How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
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I have a confession to make - I'm a sucker for a good musical. On film I've seen them all. Give me Rogers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, Irving Berlin, Bing Crosby or Donald O'Connor and I'm as happy as a director after a successful opening night. My rational mind tells me that they're cheesy, schmaltzy and ridiculous, but I don't care. Foot tapping music, flimsy plots, big dance numbers and boy-gets-girl happy endings have me hooked.
I had seen the movie version of "
" in my youth. And even for me, a declared musical lover, it wasn't right up there on my list of favourites. So the opportunity to review the
Lost Boys Theatre Company production was a chance to revisit this Frank Loesser classic. And I'm so glad I did.
I arrived early with my nineteen-year-old daughter, and we were soon surrounded by a very young crowd. Not surprising given the venue -
The Schonell Theatre at UQ - and the Lost Boys' raison d'ĂȘtre - theatre by young people for young people (and the young at heart). On taking our seats in Theatre Number 1 I was reminded what a great venue the Schonell is for live theatre: big, comfy seats, tiered seating, and good views of the large stage. Its retro ambience fitted in perfectly with the production.
The first nice touch was the ensemble cast already assembled on stage as the audience found their seats, easily done on opening night as general admission reigned. The cast flitted about the spare set, the epitome of busy office bees, moving between the desks and lounge chair props, conversing, writing and folding pages.
And from there
was a definite winner. The dialogue is snappy and incisive, the musical numbers bouncy and boisterous. The 2 leads, Dakota Striplin as Finch, and Kaitlyn Rogers as his love interest, Rosemary Pilkington are likeable and engaging. Kristen Barros as the street-wise Smitty, David Waller as corporate bigwig J B Biggley, and Alex Valentine as the bombshell Hedy Larue are good, as are all the other players in minor roles. Matty Johnston, as the toadying HR manager, Bert Bratt was a scene stealer throughout but the standout performance, both for me and my daughter, was Christopher Batkin as the snivelling, whining, and ultimately hilarious Bud Frump.
Lighting, wardrobe and set design were all excellent but special mention must be made of the fabulous choreography by Andrea Dighton, which was delivered energetically and very professionally by the leads and ensemble cast. The big music and dance numbers were a real treat, my favourite being "Brotherhood of Man" delivered by the male chorus, who all looked as if they were enjoying themselves as much as the audience. The musicians, led by musical director, Ben Murray also deserve praise.
It would be churlish to focus on some of the minor deficiencies of the production in the face of such effervescent entertainment. The fact that there were some technical difficulties with the sound and some missed notes by the leads just didn't make a scrap of difference in the end. One minor hiccup that left a storage area open under a stage platform after a scene change was handled with humour and aplomb by lead Dakota Striplin.
I had some reservations about whether the show, originally set in the 1960's, and very much a product of its time, would be relevant today. But the tale of the apparently innocent J Pierrepont Finch (F-I-N-C-H) and his meteoric rise up the corporate ladder by schmoozing up to the powers-that-be is probably even more relevant today when fiscal fiascos and corporate corruption on a massive scale are the rule rather than the exception. Buck passing, duck shoving and stabbing people in their corporate backs has developed into an art form. The story and jokes have been given a modern twist with the addition of newer technology like mobile phones and with some contemporary allusions - the reference to Campbell Newman being a particular favourite. What can I say? My husband is a public servant.
Talented young director Joshua Correa has given us a delightful romp full of energy and infectious good humour. Unfortunately the season finishes on Sunday, with performances on Saturday 17 November at 2pm and 7.30pm and on Sunday 18 November at 1pm and 6.30 pm. You can
book online here . Go along and I guarantee you'll walk out with a smile on your face, a song on your lips, and trying to resist the urge to go dancing off down the street. And that, I suppose, is why I love musicals.
Earlier this year The Lost Boys (a great name for a youthful theatre company) staged a very successful production of
A Very Potter Musical , and now they can add How to Succeed to their canon of lively work. They will be presenting A Very Potter Sequel in February 2013. If they keep doing it 'the company way" there should be many more successes to come.
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180287 - 2023-06-15 23:30:15