Jazz Garters.

Jazz Garters mk II matures Rep's new musical variety format. Director Jim McMullen’s seven-piece band is tight and emotionally convincing in a show of essentially disparate pieces. The former variety format's M.C., the most charismatic Russell Brown, appears to confine his brilliance here to classy set construction (of a design by the multitalented Andrew Kay).

This second season again includes six or eight touches of Vaudeville. The show, continually delightful, is enormous in variety from standup and slapstick to foot-stamping chorus pieces and galvanising tap dance. Transitions were flawless. Everything was fresh, beautifully acted, sung more than competently. Much was uproariously funny.

If the singing was consistently good and sometimes better, the dancing was superb. Lisa Buckley's choreography, from tap to jive, was engaging, challenging, and fun. The entire show was costumed and lit to perfection. Audio balance was good; sound quality was surprising considering the microphones' miniscularity.

Every actor was a treat, but some excelled. Graham Robertson's convincing and total engagement warrants any audience's full attention. The combination of Graham Robertson and Dick Goldberg is unbeatable for sheer chutzpah.

I'm still shaking my head over a final piece of magic on a sheet of paper. After examining said sheet of paper and finding it free of contraptions, I still cannot believe what I saw it do on stage.

The laughs just kept coming. Don't miss this one.

John P. Harvey

Photo: Left to right: Ian Croker, Karyn Tisdell, Lisa Buckley (Choreographer), Lachlan Ruffy, Roy Hukari, Miriam Miley-Read, Peter Karmel, in Jazz Garters. Photograph: Helen Drum