Thank God we’ve grown up a little, as a species I mean. Sure, we still have a long way to go, but with shows like Naked Boys Singing!, it makes it easy to see that we are slowly becoming just that little more comfortable with these disgusting, fleshy prisons that have driven our brains around for the last 164,000 years or so.
The Seymour Centre was abuzz on the opening night, the show was sold out, and lots of lovely ladies and upwardly mobile men were staring at their smart phones in the courtyard, sipping wine and gleefully chatting; all the while knowing that in a few short minutes, the most obviously-titled show was about to start.
Starting with a jaunty piano intro, courtesy of Michael Bourkas, which is then playfully interrupted by Grindr messages and meet ups, we are quickly transported to a magical, musical world where… well, hold on, lets try to keep to the tone of the show and not dress this up.
The stage is bare, except for the piano and a big, shiny sign the size of a wardrobe – and which doubles for one. Well, as much as it can for a show with no clothes.
The songs are big and boisterous, with ditties such as ‘The Naked Maid’ and ‘The Jack Song’ being highlights, but the power ballad ‘Window To Window’ also crept into this reviewer’s heart.
‘Members Only’ must be heard to be believed; suffice to say that penis euphemisms have possibly never been used to such harmonic extent before in the history of humanity.
And yes, dear reader, all of this and the entire cast is naked, barring the occasional hat or corset.
The whole nudity aspect is an easy hurdle to get over, so it is quite advantageous that the production doesn’t entirely rely on that fact. The songs are catchy and toe-tappy, funny and in a few cases really do push the boundaries. The hilarious ‘Bliss of a Briss’ and its cast of Hasidic Jews wheeling a naked man-child around while singing of circumcision was the stand out number of the show for this reviewer. The cast is uniformly excellent, never once seeming uncomfortable, and spreading their enthusiasm all over the audience from the start.
Director Jonathan Worsley, choreographer Adam Williams and musical director Sheena Crouch have hit all the right notes with Naked Boys Singing!, delivering a show that stands to attention as it smashes down a few more bricks from the wall of taboo. Uplifting, entertaining, groin flapping action!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Naked Boys Singing!
Presented by Johnathan Worsley
Director: Jonathan Worsley
Choreographer: Adam Williams
Musical Director: Sheena Crouch
Seymour Centre, University of Sydney
March 13 – 17
Bruce Gordon Theatre, IPAC, Wollongong
March 22 – 24
Canberra Theatre Centre
April 13 – 14
Newcastle Civic Centre
April 19 – 20
Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne
May 1 – 13
Judith Wright Centre of Performing Arts, Brisbane
Mid-May
