It Is Well With My Soul

Inspired by the famous hymn "It Is Well with My Soul", written by Horatio Spafford, this musical is based on a true story of hope, hardship, resilience, and healing. A recent novella, of the same title, by Adelaide based, veteran Australian Christian Media identity, David Maegraith, has been adapted for the stage by locals Andrew Broadbent and Ally Gum, with original music arranged by Alana Lymn.

Maytide’s It Is Well with My Soul brings together a passionate ensemble of emerging and established creatives from across Adelaide. The is the first work of the fledgling, self-funded company, whose mission is to build a passionate and inclusive community focusing on theatrical methods of storytelling to emotionally connect to audiences.

This tale of tragedy and faith follows the lives of Anna and Horatio Spafford. Beginning with Anna’s journey from her Norwegian roots to 19th-century Chicago and later Jerusalem, the story focusses on the couple’s faith and resilience after tremendous tragedy and loss. The narrative explores themes of grief, hope, redemption, and spiritual transformation, through original music and rich historical context.

The inclusive nature of this company was highlighted by the addition of Auslan translators for the performance that this reviewer attended, as one of the cast members considers Auslan to be their first language, thus catering for the needs of their family and friends.

Simple staging and set pieces are used to recreate multiple locations throughout the production, with a clever addition of the various reference years of the 19^th century displayed on multipurpose crates to convey the passage of time throughout the performance. Red and blue themes are also included in the children’s costumes to represent different times in the family’s life.

Zachary Baseby gives an earnest performance as Horatio Spafford, particularly at the most tragic moments when his crisis of faith is at its lowest point.

Kaila Barton portrays his wife Anna, whose faith waxes and wanes throughout the story. Likewise, her best moments are when she is in despair.

A standout performance is by Paige Maggs as their daughter, Annie. She is confident and convincing as the resolute and mature eldest child, whose personal deep faith is often a model for her parents.

Brandon Calmiano also brings depth and charisma to his role of Pastor Dwight Moody.

This performance was early in the show’s season and there were several signs of nerves and technical issues, that will hopefully settle. Balancing the prerecorded music with the onstage voices needs attention, with many good solo voices becoming lost during harmonies. The enthusiastic ensemble tended to be discordant at times, despite substantial use of head mics, perhaps due to insufficient foldback. Much of the dialogue also became lost, either as a result of being rushed or confused by accent choices.

The original songs, intended to drive the story forward, were not always necessary, tending to further slow the pace of the already heavy subject matter. Not enough was made of the title hymn, which could have become a rousing finale if the full cast was used, rather than just the gentle voices of the children. It is a triumphant hymn which lifts the soul and deepens faith and should be highlighted if the intent is to inspire the audience.

Launching a premiere musical is a daunting task and the company should be commended for their conviction and efforts in this venture.

Reviewer: Rosie Ferguson

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