Delighted, intrigued, mesmerised, astounded. These were the gamut of emotions I shared with the opening night audience at HAPPY AS LARRY last night at the Seymour Centre. It started fifteen minutes late due to a technical hitch, but it was certainly worth the wait.

There were stunning performances from every one of this stellar cast of near consummate dancers.  (I saw a news item on the ABC featuring contemporary dance from the Sydney Dance Company this morning which only served to highlight the extreme talent of all concerned with this show!) .  Their acrobatic and isolation skills met every challenge of perhaps the most innovative choreography this reviewer has seen and wove an almost hypnotic trance over the audience from start to finish.

Of special note were the routines from Timothy Ohl and Sophia Ndaba, the set and general design from Adam Gardnir and the composition from composers Nick Wales and Bree Van Reyk.

My only reservations were that the volume of the music reached ear piercing levels near the end and was indeed a bit predictable by that stage.  Also, although I definitely saw the Boss and the Mediator characters, I felt the others were a little hard to discern and in retrospect I would have nominated determined rather than happy as the overarching feel of the show.

Nevertheless this show is a spectacular must see.

Shaun Parker & Company production HAPPY AS LARRY opened at the Seymour Centre on September 10 and plays until September 14, 2103.