The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a rarely performed musical, with only three renditions in Perth and Peel in the last three decades. Primadonna Productions, in association with Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, brought the production to Mandurah for a very short season.  Featuring a large cast and a strong live band, this was an audience pleaser that deserved its large crowds.

The multi-level set, which served multiple locales, was supplemented with quality backdrops, using the fly tower to best advantage. Costumes were bright colourful and true to character, if not always to the 1970s, in which the production was set. Sound balance was good, and the lighting supportive.

Jaxon Griffin set the show off to a good start, as the narrator of sort, before we met the girls of the Chicken Ranch, a brothel headed by Miss Mona, played with motherly authority and a twinkle in her eye, by a beautifully voiced Chantel Bell.

Newcomers Angel and Shy, were well played with conviction by Brylin Bonner and Anna Marias.  Lovely work from the remaining “girls” and their housekeeper Jewel - an admirable performance by Kristan Norris.

Local sheriff and supporter of the Chicken Ranch, Ed Earl, was played with depth by Peter Bonner, while the Governor of Texas, was played larger than life in a gorgeously flamboyant performance by Trick Cole.  Gemma Little doubled Impressively, playing glamorous prostitute Ruby Rae and stealing scenes as plain-Jane waitress Doatsey-Mae.

Every show needs a villain, and this show’s bad guy comes in the form of TV evangelist come journalist Melvin P Thorpe, played with energy by Ron Arthurs, unfortunately losing lines in one of the show’s best songs. He was backed by a strong gospel choir.

A feel-good show that was just-a-little-bit-naughty and had its audience smiling throughout. Lots of good fun.

Kimberley Shaw