Elegies: A Song Cycle was written by New Yorker William Finn in the aftermath of 9/11 and the height of the city’s AIDS crisis. Two decades later, we find ourselves bearing witness to mass deaths once again in the form of COVID, war and climate disasters. To explore loss – a much ignored and uncomfortable facet of our current zeitgeist – is a bold first foray into Melbourne’s independent theatre scene by Clovelly Fox Productions.
But Director Tyran Parke handles Finn’s song cycle with humour and impressive skill. On the tin, Elegies appears to be a large number of songs that flow into one another with no dialogue between characters or to the audience. The cycle could easily be performed like a classical music recital, performers behind music stands stock still for 90 minutes. This would be terribly boring as none of Finn’s tunes are in and of themselves particularly memorable.
Parke thankfully doesn’t go down this route. He creates dense worlds with each song, as if they’ve been plucked from a musical with fully formed characters and relationships. The blocking is delightful in the way it allows the cast to interact with one another and the audience. It’s remarkable how Parke finds new ways to utilise the set, lighting and projections through 20 different songs, bolstering the energy on stage and adding layer upon layer of visual intrigue.
However, the pacing noticeably slows in the last 10 to 15 minutes as a number of songs lead to a sense of finale that fails to eventuate. The last three songs address 9/11 and if you’re not aware of this beforehand, the storytelling isn’t clear especially with images of Sydney streets projected behind the cast.
The cast meet the challenge of Parke’s ever changing, constantly moving production with ease. They deliver Finn’s harmonies beautifully and all showcase their vocal chops, though Nadine Garner’s voice seemed to be just recovering or on the brink of ill health on opening night.
Kerrie Anne Greenland performs the emotional showstopper of the night, ‘Anytime (I Am There)‘, with lots of wet sniffles coming from the audience afterward. Good thing Marty Alix performs the comedic highlight of the night immediately afterwards, ‘My Dogs’, drawing laughs despite describing what the RSPCA may consider to be animal abuse.
Read: Theatre review: Sunset Strip, New Theatre
With Elegies: A Song Cycle, Clovelly Fox Productions positions itself as a company that provides polished and unique work to Australian audiences. And in this case, a space to process loss through theatre.
Elegies: A Song Cycle by William Finn
fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
Director Tyran Parke
Musical Director: Vicky Jacobs
Lighting Designer: Tom Vulcan
Projection Design: Martyn Coutts
Cast: Nadine Garner, Kerrie Anne Greenland, Marty Alix, Anton Berezin Glenn Hill
Tickets: $55-$69
Elegies: A Song Cycle will be performed until 21 July 2024.
