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Checked Out: The Musical

10/10/2025 Debra Campbell🥈

Checked Out: The Musical Rating

★★★★★

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Checked Out: The Musical – A musical comedy about the mundane lives of supermarket workers in a cost of living crisis.

Check in, deal with angry customers. Check out, repeat again tomorrow. Connell and Lee, the team behind GRAA-nominated musical ‘A Zoom Group Project’ have joined forces again to create this brand-new supermarket musical comedy premiering at Melbourne Fringe 2025. This time they are using their years of retail experience as creative fuel because nothing makes a story sing like hating your job does. In ‘Checked Out: The Musical’ a group of employees are sick of their mundane lives working for big supermarket chain Woles, who still pay them minimum wage despite its recent record profits. What’s the manager’s solution to staff complaints? Throwing a party to celebrate the company’s profits and making attendance mandatory of course!

As I watched this cast of comrades band together to unite against the epitome of capitalism: their workplace, I laughed, laughed and laughed again.

This show deserves the highest accolades and surely it is set to win some of the current Melbourne Fringe Festival awards. The entire audience would agree going by their laughter and cheering. I don’t think there was ever someone not laughing throughout 90% of the show – there are a few serious moments (not!).

It is simply put together on stage with boxes coloured in like supermarket aisles, something a little like an advanced kinder project so you’re wondering what’s going to go on here… then one by one starting their day in the store enter 5 very different staff members … mops with eyes as fierce customers, register and clock on-off beeps, announcement microphones and the big ‘boss’ guy up the top over the loud speaker of course (we don’t get to see him, but he’s equally as talented as the rest of the cast).

‘Price gouging’ clap along was the best! Finger puppets not dissimilar to ones we all frequently recognise instantly, the team of ‘Woles’ in their blue aprons, Bridget, Jasmine, Taylor, Seb and Jack hit every silly, funny but scarily true to life topic we experience in shopping today and working in retail spot on!

I am personally constantly complaining of how much milk and bread and a few fruit and veg will set me back. These guys take it to the next level, but when I thought about it, it’s not next level, these prices are reality!

Their 10cent per hour pay rise is also reality, and they have to fight for it!

Swapping out ‘Clean Up’ for ‘Love in Aisle 9’ may be the only highlight of a day otherwise full of being scolded by customers, bossy bosses and trying to keep to an impossible down-to-the second time schedule. Of course, don’t take your break early and certainly don’t be 17 seconds over returning to your duties!

Will Jack be able to play his songs at the MCG? Will Jasmine continue to be excited as the newest employee? Will Seb get to take his long service leave in Vietnam? Will Taylor ever do up her apron and will supervisor Bridget finally get to head up the company, or will she decide to band with her team?

The beaming smiles and genuine love for what they do on stage giving it their all, these talented bright bubby actors and actresses totally nailed this plot and I can’t wait to see what they do next!

Hopefully major media will go along and see this show, I could see it tour!

Enjoy!!

Ticket Link: https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/checked-out-the-musical

Playing 8 – 12 October 2025

Well organised ticketing and access, lots of volunteers helping to get you into the right area – the Fringe Festival is fantastic with so much to choose from, but definitely DON’T MISS this one ‘CHECKED OUT – THE MUSCAL!’

WRITTEN BY
Josh Connell and Steph Lee
LIGHTING DESIGN
Tom Vulcan
DIRECTED BY
Steph Lee
CAST
Anita Mei La Terra
Oscar O’Brien
Jackson Cross
An Dang
Shanu Sobti

Venue: Solidarity Hall at Festival Hub: Trades Hall, Cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton

EVENT WARNING
Contains strobe lighting, Mild coarse language
CONTENT WARNING
Misogyny, Sexual References

To book tickets to Checked Out: The Musical, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/checked-out-the-musical.

Photographer: Leo Cherry

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The Revlon Girl – A Story From The Aberfan Disaster

09/10/2025 Debra Campbell🥈

Revlon Girl Rating

★★★★★

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It’s NOT about make-up….

Playing at Clayton in Melbourne 10-19 October 2025 with Encore Theatre. Written by Neil Anthony Docking. Directed by David Krause.

The play is set over the course of one evening, in a room above a pub, eight months after the 1966 Aberfan Disaster in Wales.

Much more than just a difficult story to tell. 116 children were killed (mostly aged 7 – 10) when a landslide engulfed their school. Teachers were taken with them and including some others the death toll total pulled out of this mining catastrophe at 144.

