Seen at its stirring and moving best, Jason Robert Brown musical Parade enjoys an all too brief must-see season from ambitious Melbourne company Soundworks Productions.
While Broadway enjoys the final week of the hit Tony Award-winning 2023 revival of Parade, Melbourne is blessed with this boutique independent season that matches the bold conception of the musical with a creatively realised and strongly performed production.
As relevant now as when it premiered in 1998, Parade powerfully highlights the runaway destruction wrought by shared ignorance and rampant hatred. Incited by fake news, it only takes one allegation for all manner of accusations to be strewn at mild mannered factory manager Leo Frank.
Book writer Alfred Uhry and lyricist Brown tenderly offset the harrowing twin tragedies of young Mary Phagan’s murder and Frank’s persecution for the crime with the burgeoning love of Leo and Lucille Frank, whose marriage grows from drily reserved to passionately devoted across the two years of the case.
Revered Broadway composer Brown is at his career best with Parade, crafting beautifully melodious music that tears at the heart. Drawing upon a diverse range of styles, Brown deftly juggles big band, gospel, ragtime, lullaby, choral, and soaring ballads to highly impactful effect.
Brown’s glorious music is given excellent treatment here, with musical director Benjamin Samuel helming a generously sized band of ten talented musicians. Vocal preparation is equally strong, with ensemble singing at a premium. David Barrell’s sound design keeps vocal and instrumental music clear and well balanced, aiding audience attention to Brown’s richly detailed lyrics.
Well established in independent musical theatre as an insightful and intelligent director, Mark Taylor again delivers compelling and thought provoking work. At all times, every one of the seventeen performers is completely tuned in to their own character, their fellow characters, and the place of all of them in the story. The depth of humanity achieved is as impressive as it is deeply moving.
Equally impressive is the perfectly integrated work of choreographer Freya List, who has clearly collaborated closely with Taylor. Not just tightly performed, List’s completely character-driven choreography creates inventive stage pictures, with highlights including the street car ride of “The Picture Show” and the eruption of malicious glee that follows the verdict at the close of act one.
Set, props, and costume designer Harry Gill makes a tremendous contribution to the success of the production, conjuring abundant period atmosphere with his dusty costumes and deceptively simple single set. A faded confederate flag is painted on the floor, the Red Hills of Georgia are etched on the backdrop, and thin jagged beams represent tree branches overhead. Clearly custom-made, Mary Phagan’s lilac dress is a beauty.
Lighting design by Sidney Younger adds plenty of atmospheric shading, and effectively draws the eye across the wide stage to key points of action. One questionable choice is the occasional use of bright lights shining directly into the audience’s eyes to emphasise musical beats. Colouring of the backdrop adds appealing variety to the single set.
Perfectly cast, Aaron Robuck captures the introversion and bewilderment of Leo Frank in a neatly understated performance. When Frank enacts the crimes in the trial, vaudeville-style, the effect is quite startling. Robuck’s singing of optimistic power ballad “This Is Not Over Yet” is a standout of his involving and sympathetic performance.
Montana Sharp conveys the determination beneath the surface of the gentle Lucille. Share and Robuck successfully take the Frank marriage on an emotional journey, culminating in the heart rending duet “All the Wasted Time.”
Strong as a group, each member of the ensemble cast capitalises their chance to shine.
Adeline Hunter is fragile perfection as Mary Phagan. Guillaume Gentil brings a cheeky twinkle to untrustworthy witness Jim Conley. Samuel Skuthorp vivaciously brings out the ambitious conceit of reporter Britt Craig.
In fine voice, Mike Gardiner gives authority to Judge Roan and the injured Old Soldier. Sophie Loughran contrasts Mary’s poor mother Mrs Phagan with the polish of society dame Sally Stanton.
Inexplicably ignored by commercial producers, Parade is a marvel and this production deserves to be seen by all of Melbourne’s serious lovers of musical theatre.
Parade plays at Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne until 6 August 2023. For tickets, click here.
Photos: Matthew Chen