I can’t believe that prior to last night I had never heard of CALVIN BERGER: A MUSICAL COMEDY, because boy have I been missing out on something really special!
The fantastic musical is a modernised adaptation of CYRANO DE BERGERAC, a classic play written by Edmond Rostand, and is being proudly showcased at the Civic Playhouse, presented by UpStage and Hyde Entertainment and directed by Amber Curby and Seb Smee.
The story centres around four teenagers struggling through the tumultuous years of High School. They are each grappling with their own insecurities, bringing light to the truth that even those we perceive as being; the prettiest, the smartest, the coolest, all still doubt their self worth at times.
It’s a heartfelt message to all teens to be mindful of others’ feelings and to note that you never really know what inner demons your peers may be battling. Although there are some underlying subtle messages, the musical is incredibly lighthearted and hilarious, reminiscent of a 90s romcom.
All four leads were an absolute standout! Both the acting and vocals of each were nothing short of brilliant. The Vocal Director – Gabrielle Connett has delivered commendable vocal instruction to the talented young cast, who all portrayed great skill in their solos and ensemble harmonies.
Seb Smee, an up and coming superstar of Newcastle and certainly beyond, is the assistant director and producer and also plays the lead character Calvin Berger. His comedic delivery, tiny nuances and vocals are flawless. Seb, you are a young genius and I will be thrilled to attend your future productions.
The ever-witty and delightfully nerdy best friend of Calvin, Bret, was performed superbly by Zoe Chan. Zoe’s characterisation and comedic dramatic skills were indeed A+ and I really enjoyed her convincing character delivery.
Finlay Page delivered a superb portrayal of the gorgeous and highly sought after Rosanna. Finlay gave great depth to her complex character and also delivered wonderful vocal performances throughout the show. Jude Schiller absolutely nailed the ‘handsome jock’ character, Matt. He displayed superb natural acting and an impressive vocal timbre, range and skill. A highly commendable and impressive performance all round.
The set design was very creative and I was impressed with how effective it was in creating depth and dimension to the small space they had to work with. A special shout out to the fantastic work from the sound and lighting technicians, I appreciated the pleasant sound balance and the ‘wetness’ in the microphone settings.
The Calvin Berger musical has ‘scores’ of laugh out loud hilarious moments (yes, pun intended), and I think the entire audience, myself included, were shocked by the talent and professionalism of these young performers. Calvin Berger is an immensely enjoyable and relatable production particularly appealing to ages 13+ and I urge you to support these incredibly talented young artists and help keep local theatre thriving.
To book tickets to Calvin Berger: A Musical Comedy, please visit http://civictheatrenewcastle.com.au/what-s-on/all-shows/calvin-berger.
Photographer: Jo Roberts
