Adrift in New York
The Adelaide Repertory Theatre have cleverly chosen a melodrama/music hall for their last offering for 2025, Adrift in New York.
Melodrama is a specific theatre performance style that unfortunately is not performed often enough. This could be because it has many conventions that need to be followed or the humour of the piece will not emerge. There are many who believe that performers only need to overact to perform melodrama, but this is far from the case.
Adrift in New York begins at the old homestead where Nellie, the heroine, is enticed by the villain to go to New York and sing in music hall. The second act is at a Bowery honky-tonk where she makes her New York debut. Then back at the old homestead, Nellie having endured many trials and tribulations, comes home after walking from the railroad station through a terrible storm. And of course, there is a happy ending for all (except the villain naturally).
Director Rose Vallen has remained true to the Music Hall style, adding her own touches. There are Music Hall ‘turns’, singalongs and wonderfully old jokes that could have come out of the ark. In place of a Master of Ceremonies, Vallen uses members of the ensemble and melodrama cast to link the scenes and keep the pace going. She uses each setting well and fills the stage with her blocking.
Adrift in New York is set in Bob Peet’s clever, functional set with interchangeable panels that take us from the homestead to the Bowery and back again, highlighted with Richard Parkhill’s lighting that ranges from the shell footlights and gold curtains of the music hall to the gaudiness of the Bowery, and the sensibilities of the homestead.
Sandy Whitelaw’s costumes are a delight, particularly the women’s costumes and wigs (Rebecca Jarratt) that take us back to the 1890’s.
Music Hall would not exist without the music, and the Adelaide Repertory are lucky to have the talents of the legendary pianist/entertainer Sandi McMenamin aided by percussionist Rowan Dennis, who has played for many melodramas. Both these musicians know the style and interject with musical themes to enhance each character and of course accompany the musical hall acts.
Adrift in New York features a cast of sixteen. TJ Baker shines as Nellie, the girl as ‘pure as the driven snow’. Baker nails every line and is the perfect heroine. Her timing is spot on and I particularly enjoyed her ‘singing’ and melodramatic gestures.
Jude Hines (Aunt Sarah Western) is a veteran of melodrama and knows how to drive the pace of the dialogue and create a well-rounded character. She is a pleasure to watch, lifts every scene, and has a wig that is a thing of joy!
The other members of the Western family - Russell Ford (Silas Western), and Abigail Papps (Martha Watson) - both have their moments to shine, provide valuable support and add laughs to the story.
LA Foale as Jack Merriwell the hero, works extremely hard and elicits the sympathy of Aunt Sarah, Nellie and the audience. As a longtime performer and director of melodrama, I missed the ‘hero stance’ that sets the character.
Dylan Haar as Francis “Desperate” Desmond shows promise as the villain. He is suitably sleezy (particularly with Nellie and Martha), handles the cape work well, but misses some of delivery style that characterises a villain. His scenes with counterfeit money in Act 2 are well handled.
Harry Passehl (Monty “The Dip” Moran), Penni Hamilton-Smith (Maggie Clancy “Old Mag”) and Lindy LeCornu (as Hi Perkins and Miss Frida Freezeyourtasseloff in the world-famous Balloon Dance) show their experience in working the audience and making the most of their roles without going over the top.
The cast is completed by Malcolm Watson (Dan Fogerty), Mike Leach (Jim Burke and an cross-dressing ballet dancer), Chris Meegan (Mulligan), Rebecca Mason (Sadie May) and Katya Zirnsak, Eva Yoxall-Vale and Paula Gallagher who make up the musical ensemble.
Fixed mikes mounted on the apron would have ensured that the volume of the singing was rich and full as audiences at the Arts Theatre are accustomed to miking for a production that contains singing.
Judicious cutting of Act 1 would have helped the production to maintain its pace. Eighty minutes is long for a music hall/melodrama. Having said that, this did not stop the audience from enjoying themselves and becoming ‘part of the production’.
Adrift in New York is a fun night out for all the family and will have you singing along, booing the villain, sympathising with the heroine, cheering the hero, and escaping the woes of the world for a while! Go and find out if you haven’t experienced this style before, and if you have, come back for more!
Barry Hill OAM
Photographer: Richard Parkhill
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