Menopause – The Musical – Women On Fire!

Ever since it began in a 76-seat theatre in Orlando, Florida, in 2001, Menopause – The Musical has been a licence to print money. Since that time it has been seen by over 11 million people worldwide, and by over a half a million in Australia, 100,000 of them in Brisbane alone. Its initial Brisbane season ran for a record 46 weeks.

Despite what reviewers have ever said about the show, it is critic-proof, and nothing I say will stop the audiences flocking to Twelfth Night Theatre for this all-new version of the piece. But for the record, four women still meet at a lingerie sale in a department store and sing and discuss the ‘change,’ night sweats and hot flushes. It still features parodies of 60s, 70s and 80s songs, two of the original cast Caroline Gillmer and Donna Lee are back for this new version, and the audience still get up on stage at the end and sing and dance along with the cast.

Gillmer, who won a Green Room Award for her original ‘Power Woman’ performance, is still a powerhouse on stage, singing as well as ever. She scores heavily with “Flushing”, an adaptation of “Fever” and “Stand by Your Man” which becomes “Stand by your Fan.”

Donna Lee, who’s a wondrous comedienne and could get a laugh reading the phone book, brings the house down as the ‘Dubbo Housewife’ with “My Thighs” (“My Guy”) and “Only You” where she’s singing to her vibrator.

Lena Cruz as the ‘Nimbin Earth Mother’ gets huge belly laughs as a gym-junkie on “Puff the Magic Dragon,” while the statuesque Jackie Love, looking as great as ever, has a Marilyn Monroe moment on a pedestal with wind blowing up her skirt as in The Seven Year Itch as she’s having a hot flush.

The set is similar to the original with lift doors upstage and various counters and seats rolled in. Musical accompaniment is by backing track, and director Tony Bartuccio never lets the pace lag in this 90 minutes of sisterhood love-in. Half the material is recycled from the original show, and in my opinion it still lacks wit, but I’m sure audiences won’t mind one iota as they whoop and holler with identification.

Peter Pinne