Songs so Far

It’s always exciting hearing a new musical theatre composing talent for the first time. Songs so Far showcases the work of young Brisbane songwriter Alanya Bridge who already has some awards up her sleeve having won the Wirripang Publishing award for New Composition, and Specialist Award for Best Vocal Composition in 2013.

Songs so Far features songs from the musicals Connect Four and What We Began in the first act, and a staged reading of excerpts from her newest work-in-progress Just a Phase in the second.

Director Penny Farrow has gathered a group of strong musical theatre talent who dynamically bring this virgin material, top-heavy with songs of wrist-slashing angst, to life. Astin Blaik scored with “You You You”, Erika Naddei had a major moment with “Nothing Can Change the Heart”, Rex J Ablett’s was “All Things Come to an End” and Stephen Hirst was a funny drunk partner in “Home at Three”.

Astonishing musical accompaniment was provided by Luke Volker on piano, with a trio of strings. His orchestrations shone with their brilliance and were absolutely the star of the night.

In the second act’s Just a Phase Bridge wrote about a family’s struggle for connection following the father being struck down with Aphasia, a language disorder which is often caused by a stroke. Heavy subject matter but in light of Tom Kitt’s recent Next To Normal and it’s exploration of bipolar disorder, and William Finn’s A New Brain about a composer with a brain tumor, it is possible to make heavy subject matter work successfully. Gary Holley and Alison McLennan handled the adult roles believably, but it was the natural performances of the kids, Lucy Hincho and Georgia Gaddes, who carried the piece. Volker’s accompaniment once again, this time on solo piano, was exemplary.

There’s no doubt Bridge can write theatre music. She’s no Sondheim in the lyric department, but few are. If there was a clever turn of phrase or some wit in the lyrics then I missed it. Next time out I’d like to see a wider range of her compositional talent. Musicals are much more than songs of aggro and angst. But Bridge is young, talented, and keen, three essentials to pursue a career in musical theatre. All she has to do is keep at it.

Peter Pinne         

Photography by Temucin