Christopher Columbus! What a fantastic night was had at the opening of Arcadian's latest musical production 'Little Women'.The show is an adaptation of the novel by Louisa May Alcott, following the lives of four sisters as they grow up during the American Civil War. As such, it's an appropriate family show with something for everyone thrown in. The play itself is a well-written condensation of the novel that perhaps omits more than Alcott purists would prefer, but the emotional core remains intact through the music.
The band (lead by Tim Verdon) was hidden from view, but did justice to the sizable score. It sounded like a small group working phenomenally hard, but unfortunately I didn't get a program (100% my bad for being late like a chump!) and can only say with any certainty that the sound coming from them was absolutely charming; a real treat. The volume in some of the quieter songs sometimes overpowered the cast, who were relying on drop mics for their sound, but the few times this happened didn't detract from the overall product.
The cast themselves were just phenomenal. The singing, acting, and dancing were top grade from everyone involved, and choreographer Greg Shand, MD Adam Vujic and most of all director Malcolm White deserve special praise for their treatment of the piece. Every line was delivered with clarity and meaning, cues were sharp, and it flowed flawlessly from start to finish. I really don't want to pull any one cast member out for special mention (even though I will); everyone was so exuberant and enthusiastic, and it was clear they had all worked so hard to make this piece shine as much as it did. Each did their part with absolute conviction, and it was just... good! That's what it boils down to. It was just genuinely so, so good, and I'd like to thank them all for a fantastic night at the theatre.
It's a testament to how good they were that I reread the paragraph above and feel like I haven't done justice to how strong the performance actually was, so I will just single out Lauren Kenyon (who played Jo) as an example. Jo is the second eldest of the March sisters, a fiery tomboy who loves to read and write. It's a diverse role ranging from headstrong determination to tears and grieving, and every second of Lauren's performance felt real and natural. She was a delight to watch on stage as Jo struggled with the realities of coming of age, and her strength as an actress provided the rest of the show with a focal point around which to revolve.
Finally, I'd like to mention the set. It's been my personal opinion for some time now that the major distinction between community and professional theatre is largely in the set design. The gap in talent is only very slight, if it's even present at all. The difference, then, is in the amount of money the professional shows have to throw into their sets (and costumes, but they're usually emulated fairly well), and therefore whether or not the show looks professional. 'Little Women', however, had everything it needed and more. Downstage of the curtain was split into the attic on stage right and Mrs. Kirke's boarding house on stage left, and it wasn't until a few songs in that the curtains opened to reveal the March's house. It was very cleverly done, and the set itself looked incredible.
All things considered, if you're a fan of the novel then you have no excuse not to see the Arcadian's production of the musical (unless it sells out). It's funny, it's touching, and above all it's beautifully, charmingly human. In a word: "astonishing"!
'Little Women' will be on at the Arcadian's Miner's Lamp Theatre, 141 Princes Highway, Corrimal, until Saturday the 3rd of December. Tickets can be purchased on 4284 8348 or online. The remaining dates are:
Saturday, 19th November - 2pm and 8pm
Friday,25th of November - 8pm
Saturday, 26th of November - 2pm and 8pm
Sunday, 27th of November - 2pm
Friday, 2nd of December - 8pm
Saturday, 3rd of December - 2pm and 8pm
Tickets are $23 for adults, $20 concession, or $12 for children (under eighteen). Additional information is available on the Facebook event page.
