Summer Rain

Gentle little Aussie musical Summer Rain never ceases to delight and engage me, and an excellent ensemble cast, capably directed at New Theatre by Trent Kidd, has ensured a fourth marvelous theatrical journey to Turnaround Creek for me.

In a nutshell, World War II has just ended, and on Boxing Day, 1945, a touring family theatrical company, down on their luck, returns to the small outback town of Turnaround Creek, remembered by showman Harold Slocum as a scene of former triumphs. A seven-year drought breaks as they arrive, making the troupe welcome guests to some, though for publican Barry Doyle, ghosts of the past emerge.

Summer Rain has a wonderful mix of humanity and high theatrics, highlighting the late Nick Enright’s happy knack for infusing both script and lyrics with Aussie vernacular.

Trent Kidd, making his New Theatre directorial debut seems totally in tune with the piece.

Summer Rain’s show folk joyously resuscitate touring Vaudeville, in a valentine to a lost Australian entertainment form. Andrew Sharp’s Harold Slocum is every inch the egotistical showman; Jacqui Rae Moloney plays Harold’s wife Ruby with pizzazz and pathos as required; Catty Hamilton sparkles wittily as their daughter Joy, a deliciously archetypal soubrette, and while Tom Handley hoofs it capably as their son Johnny, his performance is layered with the restlessness of a returned soldier. As Joy’s beau Clarrie, Nat Jobe pairs up with Hamilton to contribute some very handy song and dance moves.

The local people are splendidly characterized as slow-speaking and laconic, especially Laurence Coy’s gruff uncommunicative publican, Barry Doyle, trapped in an eternal triangle with Harold and the woman both men loved, Barry’s long dead wife Nancy.

Complementing Mason Browne’s set and costumes, and Juz McGuire’s lighting, the whole cast effectively establish the hot, dry lethargy of Turnaround Creek, in contrast to kicking up their heels in the show’s spirited vaudeville opening.

Other highlights amongst the townsfolk include Michele Lansdown’s salt-of-the earth Renie; Rebecca Burchett’s Cathy Doyle, Barry’s youngest daughter, overflowing with youthful enthusiasm; and especially Anna Freedland, touchingly capturing the inner turmoil of Barry’s married oldest daughter Peg, torn between her sullen war-damaged husband and running away with Johnny.

Musical Director Tim Cunniffe’s tight, impressive band accompany from behind the scenes, allowing that all too rare musical theatre pleasure of unplugged singing.

If I have one small reservation, I would have liked to have seen greater technical or design attempts to represent the ‘rain’ of the title, on a setting that remained dry and parched in appearance throughout.

Get along to see Summer Rain, a very special Australian musical, well presented. It’s also deliciously reminiscent of that now-forgotten slice of Australian entertainment history - the touring performers, tent companies and local School of Arts halls.

Neil Litchfield

Photos © Chris Lundie