This was a high spirited  stage adaptation of the famous American film musical. The musical, with songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and book by Hugh Wheeler, was first performed on Broadway in 1989. This current production has been directed  and choreographed by Matt Hourigan.

The story is set around the well to do Smith family home in St Louis, Missouri, in 1903 and covers the period leading up to the 1904 World Fair .

Lincoln Elliot plays lawyer and father of the house, Alosno Smith, sometimes a little too forcefully. Katelin Koprevic gives a well measured performance as mother Anna.

Alonos and Anna have four daughters; Grace Driscoll plays Rose Smith, Caitlin Shannon-Durigg plays Agnes, Amy Humphreys plays Tootie maybe a bit too childishly at times and Phoebe Clark gives a good performance as Esther, the role played by Judy Garland in the film. Jared Pallesen plays the good natured son, Lon and Andrew Symes does his best playing Grandpa Smith,  a role he is clearly too young  for. Theatre is, after all, the world of make believe, and we had to believe he was Grandpa.

Matthew  Predny plays the boy next door John Truitt who Esther is enamoured with.  Jayden Castle is Warrem Sheffield who Rose is keen to marry.

Rounding out the cast  were Jerome Studdy as Clinton Badger, Oliver Roach as the Postman, Victoria Luxton played the maid, Katie, Claudia Joler played Jenny, Lana Domeney played Eve, Sinead Cristaudo played Lucille and Deniel Bruhn played Sidney Purvis.

The singing and dancing were performed well.  Highlights were ‘The Boy Next Door’, ‘Meet Me in St Louis ‘,  ‘Banjos’, ‘Wasn’t It Fun ‘.and ‘Raving Beauty’, ‘The Ball’ and ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’,

There was a  compact live band (Musical Director Oscar Balle-Bowness) hidden from view, who provided good accompaniment.  Some scenes required an on stage piano but this was cleverly worked around with a bit of pretence.

This was Starkeeper’s inaugural production, MEET ME IN ST LOUIS is  only playing a short season at the New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown until the 21 December 2019. Hopefully we will see more from this Company in the future.