Brisbane-based barrister, Michael Hodge, wrote the book with his brother, Paul Hodge, who also composed the music and wrote the lyrics. Paul has a PhD in musical composition, and has also gained Brisbane’s prestigious ‘Young and Emerging Artist Fellowship’ and numerous other international awards.

This bright and effervescent 2-hour show can be seen at the Heath Ledger Theatre in Northbridge nightly at 7.30 until 11^th September.

The scene is a magnificent representation of the exterior of the White House, complete with majestic central white dome and flag pole (Set and Costume Designer, Bruce McKinven). The musicians are positioned on the top deck, in a ‘bandstand’ just under the cupola. Sensibly, the drums (Michael Perkins) were enclosed in a Perspex area, allowing a superb balance of the instruments. The Musical Director and keyboard player was David Young, with guitarist Jonathan Fernandes and bass player Andrew Weir. Thanks to clever orchestration (Neil Douglas Reilly), the effect was that of a large band.

As the stage revolves, we see the podium for public announcements. The stage wings’ legs and backdrop are in red, white and blue. This theme by Scenic Artist, Marek Syzler, has been picked up and continued by the Lighting Designer, Mark Howett, and used to great effect.

It is rare to have the audience applaud the set, but at the opening this well admired set earned a big round of applause. 

       The proscenium grand drape is a figurative American flag; it rises to reveal Hillary Clinton (Lisa Adam, looking amazingly like the lady herself) inside the White House’s Oval Office. Hillary makes it clear that she is the person in power, and goes on to tell us the story behind her husband’s mayhem as President.

     The President enters the office, and everyone around sees him as one; but because of his parallel lives, he is portrayed by two very different characters who talk to each other. There is the clear-headed leader, in a smart suit – W.J. Clinton (Simon Burke) and the wild, leather dressed, irresponsible philanderer – Billy Clinton (Matt Dyktynski).

     The country is buoyant and politics running smoothly. The Press however – agitated by Clinton’s nemesis, Newt Gingrich (Luke Hewitt), Speaker of the House – try to create debasing news. They drag up the ‘Whitewater Scandal’, a real estate investment of the Clintons that collapsed with little actual humiliation to them. Gingrich, still determined to shame Clinton engaged Kenneth Starr (Brendan Hanson), an independent counsel who lusts after men in power.

     WJ asks his ever-faithful wife, Hillary, for her advice and unexpectedly receives wise words from the ghost of Eleanor Roosevelt (Clare Moore), the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, President during World War 2.

     One day, into the Oval Office came Monica Lewinsky (Megan Kozak), a White House intern. New ‘meat’ for the philandering Clinton?

     There follows attempts at Impeachment and a legal battle, but who will win? Will Bill Clinton leave the post with worthwhile reforms in place? What is Hillary doing in the background?

Director Adam Mitchell is at his best with a musical, but here he gives us something extra special. With a cast of seven performers playing more than a dozen parts, the action moved at jet speed. With the astounding quality of the actors, and their immense versatility, we are soon fooled into thinking that there is a huge cast.

Choreographer, Claudia Alessi, being completely in tune with the uproarious comedy had the cast moving with hilarity. Lisa Adam as Hillary was wild and energetic and her interpretation of ‘Brew It for Your Country’ was dazzling.

Another highlight was Brendan Hanson as Ken Starr, who brought the house down with his rendition of a gay in heat singing ‘Starr Is Born’.

Jenny Edwards’ costumes ranged from the numerous, bright pastel outfits of Hillary to the semi-bondage, ‘cheeky’ ensemble of Ken Starr. Immaculately finished by wardrobe assistants Gail Reading, Elizabeth Buckland and Louise Arcus.

You keep expecting the story to tactfully smudge the details, but this brave musical just gets the boot in, and gives the audience the most fun in a long time. The audience split their sides with Megan Kozak’s execution of ‘Monica’s Song’, as Monica gloated on her conquest by celebrating in song with untamed actions – brilliant.

