Bosom Buddies

You know you’re in for a treat when you’re about to see a show starring the grand dame of Australian musical theatre, Nancye Hayes and Australia’s leading song and dance man, Todd McKenney. With over 85 years of Australian show biz history between them this show exceeds expectations and then some. It can only be described as a slick, warm, funny, endearing and engaging class act, a wonderful trip through Australia’s music theatre history over the last 50 years.

Both Hayes and McKenney have been performers since they could walk. Hayes began with a love of dance as toddler, which was later cemented when dance was prescribed as therapy for recovery from a serious operation to remove a tumour in her hip, aged seven. McKenney’s mother ran a dance school in Western Australia and he fondly recalls being the star turn in his first dance concert, aged two and a half, in a sweet little blue play suit, complete with “nappy toe”. There has been no looking back for either of them ever since.

The stars give us a potted history of musical theatre in this country since the 1960s. Hayes tribute to theatre stalwart and choreographer Betty Pounder, who was always so supportive of our home-grown talent in an age where importing stars was still the norm, is heartfelt. McKenney’s explanation of how Hugh Jackman came to take the lead role in The Boy From Oz to Broadway after McKenney had performed it over 1000 times in Australia, is poignant. Although, sadness soon turned to laughter as McKenney broke in to a fine rendition of “It had to be You (Hugh)”.

Far from the persona of the “nasty judge” on Dancing with the Stars, McKenney has a delightful, cheeky and magnetic personality. His skill as dancer is second to none and he is a delight to watch and listen to. Hayes is a powerhouse; her energy belies her age. She can step back 50 years to Charity Hope Valentine in the blink of an eye.  Hayes and McKenney first worked together on 42^nd Street back in 1989 and have since collaborated on Mack and Mabel, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, Let’s Face the Music and Dance and The Boy from Oz. Their onstage rapport is certainly well developed, but it is obvious that there is genuine admiration for each other’s craft as well as a deep friendship between the pair.

If I have any complaint it is only that, in the lead up to the Cabaret Festival, Hayes and McKenney have been performing the show as in two acts, running at two hours. For the Cabaret Festival they have trimmed it back to one act of one and half hours. I’m sure they had good reason, but I enjoyed that one and a half hours so much that I keep wondering what I missed by not seeing the longer version.

Backed by a four-piece band with not more than a couple of chairs on stage, the pair easily hold the audience’s attention and admiration. The footage of past performances is used cleverly, but at the end of the day it is the skill of these national treasures that we want to see. And we see it in spades, through dance, song and anecdote. The highlights are hard to discern, such is the standard of entertainment. This show is a delight from lights up to curtain call.  

Hayes and McKenney truly are national treasures and indeed a class act. No wonder then that a rapturous standing ovation was given for the opening performance of Bosom Buddies at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

Jenny Fewster

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