Ruthless! The Musical

This is an all female musical that spoofs Broadway musicals like Mame and Gypsy premiered Off-Broadway in 1992. As the director accurately says, it takes a satirical and jaundiced look at the whole business of show business: all the has-beens, the wannabes, the successes and failures and what some will do to make it onto the stage. This is not what we have come to expect as a musical theatre storyline but it still depends on the music and lyrics in carrying the story forward. Young Tina Denmark tries for the lead in the school play – which she does not get – and her obsession to be a star grows and grows from there.  As the various relationships evolve before us, we learn that this manic drive, in one form or another, is within them all.

Brenda White has cast this production very well, with very good singers who are also very good actors for the most part. It is a sharp, taut production. Colleen Crisp as Silvia St. Croix plays the sleazy agent at the start and sets a good tone for what follows. Ellena Stockdale as the tap dancing, singing school girl Tina Denman was very good – and a nasty piece of goods. Susie Plant as the school teacher and Courtney Murrin in dual roles of a mother and daughter maintained the same high standards. Emily McCormick was outstanding as mother Judy Denmark, particularly as the musical progressed. Finally, Melissa Beilby was outstanding as Lita Encore, the tart-tongued theatre critic who hates musicals. She had very good stage presence.

This was an interestingly different musical that was spoilt to some degree by the piano playing being too loud at times for some of the singers. The words of the songs are integral to the story line. The ridiculous storyline was very hilarious at times - and what a way to close a play. Congratulations to the director, cast and crew on such a good production of music, humour and strangeness.

William Davies