Perth Musical - Whats The Show

A Chang-Chang, Changity, Chang, Shoo, Bop Musical Melody

19/04/2026 Carmen Jenner🥉

Musical Melody Rating

★★★★★

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For all those Hollywood buffs out there, you may struggle to restrain any uncontrollable toe tapping and humming during the Garrick Theatre’s latest production, the ‘Musical Melody’. Anyone would understand if you burst into song during ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair’ (South Pacific), ‘Le Jazz Hot’ (Victor/Victoria) or ‘We Go Together’ (Grease).

However, there would be plenty of complaints if anyone interrupted Katie Nowland’s operatic performance of ‘Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man’, in a spellbinding rendition of the Show Boat tune. Other highlights include energetic performances of ‘The Tapioca’ (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and ‘Carrying The Banner’ (Newsies).

It was wonderful to see some familiar faces return to the stage, including Carly Ranger and Lily Wakeling from the Garrick’s Sweeney Todd 2025 production, as well as Kody Fellows (Narnia). From ‘Cursed’ returned Steph Hickey, Erin Shay Horrigan, Ethan Dal Molin and Ben Vaughan-Sanders (who will also be performing in the upcoming ‘The Playboy of the Western World’ production).

To debut on the Garrick’s seasoned stage are Kyla Retirado and Priom Bhattacharjee in their first forays into community theatre, alongside Fringe Festival regular James Carduff.

Who can forget to mention host Ian Staunton’s British banter in between acts? No doubt I’m not the only one who hopes to see him return to the Garrick’s well-trodden stage, in a blaze of theatrical glory.

Musical director Juliette Basini and director Tamar Basini also joined the cast with song and dance performances. Under their direction and choreography, the mother-daughter duo brought their love of Hollywood classics to the stage with ‘Kiss Me, Kate’, ‘Meet Me In St. Louis’, ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘The Pajama Game’, ‘Singing in the Rain’ and ‘The Boy Friend’.

Community theatre would never have the opportunity to sparkle without the creativity of those working behind the scenes. So, let’s shine some light on Astro Stewart (Stage Manager), Nera Camponovo (Production Liaison), Mark Nicholson (Lighting), Joe Hoedemaker (Lighting), Declan O’Brien (Sound), Paris Romano Jenner (Props & Photography), Kieran Smith (Photography), Roisin O’Neill (Choreography), Katie Nowland (Vocal warmups), Tamar Basini (Costumes) and Juliette Basini (Photography and Graphic Design). A special mention goes to theatre President Ali McNamara’s help with direction, and Yvonne Star and her front-of-house team.

The Musical Melody takes you on a chang-chang, changity, chang, shoo, bop journey through the ages. With only four shows, it’s no wonder it’s already sold out, featuring an incredibly talented cast whose delightful routines left the audience grinning from ear to ear.

Established in 1932, the Garrick Theatre is Perth’s longest-running community theatre group. Annual memberships are available, and if you’re a cherished member, then you would already know that next on the agenda is The Playboy of the Western World, with performances starting on 4th June 2026.

To book tickets to Musical Melody, please visit https://www.taztix.com.au/event/garricktheatre/.

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From Page to Stage: Percy Jackson Delivers

14/04/2026 Emma Basc 🥉

The Lightning Thief Rating

★★★★★

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Art in Motion Theatre Company are back at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre with The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical—and as a family who love musical theatre and have devoured everything written by Rick Riordan, we were counting down the days until the show.

We arrived dressed in our finest orange and blue (as you do, IYKYK), and loved seeing so many audience members leaning into the fun—camp colours, hand-painted bead necklaces, the lot. This was an audience coming in with high expectations. Thankfully, this talented cast more than delivered.

The story follows Percy Jackson (Joshua Hollander), who discovers he’s a half-blood—his father is none other than Poseidon. After his life takes a sharp and unexpected turn, Percy finds himself at a camp for children of gods and mortals before heading off on a quest filled with monsters, riddles, and a race against time. Alongside Annabeth Chase (Una Minello) and Grover Underwood (Cosimo Trichelo), Percy must try to prevent a war among the gods.

No pressure.

The show runs for around two hours (plus intermission) and is fantastic value for a community theatre production. A huge congratulations to the cast—these performers can sing. As well as the 3 lead characters, hats off to the other performers who seamlessly transitioned between so many characters. The live band was incredible (and honestly, live music just lifts a show in a way nothing else can), their enthusiasm was contagious. This is Liam Tickner’s directorial debut, and what a strong one it is. The set design by Craig Delbridge is clever and effective, using simple elements to bring scenes to life (the statue garden was a standout). Costume designer Kylie Martin has also done a great job capturing the essence of each character.

I was asked before going, “Isn’t that for kids?”
And look… not no…

The recommendation is 13+, but if your younger kids are okay with some fight scenes, they’ll likely love it. The books are aimed at around 9+, and I’d happily take an 8 or 9-year-old. That said, this absolutely holds its own for adults—I’d have enjoyed it just as much without the kids (although I suspect I would never have been forgiven) and there were lots of adults there of all ages without children.

