The Story Of My Life is billed as a musical but it is really more than that. It is a supremely personal, highly sensitive modern rock opera  and  as founder of  the one- man theatre company  Davine Intervention,  David Gauci writes in the program,  “with some of the great musical writers of the Past 50 years,  Neil Bartram and Brian Hill  have somehow channelled the essence of Bernstien, Sondheim and Finn while creating something unique.”This production by Gauci is a brilliant piece of theatre chronicling the story of two men whose friendship  supremely affects each of them.It becomes apparent after a while, the depth of  feeling each man has for the other.

 

The plot is a two- hander which has Thomas Weaver (Paul Rodda) needing desperately to write a eulogy  for his lost friend  AlvinKelby  (David Salter) but  as he draws near to Alvin’s funeral he has no story, merely empty, useless  blank pages. Thomas tries desperately to deliver the story of Alvin and finally after  a kind of spiritual denouement, Thomas writes his friend’s story.

 

The performances by the  two  actors are stunning. Paul has a perfect rock- opera  voice  and his  wonderful singing of The Butterfly is a  favourite of this critic. David also sings beautifully with a very occasional   flat. The two voices harmonise and support each other   splendidly.

 

Under the baton of accomplished  pianist/Conductor,  musical Director Peter Johns brings to life a tight little nine piece orchestra. Luke Bartholomew’s ever-changing coloured lights are a feature.

 

David Gauci has put his heart into this piece about the love of friends, and his production answers in the affirmative  his own rhetorical question, concerning the taking of a risk on “…on an unknown musical.”