Heavy rain hit the region and a coal waste tip spilled down the hill in slurry to the town directly below. Exactly in its pathway was the Pantglas Junior School where 109 children fell victim of a chronic example in poor decision making and grossly ignored warnings. The National Coal Board were found to have been extremely negligent in its handling of the coal tips, built on unstable ground and known to be on top of springs.

‘The Revlon Girl’ is about a group of local women tragically having lost their child or children in the devastating occurrence and also having grown up together themselves. They organise a ‘Revlon’ make-up representative to come out to see them at one of their get-togethers for some uplifting ‘beauty tips’. She arrives in a fancy car and brings her product samples of new colours and shiny lipsticks along with friendly education of how to look and feel better, but can these things actually make a difference? These women are going through what no mother should ever have to endure.

The play opens with pictures from the actual event, video and sombering sound effects, so anyone watching can clearly visualize and feel in the pit of their stomach that awful day. However, gratefully, it isn’t long before little funny moments too are presented in the script and such continues all the way through the play, bringing welcome lightheartedness reprieve from serious darkness.

Perfectly cast, the personalities of the women are all very different; it appears that Sian is organised and more positive, Rona is loud and overpowering, Jean holds onto the power of prayer, Marilyn is delicate and showing intense grief. ‘The Revlon girl’ is just there trying to make a difference in whatever way she can; after donating to the disaster memorial fund, she volunteered with the company to visit the women – beauty cases in tow, but Charlotte’s own story of loss will come to be told amongst the bereavement later.

Though we immediately know that Marilyn is still suffering immensely as she uneasily steps into the room, it quickly becomes apparent that all these mothers, having been dealt the same tragic experience, are dealing with the event’s aftermath as best they can, whilst trying to be supportive to each other. They do not agree on everything, they have different perspectives on what is now important and what should be done, but they all tell a story of their child/ren, the hopes they had for them, their very special and unforgettable memories that will never leave their hearts or minds.

Watching this play as a mother myself was challenging at times; the acting of all women is very real and each character has both tenderness and fierceness that every mother can empathize with – hopefully we never experience to this velocity. You send your children to school and they don’t come home. Nothing would hit you faster and harder.

It is no wonder that Marilyn still waits for her two girls to come home (the way that line was delivered will stay with me). No surprise that Rona does not want to queue for anything anymore after waiting in line for an eternity to view her son’s body. It is confusing to Jean as to why God has given her another baby on the way (a ‘surprise’ conceived just before the disaster), but took the one she wanted. Sian wants another baby, she wants her husband to look at her again, to share again, to love again.

These women all miss their beloveds more than they’ll ever verbally be able to express. The play shows how much and how differently they cope, but they do cope, they do help one another. It’s NOT just lipstick!

The play is set in a simple one room scene; couch, chairs, pictures and a leaky skylight causing some concern (rainwater understandably heightens anxiety here), though I barely noticed what was around the well-designed stage set and in the accurate costuming of 60s clothing in detail, because the actual grit story being told by these excellent actresses is one I couldn’t take my attention away from. You may want to sometimes, but I doubt you can. It’s an important message on top of the actual happening, and an honour to have produced in the memory of all those lost and the parents and loved ones left behind.

All in all, I highly recommend!

Cast:
Bella Barker as Revlon
Keziah Gillam as Rona
Kate Lawson as Marilyn
Emma Spencer as Sian
Kelly Williams as Jean

Ticket link: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1432366

Venue: Clayton Theatrette, 9-15 Cooke St, Clayton. Easy parking and access for wheelchairs.
Running time: 90 mins (no interval)
Tea and Coffee is served after the show and this group are always up for a chat about how the show was decided upon, set put together and worked on – they are a lovely bunch of people and anyone can be involved doing something on their excellent productions: https://encoretheatre.com.au/get-involved/

Note: This production includes themes of child loss and grief.
If you have lost a child and require support, please reach out:
https://projexj.org/
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

To book tickets to Revlon Girl, please visit https://encoretheatre.com.au/season-1/.

