The Hatpin

I saw a professional production of The Hatpin five years ago and, at the time, noted that it was unlikely to be tackled by an amateur company.

I have been proven wrong.

This was a brave choice, but not unsurprising from a university company. It is Australian, dark and relatively recent. Box office poison, but so worthwhile.

It was quite different from the previous production I’d seen, making excellent use of back projections and lighting effects. Furniture was moved on and off for various scenes and the action flowed. The choreography was tight and the ensemble singing beautifully balanced.

Eleanor Davey played Amber Murray, the single mother forced to give up her baby to the Makins, never to see him again. She rode her emotional rollercoaster with conviction, and her excellent singing voice was a delight.

As her friend, Harriet Piper, Emma Gordon-Smith was with her every step of the way, and her dark voice was an excellent contrast. Thomas Kitt-Thompson, Grace Haslinghouse and Belle Wiemers were the evil Makins, appropriately cold and aloof. The smaller roles were all well taken.

The only issue was the sound. The orchestra was good but words were often missed.

This is a rare opportunity to see an excellent production of one of the gems of Australian Music Theatre.

Graham Ford