Kookaburra (Peter Cousen’s national Musical Theatre Company) have made their first ever trip to Melbourne and decided to use Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tell me on a Sunday as their first touring production.
Tell me on a Sunday was originally written in 1979 as a one woman show for Marti Webb. In the early 80s it became the ’song’ part of the ALW musical Song & Dance. In 2003 it was re-written (with 5 new songs) and re-launched as a one woman show (this time with Denise Van Outen starring)
It is the story of a young englishwoman (an IT girl) who moves from London to New York in search of love and life.
The Kookaburra version stars Jolene Anderson (from All Saints & It takes two) as a young Australian woman who moves from Sydney to New York (and Hollywood).
Although a fairly lightweight musical there are a couple of powerful (and well known) songs- namely, unexpected song and take that look of your face.
This was probably not a good first choice by Kookaburra Anderson has a good voice, and can act, but sher is sort of too nice (passive) in the role. It requires a singer/actress to really attack the role and take it to new heights. Amanda Harrison (Wicked) and/or Tamsin Carroll (Rocky Horror) leap to mind as two singers who could really do the role justice.
That is not to say that Anderson wasn’t good – she just wasn’t experienced enough to carry this particular show.
A very lightweight, non threatening night at the theatre.