Photographer: Dave Swann

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My Brilliant Career – Warrnambool Regional Theatre

16/09/2025 Debra Campbell🥈

My Brilliant Career Rating

★★★★★

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An extremely long time ago I first performed on stage as a tiny 4 year old in my birthplace of Warrnambool, so when a show came up to review in my home town, I gratefully took the opportunity and my Mum for an overnight stay. We had a wonderful weekend. Warrnambool (3.5hrs drive from Melbourne) is a fantastic place (voted Australia’s most liveable regional city) and I highlight if you include in your visit their art galleries and a theatre experience, it’s an awesome artsy destination.

MY BRILLIANT CAREER was showing at the Lighthouse Theatre by Warrnambool Theatre Company, and what a company! A cast of 28 were hugely talented and entertaining. I did have a few favourites by the end of the show, their characters so enriched the play with warmth and laughter, but I could say a million positive things about everyone in the cast, truly; all amazing, worked so well together and I hope you had the best time putting on this show, because we had the best time watching it.

Great use of an inventive set design and sound/lighting throughout the show. The ‘horse and buggy’ travel adaption, very clever! The walk-on walk-off gum trees rather than still props made change of whereabouts quick and un-interrupting to the story being told. The giant book in the background where topics scribbled across digitally invited us to continue enjoying each chapter and the true sounds of the Australian bush playing as we were transported back in time was so lovely to hear.

Mia Copland playing ‘Sybylla’ is second to none I’ve seen play this role before. It’s hard to imagine that she is anything but strong willed and confident in her everyday life too; on stage Mia is full of her character tenfold. Her lead script is unforgiving and she is on stage constantly. I applaud her every word, every mannerism, action, stride and scream. She spoke with articulation of a versed poet. Standing out was her vociferation on living in Possum Gully – being a part of a family down on their luck. Sybylla, as oldest child, will remain responsible to help her family when needed. Will she succumb?

Though Sybylla’s society grandmother takes her in for a period, and a rich man shows interest in her; they are feelings of which Sybylla may be unsure whether to reciprocate. Amid the advancement of ‘Harry’ played charmingly by Elliot Cooper, there will be a call of ‘duty’ for Sybylla to repay a debt of her father’s. I could feel Sybylla’s pain as Mia brought that to the audience in devastative prospect on returning to a monotonous torturous life Sybylla thought she had managed to leave. A life where there seemed no future to do as she wished, where no one cared of her ambitions; a life where she may survive, but not thrive. A life of no career, excepting carrying babies and hopefully not dying in childbirth.

Lucy played by Angela Verspay, was a mother dealing with all the usual things a mother does and more. The baby ‘blanket’ appearing took a serious situation into comical laughter (my second time to witness labour in action on stage haha but the first blanket pulled out – who thought of that – different!). Finally, when Lucy played piano at the end, such action said 1000 words and I felt a magic moment of communication between mother and daughter, well done!

I loved Grannie Bossier played by Kate Head, delivery of her character was precise, as was Hannh Bellamy as Aunt Helen. Noteworthy were their interactions with each other. Little extra details in theatre help make every scene believable. It might be just an eyebrow raised, shoulder shrug or a glance away, a certain non-verbal tone used; things we may not consciously always notice, but subtleties that make dialogue come to life.

The character of Uncle Jay-Jay was funny and featured in Sybylla’s stint at her grandmother’s, played by Jeremy Lee – quintessential to his better life – bravo, he was my favourite! I laughed long after he delivered his line of ‘what on earth would I do in the kitchen, I don’t even know where it is’ – I daresay that would have been true for many a wealthier early-century gentleman.

Gertie played by Amelia Dumesny was a breath of fresh air in her acting, I felt she really did play opposite Sybylla beautifully in giving to her family and showing genuine sisterly love for Sybylla. Brother Horace played by Oberon Rothman also gave a compelling speech to Sybylla, and their father Richard played by Michael Hoffman was exactly rightly cast to be both a positive and negative influence on his family.

The family of Mr McSwat played by the hilarious Lachlan Turner were all excellent! Lachlan’s exaggerated persona worked his role on par as any professional (my Mum loved his antics). Little Arto playing ‘Jimmy’ was a cutie, as were Paddy and Lilibet playing cheeky ‘Tommy’ and ‘Katie’. Vivienne and Hannah playing ‘Maggie’ and ‘Rose-Jane’ were eagerly switched on in being naughty, and Ruby Nelson playing Lizer was exceptional – I noticed her in the clan even before her role took on a feature in the script. Mrs McSwat played by Anja Harley had a fantastic accent of country Aussie bush life and Alex Smith playing Peter (also taking a shine to Sybylla) was fun in his quiet shy way. We loved this rough and tumble family.

