History: Duelling factions – does anything ever change?
I have never seen West Side Story before, be it stage or screen (which is amazing, as I am no spring chicken) so I came to the show last night without any expectations. Actually, this does not mean that I wasn’t singing along with most of the tunes penned by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. With a name like Marika, I have adopted ‘Maria’ as my own theme tune (mind you, the lyrics have been changed on the odd occasion!) and as it is with any great musical, I’m sure others in the packed audience brought along their own memories to relive, with each familiar tune. Many were mentally singing along, and would have loved to voice out loud (my friend included!)
The fabulous female conductor (Vanessa Scammell, take a bow) stretched out her beautiful arms and heralded the beginning of the magic. Action up and the Jets and Sharks were street-jiving with the beat-cop telling everyone to “settle down, you hoodlums don’t own the streets”.
From the onset, the dynamics were in motion and the stage set (such an integral part of any production) placed the audience right in the middle of the turf war. Manhattan captured cleverly with grids, girders, smeared windows, imagery and a whole lot of talent from the set designer (Paul Gallis). Hand in hand with clever set design, naturally, goes the master of lighting (Peter Halbsgut) who ‘shone the light’ on many a situation, creating the mood for spellbinding the audience.
Orchestration being what it is, the music swept us up and carried us away. Nothing beats a live orchestra and every member should take an individual bow. Peering into the orchestra pit at the end of the show, I wanted to jump in there myself and shake everyone’s hand – awesome! Seamlessly, all elements came together and story-telling ensued; orchestration setting the scene, fluidly taking us through foreboding and calm and leading the audience between reality and dream sequences. The dancers truly amazed with endless enthusiasm, skill, and energy – talented young entertainers with elastic bodies that defied gravity.
Step back in history, to quote the programme:
“The idea of creating a modernisation of the tragic conflicts in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was first conceived by the enterprising dancer, choreographer and up-and-coming director Jerome Robbins, when he was asked by his friend the actor Montgomery Clift for help in interpreting the role of ‘Romeo’ in a fresh way. The concept thus engendered, in which he had transformed the original family feud into a teenage gang war in a slum district of New York, took a firm hold upon Robbins. His dream was to collaborate in a team made up of some of the greatest talents in the music and theatre world, to create a new and individual work for the stage which would be as vanguard as it was commercial.”
History repeating itself, this is as timely today as it was back in 1949! Only the turf war shifts, and the Jets and the Sharks could be any number of gangs roaming any number of streets in any number of cities today. Like I mentioned in the beginning of this review – does anything change? Do we learn anything from any of this?
Watching West Side Story, the vibrancy and energy captivating an audience through REAL story telling with the dancer/singers putting every fibre of their being into conveying this story – one would hope that this inspiration could teach us a thing or two! Shakespeare is a genius for recognising the human condition and portraying it right-back-at-us. Jerome Robbins is a genius for choreographing such a dynamic stage production and bringing it back to the people.
The group testosterone sequences (“this turf is small, but it’s all we’ve got”) and the “keep it cool boy” war council and rumble scenes portrayed personalities we have all witnessed: bravo to all performers for convincing us of the hatred between duelling factions. Timeless and passionate, the love portrayed by Tony (Josh Piterman) and Maria (Julie Goodwin) was totally convincing, and these performers are perfectly matched! Julie Goodwin’s voice is carried on the wings of angels, and Josh Piterman is a rare talent worthy of accolades. Anita (Alinta Chidzey) is as fiery and sexily convincing as Bernardo (Nigel Turner-Carroll) is hunks-worthy and captivating. Dance, sing and act: how fabulous is your life when you have all of these talents to share?
Keeping “hoodlums in line” has never been so entertaining, and every member of the cast created the sum of the whole. The Jet Boys and the Jet Girls; the Shark Boys and the Shark Girls – every performer in their own rite shone. As an audience member, you could feel the energy, the passion, the exuberance, the fear, the hatred and the love. The music, the set, the choreography, the lighting, the direction, the dancers, the singers, the…….. oh need I go on? Bravo, everyone……………..
Congratulations to:
Vanessa Scammell (msical director and conductor); Joey McKnelly (choreography reproduction); Rick Clarke (sound design); Peter Halbsgut (lighting design); Paul Gallis (set design)
Julie Goodwin (Maria); Josh Pieterman (Tony); Alinta Chidzey (Anita); Riff (Rohan Browne) and Bernardo (Nigel Turner-Carroll); Frank Garfield (Doc); Mark Constable (Officer Krupke – it’s all in the name!); Christopher Connelly (Lieutenant Schrank)
Jet Boys and Girls: Dan Hamill; Mitchell Woodcock; Nathan Pinnell; Blake Bowden; Jordan Pollard; Brendan Yeates; Matt Holly; Natalie Somerville; Mietta Gornall; Emma Hawthorne; Scilla Stavrou; Georgia Taylor; Natalie Peroni
Shark Boys and Girls: Turanga Merito; William Centurion; Travis Khan; Christopher Favaloro; Hilton Denis; Emmanuel Carella; Jenna Baxter; Christina D’Agostino; Leah Lim; Monica Swayne; May Yen Cheah
West Side Story
Where: Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Bank, Brisbane
When: From 4 Nov to 5 Dec 2010
Duration: 2 hours and 25 min
(inc. 20 min interval)
(subject to change without notice)
