Many in the audience will be familiar with the highly successful film, based on the book, starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, but here we are now sitting in Melbourneâs Beaumaris Theatre for the musical version of The Bridges of Madison County.
As a fan of the movie, with a full house on opening night and being in this great little theatre again (where I did my very first review for âWhats The Showâ), I canât wait!
As the lights dimmed above our seats, I found the opening of the show very touching with the photographic screen rolling of times gone by and excellent live music accompaniment. This is the type of theatre where you donât need to dress up or be knowledgeable on the Arts, we can all just sit back and relax to enjoy what is ahead. My husband really enjoyed the show and was so pleased he could wear his jeans and windcheater. Well, we are off to an Iowa farm…..
Set in 1965, the story is an intense, 4 day impromptu love affair between Francesca Johnson (Candice Sweetman), a beautiful Italian woman who married an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy, and National Geographic photographer, Robert Kincaid (Michael Gray), after he pulls into Franâs driveway whilst her family are away at the State Fair.
Candice is just wonderful playing the main role of âFranâ, âFrannieâ, âFrancescaâ and âMumâ depending on who is talking to her, and when she is singing her stage presence comes alive completely! Her eyes actually sparkle (good lighting effects or beautiful eyes – or both) and her smile lights up the stage, but when she is sad or reflective, her characterâs emotions are felt with a tug of empathetic heart strings. I was transfixed in watching her in every scene, experiencing real love and real loss.
Michael as âRobertâ is perfection. He is of course the main male role but heâs also âthe other guyâ because Fran is married to Bud (Adam Rafferty), and you canât help but wonder throughout the show, should she or shouldnât she? Who could resist Robert, heâs not only handsome and caring, he lives in the moment, tries not to think about things too much and travels the world – his life is far removed from Franâs. What could they possibly have in common?
Whilst there is plenty of âooooâ from the audience at the loving moments portrayed by the main characters, perhaps the âsexiestâ was performed with extra enthusiasm by Marge (Liz Catford), Franâs envious neighbour. She is so funny and youâre definitely going to laugh! Especially when her hubby Charlie (John Tacey) steps in. At many times they prove themselves to be the most supportive neighbours.
Fran and Budâs teen children Carolyn (Sienna Iscaro making her debut at Beaumaris) and Michael (Jordan Poyser) are absolutely fantastic talents x 2. If you have teenagers you will relate to them even more and theyâll give you hope too that teenagers arenât always teenagers LOL, they do grow up! My favourite conversations were Michaelâs with his Dad about driving the car (a conversation very like those that my husband sitting next to me and I have had with our 18 year old) and Carolynâs nervousness being calmed by her Mum – Mum is always the one to call in a crisis, like when you are about to try and win âSteer of the Yearâ with a cow you raised HAHA.
This musical is full of rich emotion about the choices we make and how they shape our lives. Internally yearning, as the day that Robert must leave approaches, Fran faces confusion and dilemma. Can she, in reality, abandon her children and loyal husband? Could there be a chance that such a spontaneous relationship with Robert would survive over time? Would it be worth the risk?
This show tells the past, the present and the future – you wonât be left wondering anything, it is a story you also are unlikely to forget. This performance will certainly stay with me far longer than the movie did as it is more in depth in explaining the emotions and timelines of everyone within.
Iâll give a quick shout out to the excellent ensemble too, as the ensemble in my mind always makes the whole show what it is – those little bits and pieces from them either in the background or foreground round out scenes to make them more memorable. My favourite was the waitress who obviously had her own opinion of how Robert and Fran should or should not be!
You must see this show if you are a fan of the story or anything remotely like it. It is truly captivating and the music and singing is beautiful with amazing voices, heartfelt lyrics and some very comical moments too. You will laugh and you will cry and you will relate to something or someone in almost every scene.
The show is running 9 â 24 August 2024 at Beaumaris Theatre, 82 Wells Road, easy to park in the surrounding streets. Itâs a lovely little local theatre with mostly tiered seating (flat floor for rows AA-CC) and good access for wheelchairs too. Programs are provided along with a more than adequate canteen pre-arrival drinks and interval snacks.
Support local theatre and ENJOY!
Tickets via: www.trybooking.com/CSETI
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY JASON ROBERT BROWN | BOOK BY MARSHA NORMAN
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY ROBERT JAMES WALLER
DIRECTED BY COLIN ARMSTRONG | MUSICAL DIRECTION BY SUE FLETCHER
CAST:
Francesca – Candice Sweetman
Bud – Adam Rafferty
Robert – Michael Gray
Michael – Jordan Poyser
Carolyn – Sienna Iscaro
Marge – Liz Catford
Charlie – John Tacey
Marian & Young Francesca – Jessica Almery
State Fair singer & Chiara – Amelia Little
Ensemble – Daniel Ischia & Christine Wood
Photography credit: Pietro Giordano
