CLOSER THAN EVER (Playlovers)
Sat, 17 Feb 2001, 03:30 amjassep6 posts in thread
CLOSER THAN EVER (Playlovers)
Sat, 17 Feb 2001, 03:30 amShow: Closer Than Ever
Authors: David Shire (Music) & Richard Maltby jr. (Lyrics)
Company: Playlovers, Inc.
Director: Gillian Binks – Musical Director: Caroline Badnall
Venue: Hackett Hall, Draper St. Floreat
Bookings: 0415 777 173
Reviewed: 16 February 2001 (Opening Night)
Season: February 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 28 March 02, 03 @ 8pm (except 25/2 @ 7pm)
Tickets: $17/$15
Playlovers have done it again! Just when you thought this company could not go further in creating excellence in musical theatre, up comes another wonderful addition to an enviable track-record.
‘Closer Than Ever’ is a difficult show to pigeon-hole. It is at once a cabaret and a concert without ever really being either. It could also be described simply as a collection of excellent songs. However, it is more than just a simple potpourri of random music.
To my mind, ‘Closer Than Ever’ can be, for the audience member, an intensely personal journey into relationships lost, found, destroyed and imagined. And each member of the audience is invited to create their own meaning out of a show alive with both the possibilities and the regrets of life; possibilities and regrets that we all share simply by virtue of our shared humanity.
‘Closer Than Ever’ could so easily be dismissed as a simple bit of froth and bubble (which on the surface it surely emulates); there is no preaching or didactic rhetoric. There is simply a presentation, through song, of modern life and its daily trials and tribulations. And it is this simplicity that gives the show its inherent power.
The power inherent in a show like ‘Closer Than Ever’ is the power of possibility – of being able to transcend ourselves and try on the shoes of others’ predicaments for a brief, engrossing moment; the possibility of being able to accept our common humanity and rejoice in our all-too-human foibles and face the apprehension that thoughts of the future can bring.
That ‘Closer Than Ever’ manages to work the way it does through such simplicity is in no small part due to the skilful direction of Gillian Binks (who also performs as one of the small ensemble of six singer/actors) and Musical Direction of Caroline Badnall.
Each member of the cast has several solo songs which are each, in themselves very good musical theatre songs, but for me the heart-breaking moment came in Gillian Binks solo ‘Life Story’; a song rich in regret and sorrow and so masterfully sung by Gill that it was difficult to imagine a person in the house who remained unmoved. So powerful was her rendition, it moved from simple song to confession to catharsis in under three minutes!
Having said that, however, the rest of the cast had many wonderful moments in which to shine and kudos to must go to Alex McLennan, Melanie Robinson, Hayley Binks (who IÂ’ve never seen do solos and I hope to see much more of in the future), Paul Whiteley and David Gardette (whose vocal power has developed to almost an overwhelming level). They, along with Gill, were the glue that held this seemingly simple concept together and made it much, much more than the sum of its parts.
My only small criticism of the shows structure is simply that in the second half there seemed to be an imbalance which saw one or two whispy ballads more than I would have liked – I was really hanging out for a show stopper at one point!
On the whole, this is a show I hope Playlovers will get many people along to see. ItÂ’s a difficult concept to market, but it is well worth both the time and effort to get along to see.
Jason Seperic
Authors: David Shire (Music) & Richard Maltby jr. (Lyrics)
Company: Playlovers, Inc.
Director: Gillian Binks – Musical Director: Caroline Badnall
Venue: Hackett Hall, Draper St. Floreat
Bookings: 0415 777 173
Reviewed: 16 February 2001 (Opening Night)
Season: February 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 28 March 02, 03 @ 8pm (except 25/2 @ 7pm)
Tickets: $17/$15
Playlovers have done it again! Just when you thought this company could not go further in creating excellence in musical theatre, up comes another wonderful addition to an enviable track-record.
‘Closer Than Ever’ is a difficult show to pigeon-hole. It is at once a cabaret and a concert without ever really being either. It could also be described simply as a collection of excellent songs. However, it is more than just a simple potpourri of random music.
To my mind, ‘Closer Than Ever’ can be, for the audience member, an intensely personal journey into relationships lost, found, destroyed and imagined. And each member of the audience is invited to create their own meaning out of a show alive with both the possibilities and the regrets of life; possibilities and regrets that we all share simply by virtue of our shared humanity.
‘Closer Than Ever’ could so easily be dismissed as a simple bit of froth and bubble (which on the surface it surely emulates); there is no preaching or didactic rhetoric. There is simply a presentation, through song, of modern life and its daily trials and tribulations. And it is this simplicity that gives the show its inherent power.
The power inherent in a show like ‘Closer Than Ever’ is the power of possibility – of being able to transcend ourselves and try on the shoes of others’ predicaments for a brief, engrossing moment; the possibility of being able to accept our common humanity and rejoice in our all-too-human foibles and face the apprehension that thoughts of the future can bring.
That ‘Closer Than Ever’ manages to work the way it does through such simplicity is in no small part due to the skilful direction of Gillian Binks (who also performs as one of the small ensemble of six singer/actors) and Musical Direction of Caroline Badnall.
Each member of the cast has several solo songs which are each, in themselves very good musical theatre songs, but for me the heart-breaking moment came in Gillian Binks solo ‘Life Story’; a song rich in regret and sorrow and so masterfully sung by Gill that it was difficult to imagine a person in the house who remained unmoved. So powerful was her rendition, it moved from simple song to confession to catharsis in under three minutes!
Having said that, however, the rest of the cast had many wonderful moments in which to shine and kudos to must go to Alex McLennan, Melanie Robinson, Hayley Binks (who IÂ’ve never seen do solos and I hope to see much more of in the future), Paul Whiteley and David Gardette (whose vocal power has developed to almost an overwhelming level). They, along with Gill, were the glue that held this seemingly simple concept together and made it much, much more than the sum of its parts.
My only small criticism of the shows structure is simply that in the second half there seemed to be an imbalance which saw one or two whispy ballads more than I would have liked – I was really hanging out for a show stopper at one point!
On the whole, this is a show I hope Playlovers will get many people along to see. ItÂ’s a difficult concept to market, but it is well worth both the time and effort to get along to see.
Jason Seperic
RE: CLOSER THAN EVER (Playlovers)
Sat, 17 Feb 2001, 05:38 pmI wholeheartedly endorse Jason's comments about Playlovers' "Closer Than Ever". What a bunch of talented people! As Stan (my better half) put it, they aren't songs you would hum in the car going home but the stories they told and the wonderful way in which the cast as a whole and also every single performer tackled the difficult music and harmonies were a delight to listen to. As a semi-professional singer and actor in the row in front of us put it "It is good enough to go touring". I would have liked the company to give more acknowledgement to the wonderful keyboard player.It seemed half of them acknowledged the drummer (who also sang) and the other half the pianist and it looked a little messy. Congratulations on a crisp, energetic and musically challenging show, don't miss it !