Downtown! The Mod Musical! A Celebration of the ‘60s!

This little-known musical (known as Shout! The Mod Musical outside Australia and New Zealand) was presented to sold-out audiences in Manpac’s Fishtrap Theatre, as a community partnership between Primadonna Productions and The Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.

This juke-box musical, is what it says in the title, as it follows a group of young women, fans of a popular magazine “Shout” from 1962 through 1970, featuring twenty-eight of the 1960s’ most memorable songs.

To call the plot “thin” would probably be generous, with the girls not even given names, but despite this, Carole Dhu’s principal cast of five, create believable, distinct and likeable characters during this 90 minute one act show.

Hannah Jones makes a promising community theatre debut as sophisticated fashionista Blue Girl, with a lovely journey of self discovery. Sian Dhu uses her extensive comic range and gorgeous voice as the perpetually single Green Girl, Emily Lambert brings sunshine to brash, big voiced American Yellow Girl - revealing hidden vulnerability, Jacky Creelman is the motherly Orange Girl with a lovely voice and nicely layered performance, while Elysia Miller is a delight as the gorgeously messy Red Girl with a stunning voice and excellently drawn character.

Supporting performances by Matthew Wake as the voice of Shout Magazine and Carole Dhu as the voice of advice columnist Gwendolyn Holmes, added colour, as did the brief ensemble appearances of Steven Jones, Vincent Moore and Rowan Creelman.

The show was accompanied with style by Musical Director Kenn Ellis on keyboard and Bob Appleyard on drums and percussion. Sound was well balanced by Michael Edwards.

Simply set, with bright rostra and projection, the show was well lit by Clint Gerrard. Costumes, were very much of the era, were chosen with characters in mind and added a great deal to the show.

Downtown! was lovely escapism, a groovy trip down memory lane and a lot of fun.

Kimberley Shaw