Sweet Charity

Brisbane audiences are in for a treat this week with Prospero Arts' vibrant concert version of Sweet Charity, the beloved musical first staged on Broadway in 1966 by the legendary Bob Fosse. The show has enjoyed countless revivals and even a successful film adaptation starring Shirley MacLaine, and it’s good to see it brought to life again, especially under the direction of Cameron Mitchell. With his illustrious background in musicals and dance and deep connection to Fosse’s style, the production couldn’t be in better hands.

Although this is a concert version, as such, the creative team has shaped it into a satisfying theatrical experience: a video backdrop, slide-on props, and a simple multi-level set provide just enough structure without distracting from the essence of the story. Sweet Charity has always been about personality, heart, and human longing, and with a cast who can sing, dance, and act, supported by colourful choreography and a big, brassy score, the show soon won its audience over. Even with the musicians on stage, I still felt transported back to the show’s original Broadway energy.

It’s often forgotten that musicals demand a rare combination of skills: acting, singing, and dancing. Not every performer can do all three well, which makes it a pleasure when a cast rises to the challenge. Loren Hunter does exactly that in the title role. Her ebullient, heartfelt portrayal of Charity ever-searching for true love is beautifully judged. It’s an exciting and choice cast performance that sits comfortably among some of the great interpretations of this role.

The production also benefits from the presence of seasoned performers: Simon Burke delivers a wonderfully convincing Vittorio Vidal — accent, charm, and show-stopping vocals all intact. I honestly can’t imagine anyone else in the role. But what really had me tickled pink is Jake Speer's performance of Oscar, Charity's first true love, particularly in his opening scene, stuck in a lift with Charity. Such a superb characterization, sense of comic timing: so suitable for this kind of musical which has a cleverly written subtle edge of comedy throughout despite an underlying touch of sadness and tragedy. 

The dance-hall “girls” also shine. Kristina McNamara (Nickie) and Angelina Thomson (Helene) deliver great in-character performances, and it’s always a pleasure to see Suzanne Steele, this time appearing as Ursula, given her remarkable and extensive career to date. Sean Sinclair's interpretation of Daddy could have been a little more 'wacky', over-the-top, less 'straight', the scene being more of a parody; and it's a shame it was too rushed in the performance I saw. A pity as it is one of my favourite numbers in the show.

Included in the cast was an ensemble of nine dancers and singers all respectively adding to the story and providing a tight and toned performance to some demanding settings and choreography. Additionally the 16-piece brass ensemble and accompanying rhythm section led by Australian veteran Musical Director Michael Tyack AM at the helm wowed the audience with its big brassy sound, setting the scene and atmosphere with class and style from the first note.

While the plot may feel dated to modern audiences, what has most likely kept the musical alive is a selection of its musical gems. Cy Coleman was a very proficient and recognized jazz pianist in his golden years but his talent wasn't paying the bills so he turned to writing show tunes to get by. Just as well because super-hits like "Big Spender" is a classic in its own right; and the remarkable "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" with its clever rhythmic interplay in three, almost with a latin feel, is the kind of showtune very few composers can write. It's a difficult art-form to write a hit (I know because I compose songs myself) and writing a complete musical score of them is a very rare occasion (though it doesn't always take many to create a hit show - look at Cats for example). Richard Rodgers was probably the most successful along with Jule Styne, Leonard Bernstein with West Side Story, even Lionel Bart with his score to Oliver! to name a few.

Any reservations you have about a concert-version of a show can be laid to rest. This is a production that works, retaining a vast proportion of its original spirit with slick and tight performances from a talented cast and production team. There's even a matching lighting plot from Ben Hughes, an entertaining video backdrop from Craig Wilkinson to enhance the setting and a terrific selection of costumes and wigs from designer Josh McIntosh, enough to make any drag-queen squirm in envy. There is also the added benefit of being up-close-and-personal with the big, brassy orchestra to heighten the experience and generate an accent on the word 'musical'. 

It's a shame that all that work in preparation and rehearsal currently merits only six performances so if you want to see this classic show in a quasi-original form with a touch of pizz-zazz, just use a little imagination and you won't be disappointed. I wasn't, and I've been around!

Brian Adamson

Photography by Brit Mobbs