If you love Percy Jackson, mythology, urban fantasy, or just a good musical, this one is well worth your time. The show is still running from 16–18 April (with two performances on the 18th). You can find more information here: https://www.gosnells.wa.gov.au/news-events/events/lightning-thief

To book tickets to The Lightning Thief, please visit https://drpac.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/160626.

Photographer: Perfectly Picturesque Photography

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Cats

14/11/2025 Manuela Kacomanolis🥈

Cats The Musical Rating

★★★★★

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The opening night of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats at the Crown Theatre, Perth, delivered a polished, high-energy revival that showcased the production’s enduring strengths of choreography and crystalline vocals.

The long-running musical has been entertaining audiences since 1981 but for prospective patrons unfamiliar with Cats, don’t attend the show expecting a plot or even any dialogue. You will have a much better appreciation for it if you go for the exquisite dancing, singing and overall visual extravaganza. Cats is more a sequence of character portraits of the feline characters stitched together by a very thin storyline about a Jellicle Ball for all the Jellicle cats.

The show made more sense when I discovered that it was based on a series of poems from TS Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” dating back to the 1930s. It is these poems that inspired the legendary Mr Webber to convert them into a musical.

I cannot fault any of the dancing or singing. The cast performed with remarkable precision and athleticism, sustaining demanding choreography. The unison work in the larger ensemble numbers was exceptionally tight. It is evident that the dancers are professional ballet and classical jazz dancers. The production’s success lies in the cumulative power of its choreography and vocal pieces rather than narrative complexity.

Bringing the cats to life are the dazzling costumes and richly detailed makeup which I was fortunate enough to see up close. Throughout the show, the performers would integrate themselves within the audience, purring, stretching and leaping up and down the aisles of the theatre.

The production’s scenic design embraces the junkyard setting, transforming the stage into an immersive, feline-sized world. An old oven, a rumpled shirt, car tires, these are rendered at magnified proportions so that the performers read unmistakably as cats in an oversized human environment.

The integration of car engine and police sirens sound effects and a sweeping “torch” effect as the cat ensemble scatter in hidden spots, transforms the junkyard into a living, reactive environment without relying on dialogue.

Gabriyel Thomas delivered a standout solo performance as the weary Grizabella The Glamour Cat, belting out the iconic Memory song.

Tim Haskayne was outstanding in his jazz ballet routine as the Magical Mr Mistoffelees who delivered a mesmerizing performance with impeccable control and grace.

I found it especially amusing and admire the dedication of one of the performers who remained on stage in character for the duration of the interval.

This staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats operates with a first-class polish that flows with effortless precision. It is more a mixture of a ballet performance and a musical rather than a conventional musical and in its entirety a form of art to enjoy.

To book tickets to Cats The Musical, please visit https://catsthemusical.com.au/tickets/perth/.

Photographer: Daniel Boud

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Urinetown, The Musical

12/11/2025 Manuela Kacomanolis🥈

Urinetown, The Musical Rating

★★★★★

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The name Urinetown may put some people off but it’s all part of the humour in this satirical comedy musical which delivers a powerful message on greedy corporations, capitalism and environmental sustainability.

Directed by Andrew Baker, Urinetown is the story of a town in which a devastating drought has led a government-enforced ban on private toilets in an attempt to preserve water usage. The population must now pay for the “privilege to pee” at public toilets. These public amenities are owned and operated by Urine Good Company (UGC).

As in every city, there are good areas and bad areas, Amenity 9 is the worst of the worst. Here, the down and out-of-luck residents, scramble each morning and evening to find enough money to pay for the usage of Amenity 9 toilets. Urinating and defecating in public are strictly against the law but those who can’t afford to use a public amenity, it’s their only option. If caught, they are sent to “Urinetown”. However, it doesn’t take long to figure out that Urinetown is not an actual town.

When Old Man Strong is hauled away to “Urinetown” his son Bobby Strong leads the residents on a revolution against the government and the corporations, in particularly UGC.

After crossing paths with the good-natured but naive Hope Caldwell, he discovers she’s the daughter of the UGC’S tyrannical and money-hungry CEO, Caldwell B. Caldwell but his love and affection for Hope does not deter him on his mission to bring about social equality and justice, and most importantly, to pee for free.

The concept of the musical is based on the idea that “people multiple faster than their resources” from the British economist, Thomas Robert Malthus’ (1766-1834). The play takes that idea one step further with drastic measures in place for preservation of water resources.

Although Urinetown is a cautionary tale set in the near future, the music, the costumes, even the manner in which they spoke and overall feel of the musical gives off strong 1930s prohibition era vibes.

In reality, charging to use a public amenity is not so unusual especially in Europe and so it was this pay-per-use toilet that inspired writer Greg Kotis to create Urinetown.

The whole cast delivered a phenomenal first-class performance. Izzi Green stood out with a stunning vocal performance.

Urinetown is such a clever satirical musical. I particularly found funny the flashback scenes with Old Man Strong and Tiny T.
Officer Lockstock and Little Sally act as narrators throughout the musical and their interactions are hilarious.

Urinetown is currently playing at the Liberty Theatre in Perth, and it’s a brilliantly funny satirical musical. It’s sharp commentary on sustainability and corporate greed feels more relevant today than ever before.

To book tickets to Urinetown, The Musical, please visit https://www.westernskyprojects.com.au/.

Photographer: Mark Flower Photography

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