Review: "ASPECTS OF THEIR MUSICALS", Presented by A Great Night Out Entertainment. Directed by Stephen Pike, Musical Director Lucy Birmingham. At ANU Arts Centre, January 1998. Reviewed by TONY MAGEE

Director and singer Stephen Pike.
Photo by Katherine Griffiths, Canberra Times.

Conceived by Stephen Pike, Aspects Of Their Musicals is a review style performance of selections from eleven musicals composed by collaborators Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. With a cast of twelve plus accompanist, effective lighting and excellent sound, the show presented a delightful selection of songs ranging from captivating solo and small ensemble performances to the whole cast in a semi-staged or concert format.

Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar were performed as one continuous medley with Stephen Pike singing the role of Jesus, Damien Bermingham as Pontius Pilate and Gordon Nicholson extremely convincing in the role of Judas. Megan Begbie delivered a beautiful rendition of I Don't Know How To Love Him and later shared the role of Mary Magdelen with Jessica Kelly and Lorina Gore in a particularly fine arrangement of Everything's Alright.  

Soprano Megan Begbie

Megan Begbie was also outstanding in the Pig Song from the musical Jeeves and her performance in this reaffirmed once more that she is an equally fine actress as well as singer. Megan teamed up with Louisa Blomfield in the duet from Chess, I Know Him So Well and the two singer's voices blended extremely well. Louisa later returned for a very convincing performance of With One Look from Sunset Boulevarde.

Lorina Gore's performance of Think Of Me from Phantom Of The Opera was also outstanding. She possesses a beautiful soprano voice displaying great control and a mature sense of phrasing.

Soprano Lorina Gore

Relative new comer Jason-Scott Watkins revealed a superb baritone voice and his duet with baritone Damien Bermingham, also singing wonderfully - She'd Be Better Off Without You from Aspects Of Love - was a real treat, brilliantly staged with mobile phones and also a credit to lighting designer, Corey Thomson.

There were also a few aspects (no pun intended) that I didn't care for. Reams of boring dialogue and endless statistics were rattled off ad nausium to "set the scene" for each new musical and I felt that this really spoilt the flow of the show. A more artistic escape from one and entry to another was called for here. Also, whilst the lighting was effective and the backdrop eye-catching, the main set - a very familiar Broadway style staircase - looked tatty and cheap.

But to finish on a positive note, I should mention that Lucy Bermingham is an outstanding accompanist and her musical direction and skills at the keyboard were extremely instrumental in holding the whole show together. There is definitely scope for touring this show, and I hope that the producers are able to secure some arrangements for this.

First published in Muse Magazine (Canberra), February 1998