Director Toby Strudwicke ably assisted by AD Tahlia Neale along with an evenly talented cast and a first class production team has forged new life and vitality into the elderly yet iconic and well loved musical “Gypsy”. The Balaklava Community Arts (BCA) production looks and sounds a treat on the Balaklava Town Hall stage. MD Heidi Zerk’s orchestra, an ensemble of some seventeen instrumentalists, is positioned on and upstage allowing the action to take place before it. I thought that location decision worked very well. The musical delivery is excellent; it is well modulated and provides an ideal musical template. I never cease to be amazed and impressed by the musical talent invariably unearthed in country communities. MD Zerk harnesses those talents with obvious expertise. The excellent result was not lost on an appreciative audience.
Costume manager Lynda Cook together with her team of five excel themselves. The attire in all segments is befitting indeed but especially so for Baby June and Baby Louise, the vibrant colourful “Toreadorables” and the stunning burlesque scenes. The simple, functional and portable settings allow the audience to concentrate on both character and action. AD Neale also doubles as choreographer in this production. Movement by the various chorus groups is great to watch whether they be Newsboys, Farmboys, Toreadorables or one of the delightful burlesque routines. Individual characters have been well schooled and everybody attacks their movement or dance task with energy and relish. With regard to both direction and choreography, both the playing space on stage and the visual presentation of the show have been kept firmly in mind. All of the above is seamlessly supported by effective lighting and smooth sound control. The Balaklava Town Hall is equipped with sophisticated technical systems and has the individual operators to use them well.
Georgia May as Baby June and Willow Friedrichs as Baby Louise make for a delightful duo. Both their vocal and musical delivery are confident and clear. They play off each other very well and both establish recognisable characters for their “older selves” to build upon. Very well acted young ladies! Duncan Crawford (Pop and Mr Goldstone) together with Marty Brice (Jocko, Weber, Cigar) both display an experienced knowledge of stagecraft and character development in their various cameo appearances. They dovetail their character creations effectively into the narrative. Michael Hardy as Tulsa not only moves with a natural ease, he also possesses an excellent singing voice within his skill repertoire. (I have seen him perform before and continue to be impressed by his considerable talent). Hardy makes the stage his own with the splendid song and dance routine “All I Need is the Girl”. Jessie Rouse as Dainty (grown up) June creates a believable character with whom we can readily empathise. She uses the stage with confidence and delivers a strong vocal contribution particularly with sister Louise in their duet “If Momma was Married”. Director Strudwicke also takes the role of Herbie, Rose’s theatre agent and ever hopeful partner in life. He creates a pretty good foil to Rose and her endless grab-bag of spontaneous plans. Strudwicke lends a strong singing voice to his role and manages to hold up remarkably well against his dominant and domineering client for whom he tries to do his honest best.
Alicia Hancock is a teasing and tantalising “Tessie Tura” who, together with the bugle bump and grind of Diana Baddams as “Mazzeppa” and Avril Angel who literally lights up the stage as “Electra” comprise the gals in the burlesque troupe. Together they vamp it up with high voltage in their brilliant trio “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” Great stuff! Bethany Eloise delivers a stunning performance as the older Louise and ultimate “Gypsy Rose”. She approaches the complexity of her role with artistic integrity. Her early rendition of the song “Little Lamb” is delivered with sweet melancholy and has the audience listening intently. Eloise’s transition to “sophisticated” stripper is well controlled and realised as are her new and original stage routines. They are crafted to perfection in a notable performance.
Kelly Bickle as Madame Rose dominates the show just as she overwhelms and dominates her daughters and anybody bold enough to get in her way. Bickle lends a sustained and committed artistic energy to this iconic musical theatre role. She is aware of her craft and of her ability to inject the character of the indefatigable Rose with the performance effort it commands. She demonstrates great song salesmanship in numbers like “Everything’s Coming up Roses” and belts out an apt finale with her rendition of “Rose’s Turn”. A bravura performance indeed and befitting an excellent BCA staging of “Gypsy”.
