Sydney Musical - Whats The Show

MUSE at The Fuse – ‘Putting It Together’ A Sondheim Revue

06/06/2026 Linda Lokhee🏆🥇🦉

Putting It Together by Stephen Sondheim Rating

★★★★★

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Stephen Sondheim, a legendary composer and lyricist, is well known for musicals such as Into the Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along and A Little Night Music. These are some musicals amongst many that have captured the hearts of people worldwide. After the immensely successful revue Side by Side which had been performing since 1976, Sondheim and co-creator Julia McKenzie’s musical Putting It Together premiered in London in 1992. They chose songs from popular musicals that Sondheim wrote after 1976, to showcase his acclaimed career.

After the lights dim, we hear what we assume is a pre-recorded voice stating the usual requests before live event plays – that the use of cameras is strictly prohibited, etc. As the warnings continue, the announcer continues, “Please do not crinkle your programs incessantly. Please do not fidget uncontrollably in your seats” and “Don’t go, “Oh!” Whenever there’s a song you know“ and suddenly we see a cast member appear, walking down the centre aisle holding a microphone and looking polished. They continue to give the audience instructions. We are all delighted and have a laugh as we realise that the instructions are part of the opening song of the play, called “Invocations and Instructions” from The Frogs. Man 3, brilliantly understatedly played by Eli Reilly, assumes the role of the narrator, leading the story to oversee and influence the other characters throughout the musical.

The narrative of Putting it Together, directed by Gabriel Way Stamatellis, begins in the 90’s, with five friends having a party in one of the couple’s lavish condominiums. The cast, champagne in hand, barrels out “Rich and Happy #1” in a joy filled celebration of laughter. “All our dreams coming true.. this must be what happy means.. skies are beaming, future bright, prospects gleaming” was presented with the energy that showcased how much the cast loved being onstage together. This was a strong song, with the lyrics communicating their optimism.

Despite the initial reach for everlasting happiness, we start to see the underlying foundations of the couple’s marriage to be shaky, as hints of adulterous flirtation are made clear between the husband, played by Hudson Perry and another guest, Woman 2, performed by Nicola Awad. I really enjoyed seeing the wife, Woman 1, played by Jillian Keith shoot murderous glances at her friend Woman 2; her eyes and body language were perfected to show her hostile emotion. It would be easy to imagine that Keith created the phrase, “if looks could kill”. Her voice was sensational with a huge range to cater for the low to high notes in the songs Woman 2 had to sing. Keith gave a standout performance in all of her songs, but most of all during the song “Getting Married Today” (from Company) which required a rapid-fire fast pace of lyrics, and Keith delivered them with the sheer panic and terror of a reluctant bride-to-be.

Man 2, portrayed by Owen Roubeni, brought the sweet simplicity of longing for love into the group. Roubini’s voice was grounded in a wonderfully mellow tone and conveyed a calmness and earnestness in every song that he sang. He portrayed his character as the good friend everyone should have.

The audience never learns these characters’ names, and they are referred to in the program as Man 1, Man 2, Man 3, Girl 1 and Girl 2. It seems a strategic move to not name his characters, as Sondheim does not play favourites with his characters. All have an equal role in telling stories about the stages of relationships, from flirtations through to relationship highs and then the lows.

Zach Moses and Jonathan Zhang, co-musical directors, brought the freshness of the songs to life and with the band, successfully condensed the sounds of a traditional orchestra into a small person band without losing the grandeur. The band, Jonothan Zhang (keys), Emil Vinad (percussion), Yinfan Lin (Keys) and Rachel Glendenning (bass) were led by conductor Zhang and were situated to the right of the audience, giving the cast a clear accompaniment.

MUSE, the Sydney University Musical Ensemble, provided an entertaining and comedic night of music dedicated to Stephen Sondheim’s fans. Even if you were not familiar with any of Sondheim’s music, you would still enjoy this musical. It is a wonderful thing to see and support these Uni students in the Creative Arts field, and it was easy to see how much they enjoyed putting this musical on, altogether!

Putting It Together is showing at The Factory in the Fusebox. 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville.
Season: June 3 – June 6 2026
Tickets:
www.factorytheatre.com.au/event/putting-it-together-by-stephen-sondheim

To book tickets to Putting It Together by Stephen Sondheim, please visit https://www.factorytheatre.com.au/event/putting-it-together-by-stephen-sondheim/.

Photographer: jack_k.photography

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Sweet Charity

17/05/2026 Melissa Marsh🥉

Sweet Charity Rating

★★★★★

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Hornsby Musical Society’s production of Sweet Charity succeeds because it understands the difficult balance at the heart of the musical. Beneath the colour, comedy, energetic choreography, and sharp stylisation sits a story about loneliness, resilience, and the exhausting act of continuing to hope. This production never loses sight of that emotional core.

At the centre of everything is Victoria Alfieris as Charity Hope Valentine, and it is her performance that anchors the entire production. Alfieris brings charm, vulnerability, spark, and sincerity to the role without ever reducing Charity to caricature or sentimentality. Her performance captures the essential contradiction of the character: a woman repeatedly bruised by disappointment who continues moving through life with irrepressible optimism. That emotional openness carried through her singing and dancing, creating a Charity who always felt emotionally alive and in motion.

Several musical numbers particularly showcased her strengths. “You Should See Yourself” was tender and sincere, while “If My Friends Could See Me Now” balanced comic exuberance with emotional honesty beneath the fantasy. “I’m A Brass Band” became one of the evening’s emotional high points, with Alfieris capturing Charity’s overwhelming rush of hope and possibility with infectious warmth.

