Rent

Rent
Book, Music & Lyrics: Jonathan Larson. Ignatians Musical Society. Schonell Theatre, Brisbane. Director: John Peek. Musical Director: Matthew Nutley. April 29 – May 20, 2011.

Honest and truthful performances, with stunning vocals by all principals, Ignations production of Jonathon Larson’s Pulitzer Prize winning Rent consolidates their position as one of the top, if not the best, community musical theatre group in Brisbane.

Director John Peek deserves thunderous applause for his riveting physical production which brought out the passion, reality and tears of this contemporary re-telling of La Boheme. Set on New York’s Lower East Side, the story of struggling artists coping with poverty, drugs and AIDS, is unfortunately as relevant today as it was when it was first written fifteen years ago.

Kyle Hunter as Mark, Wade Colbran-Thomas as Tom, and George Kennedy as Angel, all sang remarkably well, but it was James Gauci as AIDS-positive Roger who vocally stood head-and-shoulders above the rest. His “One Song Glory” and “Your Eyes” were amongst the many highlights. Emma Taviani as Mimi, Lauren Ware as Maureen, and Jacqueline Ozorio couldn’t have been better. Gauci and Taviani’s “Without You” was dripping with emotion, while Ware and Ozorio’s “Take Me or Leave Me” was a powerful statement of love. Ware made Maureen’s Act “Over the Moon” into the showstopper it is. Together the company worked the “Voice Mail” and homeless Christmas Carol segments for maximum laughs, and opened the second act with a thrilling “Seasons of Love.”

Matthew Nutley’s Musical Direction, Ingrid Cameron’s Choreography, and Mathew Erskine’s Sound Design, all deserve their share of kudos, but Andrew ‘Panda’ Haden’s lighting plot was scrappy. The musical, the seventh longest running show in Broadway history, is really a modern opera, and this vocally outstanding production of it should not be missed.

Peter Pinne          

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