Opening night of Sweet Charity at Chapel Off Chapel, Friday, 19th June, 2026.
Heirlume Productions presents the iconic Bob Fosse musical, Sweet Charity, with support from Forest Collective, the award-winning Australian arts organisation founded in 2009 by composer and conductor Evan Jay Lawson. Playing at Chapel Off Chapel from 18 to 28 June, this production brings together Heirlume’s theatrical vision with Forest Collective’s musical expertise in a successful and masterful collaboration.
Sweet Charity, written by Broadway legend, Neil Simon, with a great score by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, has always been a musical fan favourite.
Taken from the plot of a 1957 Italian film about a streetwalker, Nights of Cabiria (Le notti di Cabiria), Simon’s musical rendition kept four of the film’s landmark moments. Conceived, staged, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse for his wife, the irrepressible Gwen Verdon, Sweet Charity premiered on Broadway, New York, in 1966 and was nominated for nine Tony Awards with a win for Fosse’s unmistakeable quirky and technical choreography. Let’s just say, Fosse made it his own.
So, no surprise the opening night audience at Chapel Off Chapel were bustling with excitement ready to soak in its many hit songs and, to experience that fabulous Fosse feeling, however, we were not prepared for how tight, fabulous and professional this production and its cast were going to be.
Director, Madison Lee, has reinvigorated the beloved characters and legendary score with a “queer love story and a tale of self-acceptance.” In her Program Director’s Note, Madi reminds us that “Charity Hope Valentine is a woman who wants to be loved completely resisting against a world that has given her very little reason to keep believing….” Except for, “…her chosen family, the people who hold us when we get back up and remind us who we are when the world tries to tell us otherwise.”
Lee has directed a female ensemble so strong and diverse, most playing multiple parts, I haven’t seen the likes of together in years:
Experienced VCA graduate, Erica Wild, fresh back from West End, U.K., embodies Charity Hope Valentine with honesty and sweetness. Wild is hardly ever offstage but gives everything she has to this role, with all her innocence and energy. She is easy to love.
Producer, Heirlume founder and Productions Artistic Director, Manda Rozen-Flannery, says of Charity, “…something feels inherently neurodivergent … about her.” Wild captures this perfectly.
Wild is supported by second leads, Madeline Pratt as Nickie and Hannah Gutierrez Cañon as Helene, playing two seasoned dance hall girls weathered and baffled by Charity’s naivety.
Choreographer and educator, Pratt is powerful in singing, acting and dancing.
For Cabaret performer and former National Latin dance Champion, Cañon, new to the Musical Theatre industry, her dance expertise is obvious.
As is the dance talent of Tyler-Rose Shattock, who charmed us as an excellent Frug Girl in the nightclub scene. Shattock also stands out with all her other characters.
Extremely talented and versatile Sara-Louise Younger plays both the Herman and Daddy characters. Her version of ‘Rhythm of Life’ along with the whole cast, was simply transformational. Singing gospel one minute and opera the next, her range and voice is unique to Australia.
Supported by Alessandra Negro as Ursula, Eden Holmes as Carmen, Lisa-Marie Coad as Betsy and Bridie Erwin-Keirl as Rosie, all playing multiple other roles, the hard work and camaraderie of the whole troupe beams and was just a pleasure to watch.
Clancy Enchelmaier plays the only three male roles, from Charity’s bad choice of boyfriend at the start to movie star, Vittorio, to romantic lead, Oscar. His distinguished voice and range is strong.
This show is also excellent creatively:
The audience was delighted with Jesse Matthews’ choreography. He is resident performer and choreographer for Forest Collective. Matthews paid tribute to Fosse’s unmistakeable 60’s style keeping the line of the classic number, ‘Big Spender’ while adding a touch of difference.
Even in this smaller production, the choreography shines and was one of the highlights of this show.
The iconic dance scene from the Sweet Charity movie, titled, “The Aloof” is a perfect blend of elegance, satire, and stylistic brilliance in storytelling. There is no expression on any of the dancers’ faces in “The Aloof”, however, in this production, Matthews / Lee have decided to arm Shattock’s Frug girl with sexiness and smiles, energising us into the vibe of a nightclub, also switching us away from the dim of the dance hall.
Forest Collective Artistic Director, contemporary composer, singer and conductor, Evan J Lawson, and Composer, Pianist and Musical Director, Max Kielly are co-musical directors on Sweet Charity and are sharing time in the conducting of the orchestra, with Orchestrator, Shanon Whitelock. It’s obvious this has been a very successful collaboration.
An energetic score that is usually undertaken by a full orchestra has been executed with precision by this award winning and versatile crew of six musicians, Thomas English on woodwind, Bodhi Scott-Jones on trumpet, Max Kielly on keys,
Felix Gilmour on percussion, Benjamin Lamb on guitar and Ian Crossfield on upright & electric bass.
The shows’ Costume Designer, Zachary Dixon, has pieced together items that tell a story throughout each scene, from Charity’s gingham print summer dress – she probably wore from her hick town into the big city dance hall for work – to Nickie and Helene’s Lingerie variations, to Daddy’s hippie church group collections, the costumes are colourful and timely in the best way.
Lighting Designer, Ruben Laine, Sound Designer, Lukas Battey and stage manager, Samara Louise have connected all of these dots seamlessly to present to us a stage of scaffolding representing the dance hall above and the dressing rooms below, as well as the highs and the lows of their lifestyle.
I enjoyed this show so much, I may attend once more.
If you can get tickets, hurry up and get them now before they sell out.
This show is not to be missed.
@heirlume.productions
@evanjlawson
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@manda.rozenflannery
@madeline.pratt
@chacha_chilena
@tylerrose_shattock
@slyoungerparker
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@maxkielly
@shannondw
To book tickets to Sweet Charity, please visit https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/sweet-charity/.
