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Edges
Presented by: Why Not? Productions Company
Venue: Cromwell Road Theatre, South Yarra
Reviewed by: Julia Roper
Date: Saturday 24th October 2009
Winners of the Jonathan Larson Award in 2007, Benj Pasek and Justin
Paul teamed up in their sophomore year at university to pen Edges: a
song cycle style musical with the contemporary edge and comedic
flair that can be likened to Jason Robert Brown.
Edges centres on four young adults questioning their thoughts,
feeling and behaviours as they face coming-of-age issues. Each song
deals with a new subject and tells a story within itself, giving the
show freedom to tackle a number of topics without being limited by
plot development demands.
Why Not? Production Company has assembled an exceptional cast to
present Edges in its Australian premiere. Will Sayers, Daniel Benge
and twins Mara and Dace Kapsis formed a tight performance unit
moving through the various themes and emotional responses with ease.
The various combinations of voices were suitably blended and the
actors complimented each other well.
Will delighted the audience with exquisite vocals and on-stage charm
– qualities that has made him one of the most sought after
performers in the non-professional theatre scene. His rendition of
“Part of a Painting” was simply breathtaking as he vowed to finally
make a commitment to his lover.
Daniel was very comfortable in all his songs and his storytelling
ability was natural and heartfelt. His set design was also well
thought out using scaffolding to create much needed levels. One of
the shows highlights was Daniel’s duet with Will, “Pretty Sweet
Day”. Both boys were thoroughly entertaining as they reminisced
about the good old days – trying to convince a former member of the
‘boys club’ to ditch the girlfriend and come back into the fold.
Dace’s role saw her undertake all the cute, peppy songs and her
character work oozed personality. I was disappointed that her
performance was marred by a microphone that either kept cutting in
and out or wasn’t as powerful as the other three which meant I
missed a lot of key material in her narrative. Fortunately her
physical work was of a high standard so I could keep up! Dace was at
her best in “Better” as she gloated about how much better her life
was compared to the friends she had just seen at her school reunion.
The highest accolades must be reserved for Mara. I was captivated by
her whenever she took the stage. Her voice was controlled and a joy
to listen to and her character work hit the mark every time. I would
have to go as far as to say she is the most impressive female
performer I’ve seen all year. Songs such as “Lying There” and
“Perfect” were evocative and delicately handled with the right blend
of angst and reflection, while the comical “In Short” was the best
song of the night.
Director Or Ida should be congratulated for crafting a superb piece
of theatre – she obviously understood the content well. Her
direction was simple but it gave each performer what they needed to
create believable characters.
Musical Director Peter de Jager led a tight three-piece band of
piano, bass and drums. His ability to produce outstanding music
contributions from both band and singers was evident.
Congratulations Peter. On a couple of occasions, the band
overshadowed the singers which I’m sure will be rectified in the
sound mix as the season continues.
Lighting design by Callum McDonald was fitting for the work, however
on more than a few occasions the actors weren’t fully hit by the
lights – sometimes they were in full darkness. Most likely a
teething problem of opening night that will be fixed in due course.
I
do have one small gripe… the only thing that spoiled the performance
for me was the extra loud clapping – I assume from a production team
member – that started the moment a performer cut of their final
note. Talk about a mood breaker – and a particular jarring end to
the poignant songs. As an audience member I had no chance to soak up
the sentiment that had just been presented and respond accordingly.
The end of a song is an obvious place for the audience to respond,
but individuals should be allowed the freedom to react in whatever
way is fitting to them.
Congratulations again to the wonderful cast and crew of Edges.
Remember part of the show proceeds go to charity, so check TP’s
What’s On page for show details and book yourself a ticket.
Performances run until November 7th at Cromwell Road
Theatre in South Yarra.
Julia has been an on-stage performer for many years and has also
undertaken roles in vocal training and Musical Direction. Drawing
from a professional background in media, journalism, marketing and
events management, Julia has been directing shows since 2006 and is
currently the Lyrebird Awards President.
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