Worth mentioning too is that this play is derived from a semi-autobiographical book written more than a 100 years ago by Stella “Miles” Franklin. I wonder what Miles would think of today’s world where women can be anything they desire in majority of countries, but not all, as somewhere in the world today there are women who still live in cultures and environments struggling to be heard and educated for a better existence, the world for them today is not dissimilar to that of Sybylla’s.

MY BRILLIANT CAREER is a triumph of writing and taking that written work of yesteryear to the stage today is quite an achievement. Congratulations to Producers Penny McLeod and Matt Baker, Director Lisa Graham, Assistant Director Flo Roney, Stage Manager Warren Easley, Set Designers Claire Norman & Lyle Russell, Lighting Design Tegan Evans and all the creative team – an example of exemplary regional community theatre working at its best!

I thoroughly encourage others make the drive from surrounding areas for the Warrnambool Theatre Company’s next show ‘& JULIET’ playing 3-10 January 2026. If you live locally – go see everything this company produces – what a treat to have your theatre easy to get to, easy to park at, restaurants close walk and great bar service at interval. Not things we always get queuing up in Melbourne. Accommodation for anyone living further away too is affordable with plenty of choices.

Ticket and information link: https://www.warrnambooltheatrecompany.com/

Theatre venue: https://www.lighthousetheatre.com.au/

Our Accommodation: Magpie Lodge B&B (highly recommend)

CAST:
Sybylla Melvyn – Mia Copland (Flo Roney understudy)
Harry Beecham – Elliot Cooper
Grannie Bossier – Kate Head
Lucy Melvyn – Angela Verspay
Richard Melvyn – Michael Hoffman
Aunt Helen – Hannah Bellamy
Gertie Melvyn – Amelia Dumesny
Horace Melvyn – Oberan Rothman
Uncle JayJay – Jeremy Lee
Mr McSwat – Lachlan Turner
Mrs McSwat – Anja Harley
Peter McSwat – Alex Smith
Lizer McSwat – Ruby Nelson
Jimmy McSwat – Arto Bellamy
Tommy McSwat – Paddy McKane
Maggie McSwat – Vivienne O’Brien
Rose-Jane McSwat – Hannah Rothman
Katie McSwat – Lilibet Bellamy
Frank Hawden – Dean Field
Blance Derrick & Midwife – Heidi Benz
Aunt Gussie – Eila Lyon
Mary O’Farrell – Lousie Rothman
Tramps & Guests – Jo Owen, Annemaree Stonehouse, Margy Jackson, Ace O’Dwyer, Ross McCorkell.

Photography credit: Greta Punch

To book tickets to My Brilliant Career, please visit https://www.warrnambooltheatrecompany.com/current-production.

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Tarzan: The Stage Musical

24/09/202512/09/2025 Debra Campbell🥈

Tarzan: The Stage Musical Rating

★★★★★

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The stage is set – I look at an enormous map of Africa, sails caught up with shipwrecked boxes and listen to the atmospheric opening sounds of the African jungle to soon be pierced by a baby’s cry – Tarzan’s cry, though he is not yet named ‘Tarzan’ – the next two hours will be his story.

TARZAN The Stage Musical has swung into life in Melbourne over the past couple of weeks and I’m so happy to have been invited to one of their final shows for review. I’ve seen three shows this week and this was my favourite – the other two were professional city shows so that’s saying something. My daughter could not believe she had been so engrossed when it was “interval already”. We sat next to one of the ‘Annies’ having a night off from playing her own famous character in the city currently, and when I asked her at interval what she thought thusfar she eagerly replied ‘I’m LOVING it!’ (excited to see her singing teacher in the cast too)

Get on the website to book the last tickets remaining until Sunday 14 Sept.
Ticket link: https://nationaltheatre.org.au/tarzan/

The blurb on the show told me:
TARZAN – The Stage Musical brings Disney’s epic animated film to life on stage in a high-flying action adventure, complete with aerial choreography and unforgettable music to the soundtrack of Phil Collins. Tarzan struggles to find where he truly belongs, torn between the animal kingdom and the human world. With book by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang, at its core TARZAN is a story of identity, love, and the universal quest for connection.

