Arts

Theatre Review: The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals

With a show that depends so heavily on its ensemble and team spirit, this particular cast is ace!

Presented by: Funk Soul Productions
Reviewed: 31 January, 2025

It’s hard to believe that a show entitled The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals is, indeed, a musical. But it is; along with being very funny and very clever. As penned by Starkid’s whizz kids Jeff Blim (music and lyrics) and Matt and Nick Lang (book), the show is a cross between B-Grade sci-fi movies such as Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and musicals such as Little Shop Of Horrors and The Rocky Horror Show

Ever since seeing a bad high school production of Brigadoon, straight-shooting, straight-laced, hard working Paul does not like musicals – all that singing and dancing for no reason: YUCK! One night a meteor crashes in his hometown and the next morning people start singing and dancing for no reason (and amazingly all know the lyrics and choreography). He and coffee shop worker Emma must discover what is really going on and in true Hollywood and Broadway musical hero mode try to stop it – before it is TOO LATE!! Can they do it??? Sorry Reader, I have already said too much.

This parody of shock horror/sci-fi movies (and musicals) is perfectly pitched by Director Teagan Garvey and all of his fellow cast members; Flynn Turvey, Anna Symonds, Harry Liam, Neve Sargeant, Parisya Mosel, Samuel Cannizarro, Immi Beattie and Gracie Greenrod. Garvey not only directs and performs in the show but has had a hand in the lighting design, set construction, set painting and costume design plus has designed the set of a silhouetted two dimensional black outline of a cityscape that is not only appropriate but functional in that props can be hidden behind it. He has left nothing to chance and the whole production is well thought out and flows well. Garvey has also included some nice clever little touches such as a very inventive and hilarious way to portray charging down alleyways and a highly appropriate curtain call. He makes sure that the audience never witness a dull moment in the proceedings.

The choreography by Allycia Angeles is stunning and brilliantly handled by all the cast. 

With a show that depends so heavily on its ensemble and team spirit, this particular cast is ace! There are no real standouts or rather, they’re all standout – they all handle the humour wonderfully and are precise and skilled in their choreography. There were some volume problems from a couple of performers on opening night – not with the body mics but lyrics and some dialogue were muffled and garbled.

This is a delightfully fun and silly show that showcases the young upcoming talent (the average age of the cast is 21) that we are lucky enough to have in this state. This is Funk Soul’s third production (the first musical) with the other two being Shakespearian performances. I want to see many more shows from this group – and I think audiences will  as well.

Reviewed by Brian Godfrey

Venue: Goodwood Theatre and Studios
Season: Until 8 February 2025
Duration: 2hrs 30 mins including a 20 min interval
Tickets: $30 – $180
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1253244

PLEASE NOTE SWING PERFORMANCE- for the evening performance on Friday, February 7th the roles usually performed by Teagan Garvey and Immi Beattie will be performed by Henry Cook and Amelia Baldock, respectively.

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