Schonell Cinema & Live Theatre, St Lucia reviewed by
Sam Turk
"Very warm, very powerful, very moving - just magic" 
MUSIC THEATRE REVIEW: BY PAUL DELLIT - THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK -
Turkish Delight Theatre Box and Starlight Musical Theatre present a musical comedy by John Dempsey and Dana P. Rowe. Producer: Samantha Turk. Director: Jack Bradford. Musical Director: James Dobinson. Choreographer: George Canham. Designer: Shane Rodwell. Lighting: Kym Brown, David Kiorgaard, Alexis Verdin. Sound: Rian Brooks-Kane. Cast: Samantha Turk, Louise Gavin, Rachel Dunham, Dirk Hoult, Julie Cotterell, Michael Balk, Adam Brunes, Chloe Musgrove, Elliott Marsh. Musical Numbers include: Eastwick Knows, I Love A Little Town, Dirty Laundry, I Wish I May, Another Night At Darryl's, Dance With The Devil. Running Time: 180 minutes inc. interval. Venue: Schonell Theatre, University of Queensland, St. Lucia. Opening Night: Queensland Premiere, Friday 6 April 2007. Top Ticket Price: $A35. Season: Playing until 5 May. Bookings: (07) 3393 2805
Only a very brave person attempts to produce a new, little seen musical, even with good source material. But that attempt has certainly paid off for Turkish Delight Theatre Box and their production of the 'newish' musical comedy The Witches of Eastwick, which opened in Brisbane on Good Friday. When one goes to the theatre on Good Friday it is usually to see the Passion Play, not a musical comedy about three Witches. It is very encouraging to see a new company like this, full of youthful talent, energy and enthusiasm offer up something fresh, that hasn't merely been recycled from the Rodgers & Hammerstein scrapbook. In the sleepy New England town of Eastwick where everyone knows everyone's dirty laundry, three (not-so-wicked) witches Alexandra, Sukie, and Jane are divorcees feeling trapped in their everyday humdrum lives. One stormy night, high on Martinis and brownies, they make a crazy wish - for a man to make their own. But their wish has consequences they could never have dreamed with the arrival of the mysterious Darryl Van Horne. Ok so it was a best selling novel by John Updike and a successful 1995 film, directed by George Miller (that starred Cher, Michelle Pfieffer and Susan Sarandon). But the musical has only had relatively short seasons in London's West End and in Melbourne - it is yet to make its Broadway debut. (Mind you it took Jekyll & Hyde almost ten years to finally make it to Broadway). Witches has a very funny book, exploding with some great one-liners and more sexual innuendo than Benny Hill. But if you have read the book and seen the movie, you know where it is going and that it needs to get there a little quicker (by 30 minutes). It isn't the fault of the plot, the characters or the songs. It isn't the fault of the Book either - it has plenty of laughs - no, hang on, it is the Book - it is simply far too long! But this is the fault of the musical's two male collaborators, composers John Dempsey and Dana P. Rowe.
Experienced Director Jack Bradford has assembled a mighty fine cast, and added his de …
Schonell Cinema & Live Theatre, St Lucia reviewed by
Sam Turk
"Review by Paul Dellit - Part II"
Experienced Director Jack Bradford has assembled a mighty fine cast, and added his deft touch, and flair for musical comedy with his direction of the show. The three female leads - Rachel Dunham (Alexandra), Louise Gavin (Jane), and Samantha Turk (Sukie) - all give solid performances as the witches. Individually they have strong and distinct vocal styles, when singing solo. But even better is the vocal blend that happens between them when they harmonise together. Very warm, very powerful, very moving - just magic! While perhaps a little young for the role, Dirk Hoult delivers a very credible performance as The Devil of the piece - one Darryl Van Horne. From his very first entrance Hoult manages to engage the audience with his charisma, and well timed scripted double-entendres. Other standouts in the cast are Julie Cotterell as the interfering town matriarch Felicia Gabriel and her subservient husband Clyde Gabriel, played by Michael Balk. With a notable performance from Elliot Marsh as Fidel, Daryl Van Horne's sexually ambiguous and non-speaking manservant. Though at times his bits of business tended to pull focus, his on stage presence engaged the audience at his every appearance. They ably supported by a chorus of gossipy desperate housewives including Catherine Hegarty, Ali Kerr, Kathryn McIntyre and Cienda McNamara. The only real problem with some Pro-Am musicals and using an orchestra, is getting the brass and strings sections to play together. On opening night there were several occasions when the orchestra let down the singers. Particularly in Another Night at Darryl's, which didn't provide the necessary musical support for Rachel Dunham as Alexandra, to turn the song into a real showstopper. Shane Rodwell has come up with a very colourful and clever set design, which has a pop-up-book look to it, almost a cartoony 50s middle America feel to it - a la Pleasantville and Edward Scissorhands - which works very well in the context of the show. His costume designs and hair/make-up touches help more than complement his set design. Do yourself a favour and show your support for some non-subsidised theatre - you will be pleasantly surprised, what an enjoyable experience a relatively new Broadway musical can be. …