We Can Work it Out

We Can Work it Out
By Gabriel Bergmoser. Club Voltaire, 14 Raglan Street, North Melbourne. 3-14 November 2015.

Reincarnating four of the most famous musical figures in history seems like it could be a rather risky project but Bitten By Productions have proven that revisiting these musical icons is an intriguing and worthwhile enterprise. The script uses a good mix of humour and drama to illustrate the collision course the Beatles were headed towards at the peak of their career as a band.

Their stereotypical qualities are used effectively in this play and each of the four characters has the opportunity to show the depth of their emotions. Kashmir Sinnamon (John) effectively captures the arrogance and self-importance that also made Lennon so captivating. Karl Sarsfield (Paul) portrays the apparent naivety of McCartney with accuracy. Sean Paisley Collins really fires up as George Harrison and brings his persona to the foreground. Brett Wolfenden (Ringo) could be mistaken for the famous drummer’s twin brother and makes his light-hearted manner endearing.

The play imagines the four sharing a bottle of scotch as they confront a number of their demons, including their disparate musical interests and the ever increasing inflated egos of both Paul and John. In 1966 Lennon made the quip that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus and the ensuing controversy continued beyond their acrimonious break-up and their independent careers. The seeds of that discord are all addressed in this production.

Patricia Di Risio

Photographer: Ina Parakhina

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