Typically, the Disney TARZAN draws interest of course from adventurous kids, but there were more adults in the audience woo-hooing tonight and much of it for Joshua Russell as ‘Tarzan’ – the exact required look he definitely has and demanding skills for this unusual role; he strongly mastered those vine swings and strode a masterful ‘ape walk’ – his body must now be well adapted to that gait. Same for all the gorillas, excelling in their emulation of animal behavior and their acrobatic and dance which combine to give a seamless presentation of orderly uncontrolled chaos – there is so much going on, it’s exciting!

Usually I have a preference for certain characters by the end of a show, but in this one I didn’t, I liked them all and they were all played exceptionally well.

Seriousness and laughs from Jane and her father Prof. Porter were fun moments, played by Emily Robinson straight out of graduating from the VCA and Drew Holmes with an impressive history in shows too long to list.

Sarah Murr as ‘Kala’ (Tarzan’s ape-mother) is pure curated talent. It did not surprise me later to read about her role recently playing in Hadestown at Her Majesty’s. Matching up Sarah’s talents alongside Devon Braithwaite as ‘Kerchak’ (Tarzan’s ape-father) was perfect casting, and no wonder – he trained at The Boston Conservatory (USA). I’d love to see these two play again together in another show as non-animals after witnessing what they can do with a non-human role.

The scene where the gorillas inquisitively meet Jane and her Dad was both touching and tragic. The loss of one of Tarzan’s ape family had an empathetic music choice and the gun shots were unnervingly real, as was the formidable acting of Nick Eynaud as Clayton, jungle guide who had another goal on his agenda.

Emma Wilby Owers playing ‘Terk’ (Tarzan’s ape-buddy) nailed every line and expression, body movement and reaction. Another one to watch – there’s a heap of stars in this show!

Ollie Pearce as ‘Leopard’ brought the adrenalin rush, well focused with that slyly power and the Ensemble working every bit as hard as all the leads, sometimes more so on the energy required for partner throws and crazy wildness.

Finally, shout out to Young Tarzans, Daniel Lim and Sebastian Dovey Cribbes, both would have had an absolutely unique experience in this script and who wouldn’t want to play ‘Tarzan’ learning how to fruit pick and hang upside down. Whichever youthful Tarzan you see when you go along to watch you have to admire what these juniors in theatre can do and the confidence they have – theatre is so great for kids.

As always, I love the memories theatre can help recapture and looking later at the detailed program for this production, I have a mental flashback to watching a much earlier Tarzan on screen; Olympic swimmer Johnny Weismuller. Certainly not like the vivid colours and amazing action I saw everywhere on stage tonight with hundreds of green hanging vines, twisting and tumbling acrobats, dancers defying what their bodies can do naturally, but those calmer old black and white movies we’d sit down to watch on weekends and after which my brother would disappear to be ‘Tarzan’ in our backyard Willow tree. Yes, this is a story which has stood the test of time in any format with no mobile phones needed (they don’t work in the jungle anyway).

Oh – and hold out for that distinctive Tarzan jungle call, how does one describe that?

Congratulations to all the cast and the James Terry Collective creative team, you have all done yourselves proud!

Playing: August 29- September 14, 2025
Venue: The National Theatre, St Kilda
Website: www.tarzanstagemusical.com.au

CAST
Tarzan- Joshua Russell
Jane – Emily Robinson
Kala – Sara Murr
Kerchak – Devon Braithwaite (alt. Joti Van Carlos Gore)
Terk – Emma Wilby
Prof. Porter – Drew Holmes
Clayton – Nick Eynaud
Young Tarzan – Daniel Lim & Sebastian Dovey Cribbes
Ensemble – Simon Fairweather, Brittany Ford, Josephine Lopes, Sammy Allsop, Matilda Simmons, Ollie Pearce, Liimei Lim, Adriana Pannuzzo Emma Wilby, Gabriel Marsilli, Ayril Borce, Arjun Tiwari, Patrick Friedlander, Nicholas Dugdale.

TARZAN The Musical is Directed by Alister Smith (Elvis a Revolution, The Boys in the Band), Choreographed by Michael Ralph (The Wedding Singer, Legally Blonde), and Musical Direction by Claire Healy (SIX the Musical)

Adapted from the story “Tarzan of the Apes” by Edgar Rice Burroughs and originally Produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions. TARZAN ® owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).

To book tickets to Tarzan: The Stage Musical, please visit https://nationaltheatre.org.au/tarzan/.

For information on further shows see: https://www.jamesterrycollective.com.au/

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