Review: "MEETINGS WITH MELBA AND MONCRIEF", performed by Judy Glen with Peter Mapleson, by Tony Magee

Meetings With Melba and Moncrief

Written, directed and performed by Judy Glen

with Peter Mapleson at the piano.

School of Arts Cafe, Queanbeyan

April 16 - 26 1997

A fantastic show and a wonderful performance. Like many of Australia's great cabaret performers, Judy Glen sort to premier this new show at Queanbeyan's School Of Arts Cafe. I've seen shows there that have had to be completely rewritten after the first week - not so this one - it was really well prepared and rehearsed. Judy Glen with talented accompanist (and occasionally actor) Peter Mapleson, swept us through a most interesting account with song and characterisation of the lives of Australia's opera legend Dame Nellie Melba and 'Our Glad' - musical comedy star, Gladys Moncrief.

Fully costumed, with on-stage changes, the stories of the two performers were played out with great respect for each artist - we suffered the losses and tragedies along with the good times and the successes.

Judy Glen's wonderful and powerful operatic voice demonstrated four of the arias from principle roles that Melba was famous for - Bishop's Lo Here the Gentle Lark, Verdi's Caro Nome and Sempre Libra and from Madame Butterfly, Puccini's One Fine Day which effectively and dramatically closed the first act. 

The second act was devoted to Moncrief (although Melba did make a brief appearance!). Musical highlights included Lehar's The Merry Widow Waltz and Vilia and a re-creation of Moncrief's famous war-time concert in which she facilitated the raising of money to send Aussie hampers to “our boys overseas” (remember Bex Powders?), featuring a tribute to Gracie Fields and of course, Ivo Novello’s We'll Gather Lilacs - a few tears from some who were there and remembered.

Snippets of original sound recordings were also used effectively throughout the show, but even these were cleverly woven into the script so as not take on the form of a lecture.

I do have a couple of minor criticisms. I felt that Act Two was just a trifle too long - better the old showbiz cliché - leave them hungry for more. Also, Melba's character (her ghost) does tend to be condescending at times, in the same way that a character in a children's pantomime might ask it's audience "I know what I'll do - I'll just go over here and..." - but this show's not for kids. I knew what Glen was trying to do - it's just a scripting thing - but I'm sure there's a more eloquent way.

Even if you know nothing about Melba and Moncrief, even if you've never heard of them, even if you don't care for opera or old-time musical comedy, I feel sure that all audiences will delight in this fabulous presentation - a real gem from a real professional.

Originally published in Muse Magazine (Canberra), May 1997