THRONES! The Musical Parody

I haven't laughed so long and hard in a long time. Thrones! is a musical parody that is superior to and can stand apart from the subject matter it's lampooning.

My only knowledge of GoT is from comments of friends and promo guff. I had the impression it should be called "Incest, Rape, and Dragons". If you're like me and have never seen an episode or read the books don't be put-off. The show works brilliantly for those who've never seen the TV show.  Some of the material did go over my head but not much. I only had to hear the reaction from the rest of the audience to know the material hit its mark. 

While you don't need to be familiar with GoT you do need to be familiar with pop culture. Thrones! also cleverly wreaks havoc on many other pop culture phenomena. Real-life topical figures and celebrities also appear, which the cast do a great job bringing to life. The script has been adapted with Australian references. Since opening in 2015 the show has been updated to take in the whole series, and the controversies surrounding those final few episodes also get a well-deserved skewering. 

How does the show stack up for the fans? My Plus One has watched the series twice, read the books, and contributed to online fan forums. She loved Thrones! and said it gave great fan service. She added much of the parody comes from exploiting the show's faults and inconsistencies that fans won't admit to in public, but acknowledge in secret. 

The show begins like an episode of Friends: we see a suburban living room, with a group of friends made up of three men and three women, two of which are brother and sister (just like the TV show). They meet to watch the final episode of GoT together. One of them admits she has never seen an episode (Shock! Horror!). The others decide to re-enact the whole story to get her up to date, using household props and a box of wigs. It's a great framing device and also allows those who don't know GoT a way into the story. However, come the second act things veer into unexpected territory and I won't spoil what happens, just that the humour doesn't let up.

The script zings along and the pace is well kept. Yes, plenty of f-bombs and c-bombs are dropped but there's always a clever point to be made with them. The songs (all originals) are pleasant and clever, featuring great word play and opportunities for this amazing cast to show off their impressive singing. The songs also parody songs from other shows, my favourite being the nod to “Telephone Hour” from Bye Bye Birdie.

The show is also brilliant from many technical aspects. It's a masterclass on acting, focus, delivery, quick change in characterisation and scripting. The script and cast know how to work the silliness and vulgarity, but also know when to pull back from going overboard into stupidity, so the cleverness is always maintained. The parody is also used to make relevant social observations. One of this show’s greatest achievements is that it knows its medium: the sight gags and effects are the things that could only work in live theatre. The scene with the dragon is a case in point.  

Warning to parents: if you think your kids are too young to watch the TV show then this show is also not suitable. The wild sex and violence that are in the TV show are carried over here - but all for the sake of parody. Although everyone keeps their clothes on, nothing is left to the imagination.

Only time will tell if GoT will last beyond the zeitgeist. But if it achieves any positive legacy, it's that it inspired a show like Thrones!

A great laugh for both fan and non-fan alike.

Peter Novakovich

Photographer: Prudence Upton.