Hills Musical Company have delivered yet another highly professional, exciting and entertaining production with their latest offering, Be More Chill. This musical asks the audience: if there was a pill that would implant a supercomputer designed to make you popular, would you take it? It is quirky, hilarious and delves surprisingly deep into emotional territory, and Ben Stefanoff and his team have clearly understood the assignment.
The direction from Stefanoff, choreography from Emily-Jo Davidson and musical direction from Kristin Stefanoff are in perfect unity, deftly navigating the shifts from upbeat numbers to powerful ballads. The choreography is both energetic and “chill”, never distracting from the story and only technically complex when it needs to be – the fight choreography in the climax is a highlight – even integrating a few modern dance moves. The live music is lively and in sync with the actors, who likewise are given plenty of opportunity to demonstrate both their vocal strength and willingness to let their hair down.
The energy and joy of this young cast was contagious, and they clearly relished every moment on stage – especially the ensemble! Made up of Scott Beauchamp (who showed some fantastic comedic timing!), Ella Heywood-Smith, Charlotte Turner, Josh Winkler, Isabelle Milsom, Matty Turner and Olivia Tod, their commitment to the ridiculous moments hit every comedic beat necessary and their coordination was spot on.
Thomas Sheldon was extremely compelling as the protagonist Jeremy, convincingly portraying the love-struck teen on a zero-to-hero journey, demonstrating particular strength in his high register and ending the first act with a bang in Loser Geek Whatever. Chloe Anderson and Ava-Rose Askew as the popular girls Brooke and Chloe had a hilarious dynamic and engaging sub-plot, and solid vocals to boot. Maximillan Maher was perfectly cast as the all-knowing SQUIP, perfectly capturing the computer’s calculated and unbothered nature and his
reactions, even when he wasn’t the centre of attention, were a joy to watch. Molly Noel as the desperate-for-attention Jenna, Lucas Tennant as the jock Jake and Bennett Blaine as the intense Rich were well-cast in their roles and showed they were not to be overlooked when they had their solo moments.
Standout performances were delivered by Mia Ferraretto as the quirky love interest Christine, and Sebastian Mendoza Giannotti as the best friend Michael. Ferraretto absolutely nailed the over-passionate theatre kid energy from the moment she stepped on stage, especially through her physicality, and sung with perfect clarity. Giannotti melted the hearts of the audience with his portrayal of the cast-aside buddy of Jeremy, and delivered the most impressive vocal performance of the night with Michael in the Bathroom, leaving us wanting more.
Though there were a few understandable opening night sound issues in the first act, the technical elements were all well in alignment with the directorial vision. Matt Ralph’s lighting design was carefully constructed and suitably flashy for a show focused on technology, without overpowering the performance, and became a perfect ally for the SQUIP in his more villainous moments. The set, featuring panels that opened to reveal a bedroom and triangular towers to establish various settings was expertly designed by Ben & Kristin Stefanoff and made for satisfyingly smooth scene transitions.
This was a fantastic production that showcased the talent of an energetic young cast and expertise of a united creative team. The cheers from the enthusiastic crowd during bows were more than well-deserved, and I hope every other audience is equally appreciative!
