Image: Supplied.
Get on the bus, Melbourne! Following an acclaimed and award winning Sydney season Violet has made a welcome stop at Chapel Off Chapel for a limited run. This intimate musical expertly weaves music and drama to tell a simple story of hope, prejudice, redemption and transformation. This production, which originated at the Hayes Theatre (the now surely indisputable national home of quality musical theatre), is like a warm breath of fresh late summer air. Violet is sweet, thoughtful and emotionally rich.
Based on a short story entitled ‘The Ugliest Pilgrim’ by Doris Betts the musical adaptation was written by Brian Crawley (A Little Princess) with music by Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home) and premiered Off-Broadway in 1997 before receiving it’s belated Broadway premiere two years ago.
Violet (Sam Dodemaide) is a young woman travelling by Greyhound bus across America’s South during the mid-1960’s to receive a ‘miracle’ from a TV preacher (Jordan Pollard). Facially scarred from a young age she hopes to have her affliction healed and to finally leave behind her rural mountain home and her widowed father (Damien Bermingham). Along the way she meets two very different soldiers; smooth ladies man Monty (Steve Danielsen) and the gentle and caring Flick (Barry Conrad). Violet’s journey leads her to emotional maturity and self-acceptance whilst also forcing her to confront her painful past.
Mitchell Butel’s production is expertly grounded in reality and beautifully highlights the stirring emotional core of the material. By stripping away the regular trappings of what some audiences expect from a musical, such as flashy production numbers or expensive sets, this show uncovers a powerful human core.
Performances across the board are similarly grounded in an affective reality and the cast is superb. Dodemaide instils the title role with strength and wry humour perfectly married with an underlying vulnerability that makes her Violet a multi-faceted character the audience falls in love with. As Flick, Conrad impresses in his musical theatre debut with his effortless vocals and natural acting chops (his performance of ‘Let It Sing’ almost stops the show) whilst Bermingham’s portrayal of Violet’s father is powerful and poignant. Amongst the ensemble Katie Elle Reeve and Jack O’Riley stand out vocally with their renditions of ‘Lonely Stranger’ and ‘Who’ll Be the One (If Not Me)’ respectively. Tesori’s folk and blues infused score is expertly played by a six-piece band under the musical direction of Martine Wengrow.
The plot of Violet may seem odd or even trite on paper, but this is a musical that really has something to say about an image obsessed culture, the hard road to self-acceptance and the prejudices people have towards those who might ‘look different.’ This show will force you to recognise something of yourself in the characters up on stage and this exhilarating production feels like it really does have healing powers.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Violet
Presented by Blue Saint Productions
Book & Lyrics by Brian Crawley
Music by Jeanine Tesori
Directed by Mitchell Butel
Musical Direction by Martine Wengrow
With Damien Bermingham, Barry Conrad, Steve Danielsen, Sam Dodemaide, Ryan Gonzalez, Jack O’Riley, Cherine Peck, Jordan Pollard, Katie Elle Reeve, Deidre Rubenstein and Luisa Scrofani
Chapel Off Chapel
3 – 20 March 2016
