MUSIC THEATRE
Meat Market Stables, North Melbourne, until July 10, 2022
Stars: *** (3)
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Sunday July 3, and then in print on Mon July 4, 2022.
Read the review in The Age online here: Passing Strange
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| Grant Young, Gabriela Van Wyk, Tier Ataing, Zahrah Andrews-pic, Angel Leggas |
Passing Strange is a peculiar hybrid of rock musical, theatre, rock gig and narrated story that breaches theatrical conventions, even being dubbed an “anti-musical”. Let’s call it a narrated rock musical journey about a middle-class African-American, known simply as Youth (Grant Young), on a quest to find his purpose, art, freedom and identity.
With book and lyrics by US singer-songwiter, Stew, and music by Stew with Heidi Rodewald, multi-award-winning Passing Strange is a partially fictionalised version of Stew’s youth. The Narrator (Augustin Tchantcho) is older Stew commenting with hindsight on his youthful mistakes.
Youth’s journey is confused and eccentric, so “passing strange”– a quote from Shakespeare’s Othello meaning “stranger than strange”– resonates with his unconventional, bohemian existence, but also suggests an African-American “passing” as lighter skinned.
Dissatisfied with middle-American life with his doting mother (Sasha Hennequin), he joins a choir, meets a hilarious, dope-smoking preacher, forms a punk band, then goes to Europe to “find himself”. In Amsterdam he finds drugs, artists, sex and love – temporarily. In Berlin he encounters middle-class rebels and posers, falls in love again and becomes a bohemian songwriter-performer. Finally, home beckons.
Passing Strange comprises songs interspersed with narration and dialogue, and features musical styles including funk, hard rock, punk and gospel, played by a tight rock band led by singer-keyboardist, Marissa Saroca. Although the second half loses steam and feels too long, the first half of Dean Drieberg’s robust production is a spirited romp, and these versatile, black-identifying performers have presence and vocal ability. Tchantcho’s Narrator has gravitas, Hennequin’s Mother is passionate and loving, and Young is suitably callow and egocentric as Youth, while the ensemble (Zahrah Andrews, Tier Ataing, Gabriela van Wyk, Theo Williams) populates Youth’s story with quirky characters.
The music, however, is often too loud – particularly drums – drowning voices. Lyrics are crucial to telling the story, so blurring or making them inaudible makes it difficult to follow story, dialogue and characters’ journeys.
The wide, narrow stage with two rows of seats facing it, is problematic: the band dominates centre stage, leaving the actor-singers only a shallow strip of stage at front, and cramped spaces at stage-left and stage-right, which diminishes the impact of dramatic action. Playing action simultaneously at left and right splits the audience’s focus – a sin in theatrical staging.
With its raucous songs and bold characters, Passing Strange remains a fun and exuberant production, despite any sound or staging issues.
Reviewed by Kate Herbert
Cast
Narrator Augustin Tchantcho (He/Him)
Youth- Grant Young (He/Him)
Mother- Sasha Hennequin (She/Her)
Ensemble Zahrah Andrews (She/Her)
Ensemble- Tier Ataing ( He/Him)
Swing -Guillaume Gentil (He/Him)
Swing Asha Khamis (She/Her)
Ensemble Gabriela van Wyk (She/Her)
Ensemble Theo Williams (He/Him)
Band
Keys/Musical Director/Conductor Marissa Saroca (She/They)
Drums Chelsea Allen
Guitar Will Gujsbers
Bass Christopher Michigan
Creative Team
Director: Dean Drieberg (He/Him)
Associate Director / Equity & Inclusion Support Officer: Cessalee Stovall (She/Her)
Musical Director / Conductor / Keys: Marissa Saroca (She/They)
Choreographer: Loredo Malcolm (He/Him)
Text / Dialect / Vocal Coach: Mark Wong (He/Him)
Artistic Director of Antipodes Theatre: Brandon Pape
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