On a surface level, the music of Peter Allen sounds like simple, catchy piano pop. Dig a little bit deeper and his songs tell his story without us even realizing as his pleasing tunes gently penetrate the soul.
The man brings us the highs and lows of Allen’s life and oeuvre in From Tenterfield to Rio is pianist and vocalist Craig Schneider. Schneider certainly has a profound knowledge and love for his subject matter; once he takes to the stage it’s quickly clear that Schneider has done his research, as he gives us facts, figures and anecdotes that provide an intimate insight into the life of this wonderful singer/songwriter.
Schneider jokingly refers to the show as a ‘low budget version of The Boy From Oz,’ which could not be a truer statement, except that here the glitz and glamour of a big budget musical are stripped away, leaving room for the songs to do the talking.
Not unlike Peter Allen, Schneider is perhaps not the strongest singer; however this does not matter, as it’s his interpretation and delivery of the signature tunes that has the audience in the palm of his hand.
Covering the full gamut of Allen’s hits, the show features such memorable tunes as ‘Tenterfield Saddler’, ‘I Go to Rio’, ‘I Still Call Australia Home’, ‘Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)’, ‘Not the Boy Next Door’ and many more.
With each of these gems comes a story that provides a better understanding of the how and why the songs were written, resulting in some touching moments, such the story behind ‘Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage’, which has become synonymous with Judy Garland. While Allen was watching a performance, some inconsiderate audience members were talking, so he merely passed them a note which read: ‘Quiet – there’s a lady on stage.’ Simple yet quite moving.
Another particularly interesting story was that of his Oscar winning song ‘Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)’ where Schneider notes that originally, the other songwriters asked Peter to withdraw his writing credits to increase their chances of winning the Oscar. In the end, he stuck to his guns and came out winning.
Schneider has constructed a lovely, small scale tribute that is big on heart – much like the man himself, a simple country lad who made it big because of a profound musical talent. From his early beginnings performing Al Jolson songs in his lounge, to dancing and singing up a storm on stage at Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes, Peter Allen’s life was certainly wonderful, albeit short lived.
Craig Schneider’s relaxed energy makes us feel as though we’re sitting around the piano reminiscing about one of the greats.
Rating: 3 ½ stars out of 5
From Tenterfield to Rio
Performed by Craig Schneider
Globe Cafe, Prahran
28 June and 5 July
Melbourne Cabaret Festival
melbournecabaret.com
26 June – 7 July