James Denton’s Oscar Lindquist provided an effective counterpoint to Charity’s energy. Denton wisely leaned into Oscar’s physical awkwardness, using nervous movement, hesitant posture, and restrained reactions to make the character endearing rather than merely eccentric. This physicality gradually softened during the Ferris wheel scene, allowing genuine warmth and connection to emerge naturally between the two leads. Denton’s understated comic work during “I Love to Cry at Weddings” was particularly effective, with small physical reactions and visible discomfort generating both humour and sympathy.

Among the supporting cast, Max Waterson stood out as Vittorio Vidal. Rather than pushing the role into parody, Waterson gave Vittorio genuine charm and sweetness, especially during “Too Many Tomorrows,” which landed with surprising sincerity. Alfieris and Waterson also played beautifully off one another during the apartment sequence, balancing comedy, fantasy, and genuine warmth in a way that made Charity’s excitement feel completely believable.

The ensemble work throughout the production was consistently strong. “Big Spender,” “Rich Man’s Frug,” and “Rhythm of Life” each possessed distinct physical identities and strong collective energy. Director and choreographer Lauren Oxenham, who also choreographed Hornsby Musical Society’s Grease last year, again demonstrated a strong instinct for ensemble movement and theatrical rhythm. Where Grease required buoyant nostalgia, Sweet Charity demanded sharper stylisation and emotional edge, and Oxenham’s choreography rose confidently to that challenge.

The production’s visual design also deserves praise. The abstract, block-like set design, at times reminiscent of Rothko paintings, created flexible playing spaces that transformed smoothly into locations such as the elevator, closet, and Ferris wheel. Costumes brought generous colour to the production while still allowing larger numbers like “Rich Man’s Frug” and “Rhythm of Life” to develop distinct visual identities. Lighting was also used effectively to shape mood and transitions, though from some audience positions several lighting cues projected directly into sightlines and briefly became distracting.

Musically, the production maintained strong momentum throughout the evening, with the orchestra supporting the show’s shifting emotional rhythms without overwhelming the performers. Just as importantly, the production trusted the emotional honesty of the material. Rather than treating the ending as cynical, the final moments suggested something more hopeful: that despite repeated disappointments, Charity retains the capacity to keep moving forward.

That sense of resilience lingered after the curtain call. In the end, Hornsby Musical Society delivered a production of Sweet Charity that was not only entertaining and visually confident, but emotionally sincere, anchored by a warm and compelling central performance from Victoria Alfieris.

To book tickets to Sweet Charity, please visit https://www.pioneertheatre.com.au/whats-on/sweetcharity.

Photographer: Stefanie Roche Dobb

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Ordinary Days

07/05/202607/05/2026 Kirsty Dale🆕

Ordinary Days Rating

★★★★★

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Ordinary Days, produced by Bold & Blunt Creative and performed at Flight Path Theatre, takes us on a journey to New York in the early 2000s. An off-Broadway success, the sung-through musical follows the stories of four characters working through the challenges of everyday life. The story touches on art, taking chances, dreaming big, building relationships and recovering after trauma. There is nothing too complex in the plot but there is joy to be found in interrogating smaller moments not usually portrayed on stage.

There were two main storylines; one was romantic and the other was about friendship, I loved this. It is beautiful to see a platonic relationship platformed and I found that Warren (played by Ethan Bourke) and Deb (played by Producer Chantal Elyse) had a lot of chemistry. The other two characters were a couple grappling with the difficulties that come with moving in together and taking the next steps – Claire (played by Associate Producer Jordan Berry) and Jason (played by Lachlan Ceravolo).

I was lucky enough to see the opening night show and he performances from the four cast members were very earnest. As the show went on, I felt the cast become more confident, and the characters more vulnerable. Bourke was a highlight for me; he was very charismatic and made the audience want to get to know him. Ceravolo gave us a very convincing, though at times, one-sided love story. Both Elyse and Berry had wonderful voices. I especially loved the duets, group numbers and the songs where the passion and frustration of the characters peeked through – this felt distinctly human!

The pianist was a highlight, tucked in the corner of the stage, playing for the full 90 minutes – no intermission. I enjoyed the music a lot and was surprised with how immersive the singing was with only the piano. Songs seamlessly connected as scenes changed, and at times I forgot that we had live accompaniment. Congratulations to the Musical Director – Joseph O’Reilly.

The set was simple but effective with the New York skyline created out of posters and flyers, and just a couple of desks. Both lighting and sound were used well to signpost the mood changes, which was essential with the pared back set design. The cast used the space masterfully, popping out from within the audience and the theatre door which aided the audience to feel engaged and part of the story. There were laughs at the funny quips and audible gasps when Warren tripped, we felt invested in Deb finding her thesis and Claire having a personal breakthrough.

Overall, this was a very wholesome production from a team who has clearly worked extremely hard. There are a lot of lyrics in this musical, it’s impressive. For fans of RENT or Amélie who love whimsy, it’s worth a watch.

To book tickets to Ordinary Days, please visit https://www.flightpaththeatre.org/whats-on/ordinary-days.

Photographer: Andrea Magpulong,Philip Le Masurier Photography

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You Would Be Mad To Miss This Show

02/05/202602/05/2026 Linda Nathaniel

The Mad Ones Rating

★★★★★

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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

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