Pennsylvania Avenue

Pennsylvania Avenue
By Joanna Murray-Smith. Directed by Simon Phillips, Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse. 21 January – 14 February 2016

The extraordinary one-woman show featuring Bernadette Robinson suggests that some of the more salacious intrigues at the White House sometimes involved some of the most illustrious vocalists in the era that begins with JFK and ends with Bill Clinton. The opening song sets the tone for the entire performance as Marilyn Monroe’s infamous “Happy Birthday Mr. President” wafts through the auditorium it is clear that US politics and the entertainment industry intersected in ways that has made for some fascinating and iconic history.

Robinson is astonishing in the way she brings the voices of enormous stars, including Barbara Streisand, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Maria Callas, Eartha Kitt and Bob Dylan, to life. Her ability to reincarnate their vocal pitch and style is spectacular and snippets of their tunes are intermingled with the story of Harper Clements, who worked as an aide in the White House. As Harper reminisces on 40 years of service she provides behind-the-scenes details of the controversies that the visits by these performers sometimes created, and the willingness of some of these stars to take advantage of their audience with the President to draw attention to issues such as racism and foreign military interventions.

The balance between narrative and musical performance is generally well sustained, however, despite a rich and wonderfully satirical text by the renowned and immensely talented writer, Joanna Murray-Smith, the singing always outshines the story. The presence of a live band to accompany Robinson’s soulful voice particularly adds to the outstanding musical quality this show provides.

Robinson’s clever impersonations of the various Presidents she served, as well as her ability to conjure up other important figures in this story, is an amazing feat in itself but the dramatic proportions rarely move much beyond parody. The set is extremely evocative and the use of the space helps to maintain its sense of grandeur. Robinson provides a thoroughly enjoyable opportunity to relish and relive the more hidden dimensions of unforgettable memories infused with politics and incredible music.

Patricia Di Risio

Photographer: Jeff Busby

More reading - interview with Bernadette Robinson

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