve of Samantha’s intense feelings for the less than academically-inclined Kelly.
The red car stays on-stage for the entire show. Bronwyn Dyer’s production team have created a great knock-about vehicle for the story. Of course, the obvious connections between motor vehicles and human emotions, resonate throughout. Breakdowns, being in the driver’s seat, living life in the rear-vision mirror and the need for drive in one’s life, are symbolic not corny. Getting in a car and driving away, leads itself to ultimate freedom. Samantha fails her driver’s test several times. Freedom is not easily attained.
There are eighteen powerful songs in ‘The Mad Ones’. All of the actors belt out these tunes with the necessary exuberance needed to match the feelings of love and grief, that envelope us. Sitting in the front row, I could see the real tears of Samantha and Kelly, as they try to navigate their path. Robinson and Vergara, are so believable in their roles. Both sing their lungs out and we rejoice. Adam is a slow-burn of a character. As the drama intensifies, Adam also breaks free of the shackles. Malacaria is in fine voice here too. Kelemen dazzles as Beverly. She thoroughly enjoys prancing around and causing turbulence.
‘The Mad Ones’, is a musical by Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk. Based on an idea by Zach Altman and Bree Lowdermilk. Director, Sarah Campbell, has ensembled a brilliant cast. All the actors are in-sync and deliver stirring performances. The songs are accompanied by a vibrant band with Nicholas Till (Conductor & Keys 1), Jonathan Zhang (Keys 2), Annabella Chen (Violin) and Felix Staas (Guitar).
The venue for this production is the Loading Dock Theatre, which is situated in the old Darlinghurst Police Station. Cells have been transformed into art gallery-like installation spaces that trace the history of queer relationships. It’s an amazing building. The theatre foyer has cell windows as a provocative backdrop.
The audience on opening night, absolutely adored ‘The Mad Ones’. So many poignant lessons to be learned. Being swept up in these magnificent songs, one realises that there’s nothing more dangerous in life, than playing it safe. The synopsis quotes that it’s truly better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.
This is a musical that deserves to be heard. You would be mad to miss it!
To book tickets to The Mad Ones, please visit https://tickets.qtopiasydney.com.au/Events/The-Mad-Ones/.
Photographer: Yingying Zhang
