Carrie: The Musical

Teenage misfits don’t come much more extreme than Carrie White. Based on the classic horror book (and 1976 film) by Stephen King, and the screenplay by Lawrence D Cohen (who also wrote the book for the musical), this Carrie is all-singing, all-dancing – all-horror. The 1988 script doesn’t hit all the usual musical high notes – despite being coproduced with the Royal Shakespeare Company, with choreography by the legendary Debbie Allen, the original Broadway production famously tanked but gained a cult status. That cult vibe is evident and adds energy to this fresh Brisbane production, which is a showcase of the outstanding talent emerging from QAEMT. Carrie is always a timely reminder of the dangers of mob behaviour, particularly the ramifications of bullying. And it has to be said that this superb cast of triple-threat talents elevate the material to a new level, with international musical director, Gavin Mitford (Be More Chill on Broadway and Love Never Dies for Andrew Lloyd Webber in London) at the helm.

Kate Hudson-James is outstanding as Carrie. She portrays Carrie’s painfully introverted nature, but shows her longing to break free with a powerful singing voice that I was not expecting. Simply – wow! Her opening number ‘Carrie’ is a showstopper! Carrie’s plight starts at home with her overbearing and overly religious mother, played with absolute conviction by the fabulous Olivia Horne. The duets between Carrie and her mother –  including ‘And Eve was Weak’ are very strong. (It was nice to see the two performers hug during the curtain call – this is an ensemble effort.)

At school, the horror to come is set in motion by a schoolyard ‘in-crowd’ that all audiences know only too well. The opening ensemble song ‘In’ perfectly sets the scene. But girls – a word of warning: don’t push Carrie too far! Oh, too late. The narcissistic tones of her teen queen classmates are perfectly captured in outstanding performances by Ella Harding as the nasty Chris (her song ‘The World According to Chris’ is a standout), Mateja Sardelis as Norma, Brydie Faith Hall as Frieda, and Chloe Flanagan as Helen. The only one in the clique who is having second thoughts is Sue, a fabulous performance by Charlie Preston.

While teachers Miss Gardner (Niamh Cadoo-Dagley – a warm and believable performance as a much older character) and Mr Stephens (Max Baldock having fun as everyone’s favourite 1970s teacher) try to control the teenage emotions, the boys in the group run riot in the lead-up to prom night: played with hormonal chutzpah by Croft Phillips, Sage Del Carmen (who also has fun as Reverend Bliss), Cooper Swain, Orlando Vella, and Connor Chadwick. These performers show what they’re made of in a tightly choreographed (by Dan Venz) ensemble number ‘A Night We’ll Never Forget’. And Costume Designer, Penny Challen (who also created the clever ‘evil’ themed sets) does not disappoint with the frills and tuxes. As the male hero, Tommy, Sam Henderson is the perfect romantic lead, and the scenes where Tommy and Sue orchestrate the prom night shenanigans add the requisite tension before the harrowing denouement, which remains shocking, even if you’ve seen the film versions.

Lighting Designer, Keith Clark, and Sound Designer, Steve Thornely, deserve a mention for playing their part in recreating the horror genre on stage. Unlike other musicals such as Evil Dead, Carrie is not a send-up and there’s not as much humour. However, there is a brilliant cast and a rocking live band (unfortunately not seen on stage) led by Musical Director, Heidi Loveland (also on keys), featuring Hannah Blain, Riley McTaggart, Joel Sanchez-Carn, Liam Jones, Hayden Rayner and Laura Boon.

I believe that this production of Carrie: The Musical has completely sold out, so you might have to wait for this group’s upcoming productions of A Chorus Line, the Musical Theatre Showcase, and Songs for a New World. During the Carrie season, the John Kotzas AM Fund, established by the legendary Simon Gallaher, will launch, supporting the next generation of musical theatre talent.

Beth Keehn

Photos: PIF Productions

Find out more: qpac.com.au/whats-on/2025/qcgu-carrie-the-musical