Strictly Ballroom

Strictly Ballroom
Music & Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper, Robert Hyman, Harry Vanda, John Paul Young, Osvaldo Farres, Joe Davis, David Foster, Sia Furler, Isaac Hasson, Bernie Herms, Baz Luhrmann, Mozella, Theron Feemster, Craig Pearce, Eddie Perfect, Linda Thompson, Elliott Wheeler. Book: Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce, adapted by Terry Johnson. Ipswich Musical Theatre Company. Director: Cienda McNamara. Musical Director: Robert Clark. September 14 – 23, 2018

The world of ballroom dancing has never been more accurately or lovingly portrayed as in the iconic Aussie movie Strictly Ballroom, with its splashy routines, larger-than-life characters, and endless sequined costumes.

All of these are present in Ipswich Musical Theatre’s Queensland community theatre premiere, which recreates the milieu brilliantly. Whenever it was dancing (which was almost the entire show), this production soared. Choreographer Simon Lind, whose background includes all four seasons of TVs So You Think You Can Dance proved he knows his dance, with a series of routines that encompassed ballroom, Broadway, ballet, and a heap of Latin. The choreography was the star of a very glitzy show.

The David & Goliath story finds Scott and Fran winning the Pan Pacific Grand Prix after being ostracised by the dancing community for daring to create and dance their own steps. Mason Hayward, as the defiant Scott Hastings, danced like a champion. His solo routine to “On the Edge”, after being disqualified, was full of disappointed angst, while his “Paso Doble” finale, complete with bejewelled gold toreador’s jacket (mirroring the movie), captured the exhilaration and fire of the flamenco dance.

Opposite him, Erica Naddeil blossomed from ugly-duckling to swan, in a spunky portrayal as Fran. Her song “Love is a Leap of Faith”, sung with her mother (Susan Glosco), was one of the second-act highlights.

Best acting performance came from Adrian Carr as the obnoxious dance federation head, Barry Fyfe. He got laughs with little help from a clunky script.

Annabelle Harbison was a deliciously bitchy Tina Sparkle, Kayla Fritz channelled the classic stage-mother with Shirley Hastings, Russell Reynolds displayed some nimble pins in his youthful flashback as Doug Hastings, but it was Susan Glosco’s Spanish mother Abuela who brought some heart to the piece. Kirralyn Strudwick (Kylie) and Mason Kidd (Luke) were a delight and sometimes stole the spotlight as future young ballroom possessives.

Time and time again the dance ensemble worked their butts off, as did Robert Clark’s pit orchestra who continually kept the show moving by repeating scene-change music. Cienda McNamara’s direction could have used more audience applause buttons, especially in the first-act, but that didn’t seem to worry the audience who happily sang along to “Time After Time”, “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” and “Love is in the Air”, whilst being swept away in an orgy of sequins and ball gowns.

Peter Pinne

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