It’s so refreshing to see such a new and challenging musical. What an inspired choice by the Westminster School production team. The production was very well conceived, planned and performed. It charmed and held the audience’s rapt attention from the outset.
The stage adaptation of the Natalie Babbitt novel definitely succeeded in this company’s secure hands. The story of a young girl, Winnie Foster, who encounters a family possessing eternal life, and the joys and troubles that brings, is enchanting and other-worldly. It’s a demanding concept for any performers to sustain, and the music – often narrative and at times evocative of Sondheim – is compelling but also decidedly challenging. This school cast, band and crew met the challenges at a very high level.
Director Emma Williams, MD Chris Gould and Choreographer Carolyn Obst achieved a delightful final product. It looked and sounded quite marvellous. The set was simple, mostly major pieces on flat stage trucks, smoothly wheeled on and off by the stage crew, at times in full view and on other occasions in silhouette. The sound system was admirable. The cast were uniformly articulate, and their songs and dialogue were crystal clear. That’s a notable achievement and speaks well for the preparation and direction. Further, the harmonies and libretto with its often rapid-fire recitative styled text, were complex, yet the singers managed them effortlessly.
Every principal character performed with strength and conviction. Ellayna Hails was an entirely credible Winnie Foster, the central character. It was through her innocent eyes that we found it easy to comprehend and believe in the narrative and the characters she encountered, principally the Tuck family. She sang well, too, both in solos such as the thoughtful Everlasting and with others, such as the lively Partner In Crime with Jesse and the reflective duet The Wheel with Angus.
Lily Laan as Winnie’s concerned mother, and Lucia Burvill-Fernandes as her quirky nana, provided a solid family context for her behaviour and demeanour. The Tucks were uniformly strong characters. The brothers, Miles, convincingly played by Ollie Mattinson, and Jesse, played by Lachlan Dyer, contrasted well with each other and together raised a number of the central themes of the musical: the merits or otherwise of eternal life being the prime example. Dyer was superb in his role as the more rebellious, yet entirely engaging member of the family. He had much to do with Winnie, having introduced her to the family and its secrets. He was charming in an “aw shucks” fashion, and used his strong high baritone voice to fine effect in his songs, principally Top Of The World but also in other duets and ensemble pieces.
The Tuck parents, Mae, empathetically played by Sarah Gomez and the mild and decent Angus, calmly portrayed by Michael Pope, were well-matched and believable. Their duet My Most Beautiful Day was very moving.
Theo Fox was extraordinary as the shady, enigmatic fairground spruiker Man In The Yellow Suit. He had a winning con-man style about him, along with excellent pace in his delivery and a very good grasp of theatrical timing. Jack Parkinson and Max Junge made the most of their roles as the comic cops, pursuing the case of Winnie’s possible abduction.
All this action was well supported by the ensemble of singers and dancers. The specialist dancers were critical in setting the overall mood and illustrating a number of the narrative songs. Their graceful, fluid movement in the opening scene set a fine tone to the whole piece.
This was a very successful and quite enchanting piece of musical theatre, a credit to all involved in its realisation.
