Presented by: The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of South Australia
Reviewed: 1 July 2026
So, the first thing that hits you about this production is how exceptionally well cast it is. The production team has absolutely nailed it. You’d be hard put to find any six individuals who could embody the ‘Peanuts’ characters better than this group has. Their performances are completely solid, their characterisations are spot on, and at no point during the show is anyone giving anything less than a full one hundred percent.
This isn’t amateur theatre. This is professional theatre with underpaid performers and a lack of budget. But even the budget constraints didn’t have the restricting impact we often see in amateur theatre.
Ryan Ricci’s set design, constructed by John Axe, is minimalist, but precise, and carries the cartoon stylings of Charles M. Schulz throughout. Matt Ralph’s lighting was wonderful, and his visual imagery was expertly implemented.
Vincent Alexander’s costumes are flawless, and Danielle Greaves’ orchestra is tight and level. There were some microphones turned up late on a couple of occasions, but this was minimal, and the talented cast projected well enough to cover in most instances. Lucy Newman’s choreography is a lot of fun, which it has to be for a show like this, but it was also clever and fresh.
The direction from Ricci deserves much praise. Yes, he had a gifted and accomplished cast to work with, but the consistency throughout and the journey the audience is taken on doesn’t happen through talented performers alone. Ricci’s work with the cast and his team has produced a show of high quality that the audience adored.
Lindsay Prodea and Claire McEvoy are astonishingly accurate as Charlie Brown and Lucy Van Pelt respectively. But so is Liliana Carletti as Sally Brown, and Brady Lloyd’s Snoopy is loveable and fun. Michael Butler’s Schroeder gets his own wonderful moment, delivered brilliantly, and Nicholas Centofanti’s Linus is hard to fault.
The ‘Peanuts’ comic strip isn’t a big thing for me. I can take it or leave it. But this show is everything you want from a musical adapted from a cartoon. The characters are too good to be real, the songs are fun, and delivered with passionate talent, and you can’t not smile at the action.
‘You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown is playing for a very limited season, with the last two shows happening at The Arts Theatre on Angas Street this Saturday. It’s good for kids, teenagers, parents, and Grandparents, so don’t miss out.
Reviewed by Doug Phillips
Photo credit: Pro Shots
Venue: The Arts Theatre
Season: Until 4th July
Duration: 2 hours (including a 20-minute intermission)
Tickets: $24 – $43 (plus booking fee)
Bookings: https://www.gandssa.com.au/youre-a-good-man-charlie-brown