The lively and interesting sound design was by Ben Collins. There were about a couple of dozen songs with hysterical lyrics, but as the actors wore headsets the words were crystal clear.

A poor American accent can grate and annoy, however Voice Coach, Julia Moody, had the whole cast speaking in the same modest accent. The cast even managed to change this slightly with the multiple characters that they played.

Stage Manager, Claudia Blagaich and her assistant Stage Manager, Rhianne Perrie were dressed in smart black suits and moved in and out of the action moving lecterns, chairs and other props.

There are plays where the acting can be outstanding, the singing melodic and the dancing inventive. There are shows that give the audience a good laugh and you leave the theatre with a smile; but rarely do you get all the features combined in one production. This musical is just one of these rarities. A MUST see show.

Standing ovations are quite infrequent these days, but this production truly deserved theirs.

These World Premieres, part of the Perth 2016 Fringe World Festival, are being presented by the Black Swan State Theatre Company’s Lab – a ‘melting pot’ of talented mentors and new graduates designed to develop confidence and ambitions.

These shows can be seen nightly at 8.00 pm until 7^th February at the Studio Underground, within the State Theatre Centre of WA in Northbridge.

Lawrie Cullen-Tait’s set design for the first play, created a large playpen for the ‘youngsters’, emphasising their juvenile outlook. For the second play, this 6-metre square framework was raised vertically to act as a window to the world.

The Sound Designer, Joe Lui, has constructed a soundscape that you could close your eyes and soak up. The magnificent audio is in quadraphonic; when a sound effect is required, he considers it fully – does it require reverberation or echo? What is the volume and speed? Very clever work.

Lighting designer, Mark Howett and his assistant Chris Donnelly have obviously worked closely with the sound design. The lamp angles, colour and intensity were perfect. The timing of the lighting changes was critical to the suspense and required superb control by the operator.

The amazing talent from WAAPA and the Creatives just ooze quality, with a collection of honours that would make even their mentors envious.

‘Girl Shut Your Mouth’ is a gripping tale, written by award winning, Gita Bezard and directed by equally talented, Jeffrey Jay Fowler.

       A gunman burst into a senior school classroom, and shot 16-year old Katie (Jessica Paterson) in the head. With only a short time left to live, Katie is enjoying sharing and reliving her few minutes of horrifying fame. When she realises that she is heading to a place where people are free to enjoy life, and without her parents breathing down her neck, her effervescent friends, Mia (Stephanie Panozzo) and Grace (Shalom Brune-Franklin) think that Katie’s future sounds wonderful – perhaps they should devise a way to join her. When nerdy, ‘normal’ Darcy (Brittany Morel) tries to re-join the misfit group, she meets massive opposition.

 

The writer and director have perfectly captured the new, irrational teenage attitudes. There is a wonderful, fast paced rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. The tension is built up beautifully, and although we are watching some nutcases, their logic is fully explained and the whole scenario is horrifyingly believable.

‘Tonsils and Tweezers’ is a new work from WA’s much admired playwright and director Will O’Mahony.

        Whilst at school, Tonsils (Lincoln Vickery) and Lewis (Hoa Xuande) – known to his friends as ‘Tweezers – were involved in an irresponsible, car accident. An accident that changed their lives, but not as one would expect. Strangely the two friends were drawn closer together.

      Now, ten years later, their class is having a reunion. One of their studious friends, Max (Adam Sollis) has ambitions of becoming an outstanding actor and wanders around quoting ‘the Scottish play’. Then there is bolshie Beth (Megan Wilding), a little power pack, who is not shy about expressing her opinion.

Both works were immaculately structured and had very well-observed characters. The dialogue was natural, complete with all the annoying intonations and expressions of today’s youth, highly amusing.

Two amazing plays in a similar genre, starting the new Black Swan season.