Image Credit: Kayzar Bhatawalla
Twisted Broadway returned to Melbourne for a spectacular one-night-only charity event last night at the State Theatre. Since it’s inception in 2010 at the intimate Red Bennies club in South Yarra this fundraiser for Oz Showbiz Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS has blossomed into a highly anticipated annual event that raises much needed funds for research and support for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Based on the ‘Broadway Backwards’ format from New York the evening features various local music theatre actors performing songs originally written for the opposite gender; for example the night featured an all female version of ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’ from West Side Story and ‘Be Italian’ from Nine performed by the male ensemble. This structure is very entertaining and keeps the audience constantly enthralled because you simply don’t know who will perform what next.
Our hosts for the evening were Eddie Perfect and Kate Ceberano. The latter opened the proceedings with a very apropos rendition of ‘Willkommen’ from Cabaret and Ceberano relished the banter with the audience and her interactions with the sexy ensemble. Perfect also performed, opening the second act with a delightful song entitled ‘Listen To Me’ that he wrote for a musical version of Muriel’s Wedding. While Perfect informed the audience that he didn’t get the gig the song itself was so fantastically accomplished and melodic it makes one want to ask the producers to reconsider their decision.
The organizers and creative team behind Twisted Broadway should be congratulated for managing to assemble such a large cast and for creating a fast paced and exciting event. The fact that the entire production is created and rehearsed in a matter of days is simply staggering.
Musical highlights from this years show included Blake Bowden and Josh Piterman’s gloriously sung rendition of ‘In His Eyes’ from Jekyll and Hyde, Akina Edmonds’ soulful ‘Lost in the Wilderness’ from Children of Eden and ‘Breathe’ from In the Heights was reinterpreted as a folk style guitar piece by the talented Luigi Lucente. The first act closed with old faithful ‘I Got Rhythm’ which was thrillingly performed by an energetic ensemble led by Nathan Pinnell.
There were two particular performances that threatened to tear the roof off the State Theatre. The first was an equal parts achingly sincere and hilarious riff on ‘Make Him Mine’ from Witches of Eastwick performed by Ed Grey, Drew Weston and Alex Given. These gentlemen not only sang the song gorgeously, but they created such well-rounded and specific characters during the three-minute number that the audience was eating out of the palm of their hands. However, the performance of the evening went to Queenie van de Zandt and her earth-shattering cover of ‘What Kind of Fool Am I?’ Standing stoically centre stage she took her time to build the song to an almost unbearably powerful conclusion. Her breathtaking clarion belt delivered the song to dizzying heights in an incredible display of precision, power and passion; she sung the crap out of that song!
Special ​attention must be paid to the amazing onstage band, lead by musical director James Simpson. What an incredible achievement to have delivered the eclectic repertoire with such skill and panache; every song sounded absolutely brilliant.
Local performances such as Twisted Broadway make it clear just how alive and vibrant the Melbourne music theatre community really is. All of these performers and creatives donated their time to this event and the money raised goes to a very important social cause. The fact that Twisted Broadway 2015 was such an enjoyable evening and featured such memorable performances is just the icing on the cake. Now, who do I talk to about this Muriel’s Wedding musical?
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Twisted Broadway
Presented by Oz Showbiz Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS
State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne
Monday 17th August 2015
