Seussical: The Musical

There is a little gem of a musical currently playing at the Playford Civic Playhouse, Elizabeth – Seussical: The Musical by Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens and Eric Idle. Based on the works of Dr. Seuss, particularly Horton Hears a Who!, this is a delightful musical designed specifically for children. The Northern Light Theatre Company, who have a considerable and impressive history of producing high quality musicals, have most certainly delivered another top-class show. Full credit must go to Stephen Tulip (Director), Bec Mason (Musical Director), Rose Vallen (Choreographer), and the cast and crew.

The story essentially follows two main characters, Horton the Elephant and Jo-Jo, a young boy from the miniature and secret world of ‘Who!’. Horton discovers the world of ‘Who!’ that exists in a speck of dust and vows to protect it. Complications set in when the speck of dust is stolen and through various misadventures, Horton winds up sitting on an egg and stuck in a circus in a foreign land (Florida). He is then placed on trial and about to be committed for being insane until the citizens of ‘Who!’, led by Jo-Jo, manage to prove their existence and Horton and they are saved.

Seussical: The Musical was first performed in the US in 2000 and has been revived numerous times throughout the US. It was first performed in the UK in 2012, and again in 2013. For those familiar with the works of Flaherty and Ahrens one of the joys of the score for Seussical is hearing respective riffs that are featured in other shows such as Ragtime. Professional companies in Australia have sadly neglected the musicals of Flaherty and Ahrens. This includes Lucky Stiff (1988), Once on this Island (1990) and their masterwork Ragtime (1998), which have been revived in recent years in the US and UK. Luckily, they have become the domain of a number of amateur and community theatre companies in Australia, as they have throughout the world.

The large cast of this production is led by David Salter as the mischievous Cat in the Hat. David Salter is absolutely terrific, engaging and very funny. The opening of Act 2, which involves the audience in an auction of Horton, is hilarious. With a number of children in the audience pushing the price higher and higher and higher, David Slater manages this brilliantly, adlibbing and playing along with the children.  Equally, Sebastian Cooper is charming and touching as the show’s passive hero, Horton the Elephant. Sam Stringer’s Jo-Jo, Amy Nagesh’s Gertrude McFuzz, Tegan Gully’s Mayzie Le Bird, and Casmira Hambledon’s Sour Kangaroo were also standouts in this strong, energetic and highly committed ensemble.

If you are seeking a ‘good-night-out’ at the theatre, particularly if you have children, I couldn’t recommend this production highly enough. It is a complete joy from beginning to end.

Tony Knight