Barnum: The Circus Musical, Sun May 5, 2019, ***1/2

MUSICAL THEATRE

Music by Cy Coleman; book by Mark Bramble; lyrics by Michael Stewart

At Comedy Theatre, until Sunday June 2, 2019  (at present) 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert  

Stars: 3& 1/2
 This review NOT published in Herald Sun. KH

BARNUM-Rachael Beck, Todd McKenney pic Jeff Busby

Todd McKenney plays 19^th century show promoter, Phineus Taylor (P.T.) Barnum with flamboyant pizzazz as he sings, dances, quips and even tightrope walks his way through Barnum’s chequered show biz career and personal life.

 

In Barnum: The Circus Musical, directed stylishly here by Tyran Parke, Barnum is depicted as an audacious ideas man, a frivolous, self-absorbed dreamer whose fantastic ideas sometimes came to fruition on the stage or under a big top, and sometimes turned to ashes – literally, in one case.

However, although the subtitle is ‘The story behind the world’s greatest showman’, the truth about this ambitious and driven man may be darker, his character crueller, more flawed and totally self-obsessed.

Or was he just a great PR merchant born before his time? Social media would have been his best friend now.

The book and score boast big names: Music by Cy Coleman (Sweet Charity), book by Mark Bramble (42^nd Street) and lyrics by Michael Stewart (Hello Dolly!) and Musical Director Stephen Gray leads a tight, on stage band.

The songs in Barnum may not be as memorable as other musicals but There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute, One Brick At a Time and Bigger Isn’t Better, amongst others, are all ebullient and singable tunes.

McKenney is mischievously engaging as Barnum, directly addressing the audience and slipping topical references into the dialogue, while Rachael Beck is dignified and fine-voiced as his long-suffering wife, Charity.

The support cast of circus performers ((Circus Direction, Zebastian Hunter; Choreography, Kelly Aykers) provides a remarkable range of daring and dangerous acrobatic feats, balances, lifts and flips, while Kirby Burgess wrangles and shepherds the show as a sassy Ringmaster.

Suzie Mathers is perfectly cast as the pet and sweet-voiced soprano, Jenny Lind, AKA the Swedish Nightingale who Barnum promotes in his later shows with varying success. Barnum’s other acts are mostly freaks and oddities, such as The Oldest Woman in the World (Akina Edmonds) and tiny Tom Thumb (Joshua Reckless).

Barnum is a playful entertainment for the family, although it may be a bit too dark and adult for some of the tiny tots who were in the audience at this opening weekend matinee.

by Kate Herbert

Cast
 Todd McKenney  Phineus Taylor (P.T.) Barnum

Rachael Beck  Charity Barnum

Suzie Mathers Jenny Lind Swedish Nightingale

Kirby Burgess Ringmaster

Akina Edmonds Joice Heth Oldest Woman in the World

Joshua Reckless Tom Thumb

Creative Team
Director Tyran Parke

Choreographer Kelly Aykers

Musical Director Stephen Gray

Circus Direction Zebastian Hunter.

Dann Barber Set and Costume Design

 Todd McKenney pic Jeff Busby

Jumbo & Tom Thumb pic Jeff Busby

Ensemble Barnum pic Jeff Busby