Bright Star

The cosy Hayes Theatre in Kings Cross stages an impressive repertoire of musicals, its intimacy perfect for stripping away the tropes and banalities of big Broadway musicals.

With the Hayes hosting director Damien Ryan and his company Sport for Jove, with its reputation for bringing new truths to old classics - and not staging musicals! - it’s no wonder that this production of Bright Star shines so bright. 

It didn’t shine much when on Broadway ten years ago, but this small-town story of love, loss and resilience in the American South is right at home here.  Written and composed by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, the musical’s bluegrass score creates a real warm conviviality, a front porch neighbourliness captured by Isabel Hudson’s set and Lily Mateljan’s period costumes, sweeping between 1923 and 1945.

Sixteen actor/musicians leap and dance through pacy storytelling, artfully repurposing stage furniture, and playing with gusto the traditional blue grass instruments, the violin, mandolin, guitar, banjo and bass, along with cello, keyboard and percussion. 

Under Alec Steedman’s musical direction, the melodic but varied score is remarkably clear and balanced. And when the actors replace instruments with characters, all are well-cast, natural and inventive.  Ryan and co-director Miranda Middleton somehow keep Steve Martin’s comedy sharp and the story focused and authentic.

And what a story, allegedly a true one!  Alice Murphy (a star performance by Hannah McInerney) is a wild girl, too smart for this town, but an exasperation to her parents (a heart-felt Katrina Retallick and Rupert Reid).  She and Jimmy Ray (a compelling Kaya Byrne) find each other irresistible, but Ray’s wealthy Dad (Sean Van Doornum) has other ideas.  Bigotry, conspiracy and then murder split the love match.

Leaping between two decades, we’re also following young Billy (a charismatic Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward) back from the war, wanting to be the next great Southern writer and to impress the mature Alice (Retallick), who’s now an influential literary editor.  

Much of the musical’s considerable wit is carried by secondary characters like Alice’s office staff (a droll Deirdre Khoo and Jack Green) and an agile Genevieve Goldman as the madcap bookshop owner trying to hide her crush on Billie.

Bright Star is a glorious experience, an artful uplifting show, tender and real.

Martin Portus

Photographer: Robert Catto