Rarely have I wanted to encourage an audience to see a show as much as I want you to see RENT by Blackout Theatre Company playing at The Joan at Penrith. Rarely does an audience get the chance to see a Community Theatre thriving by virtue of dogged hard work and irrepressible enthusiasm. On its website Blackout suggests that after 15 years and 2 name changes (many theatre goers will recognize them as Blacktown Theatre Company) they are taking a fresh approach to Community Theatre.
RENT is a great example of grass roots theatre. It’s a big, engaging show with a huge cast and crew and if the rousing applause on Opening Night any indication, a community behind them. Though a harsh judge might find the production a little flawed, Blackout’s RENT is youthful and joyous and created with an energy that spills through the audience.
It also appears to be a political choice. Jonathan Larson’s 1996 musical is loosely based on Puccini’s LA BOHEME but reset in Alphabet City, NYC among artists and homeless and at the height of the AIDS crisis. Straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual and crossdressers are represented as equal protagonists and we see them through Mark’s camera. He is aspiring filmmaker documenting, verite-style, the life around him. There’s no judgement on the stage yet we live in a time when strident anti-equality voices are becoming increasingly vociferous.
Larson wrote the piece to pay respect for the lives lost to AIDS, the irony of which was that he died suddenly the night before the show opened to previews, not of his HIV but of an aortic dissection. So he never experienced the impact of his work and the reverence the show engenders. There is a heartfelt note in Blackout’s program dedicating the production to the LGBT community in the wake of the Orlando nightclub killings.
Politics aside, this was groundbreaking show not just for its representation of gender and sexuality but its frank language, lack of a traditional musical structure and a score is that is genuine rock not a popularized version. When that first production moved to Broadway it won Tonys and Drama Desk Awards and the Pulitzer and made stars of people like Adina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Jessie L Martin. It is still a challenging choice for amateurs but an important one and this company has always punched above its weight.
Mark is the first character we met and he films from the hip for a year in the life of this community which is rent by death and social injustice. It is a text where most of the big numbers are whole ensemble songs which makes it very suitable for a community enterprise of this quality. The 8 very able main characters are surrounded by a large dynamic chorus of character- driven individuals and the opening number “Rent” really puts that wonderful energy of this mostly young cast on display. Lots of movement and excitement to begin the show.
Mark is played by Harry Cook who, after a few opening night nerves, really settles into his role of storyteller. He carries the role well vocally and has the distance and detachment required for the role of observer. When Mark does break during “Halloween” Cook gives a poignant rendering of the guilt and rage of being the one who survives. Ben James as Benny, the flatmate turned landlord also travels an arc and makes the transition back from capitalist bastard to caring friend believable.
As Roger, Joshua Ridge certainly looked the part and endowed his conflicted character with both the swagger of a bad boy rock star and the lost boy of reality. His love interest, Mimi (Rebecca Hadley) is a good actor too and her sexy kitten introduction set the character well. Their duets were terrific together, especially ‘Without You ‘ in the second act which was note perfect and gentle . As was the tender and tormented “I Should Tell You” where Hadley and Ridge were spot on with their counter melodies. Mimi’s solo “Out Tonight” was sexy and stylish and Ridge’s “One Song Glory“was also well done.
Another loving pair in this Bohemia is Angel, a street artiste and Collins, a dissident academic. When Luke Quinn as Angel and John Hanna as Collins meet there is an evident rapport and Quinn as the beating heart of the love in the production is feisty and compassionate. The danger of his table top dance in exorbitantly high heels was loved by the audience and his diction in the difficult “Today 4 U” was great too. Hanna had a good voice with variation bass to baritone and displayed the intelligence needed for Collins; especially in “Santa Fe” which really highlighted the longing in him. Their physical performance was also realistic, every kiss and hug was genuine and warm.
The other couple is Joanne, a blue blood lawyer and Maureen, a performance artist. Marika Zorlu’s Joanne is flintily insecure, has personality to spare and manages to avoid stereotypes like lipstick lesbian or professional dyke. The relationship with her wayward girlfriend is believable and she really held her own in scenes with the extraordinary Elisa Vitagliani playing Maureen.
With the only good lighting state in the show, 4 talented offsiders, great high notes and terrific recits plus charisma you could cut with a knife, Vitagliani stands in a spotlight and commands attention for “Over the Moon”. She might be a powerhouse performer and she might rock a red, peekaboo vest but she doesn’t just excel in the show stopper. The two women are graceful and prowling for “Take Me or Leave Me” which was one of the highlights of the show.
Another highlight was “Seasons of Love” at the beginning of Act 2 and that was down to the chorus. When they are lined in the aisles, they make eye contact and shine with the joy of creation. The boisterous close of Act 1 with “La Vie Boheme” was really enjoyable too. That’s the thing about this cast, they are always present. They are engaged and engaging and giving 110% every time they appear. Something you don’t always get with amateur shows and one sheer pleasures you will have when you see this production.
The sound mixing by Loud and Clear was excellent again. I especially loved the way they and Musical Director, Koren Beale kept the band just under the voice for “One Song Glory” and the very effective use of drums and cymbals in that song too. In fact there were quite a few times where the music was beautifully handled; the guitar behind the long scene change after the performance art sequence was just perfect.
The scene changes, and lighting operation, were quite clunky on opening night and that’s not the only aspect that Director Jordan Anderson’s inexperience impacts on the show. For me, the ‘ghost of the disease’ concept is misplaced and there is far too much playing to and in the centre. It limits the scope and range of the storytelling and distances the upper and side rows. But these are minor things when you consider that this first time director has pulled together a cast and crew to give their all.
And that spirit is why you should support Blackout but not the only reason why I want to encourage people to see RENT. It’s not altruism to have an enjoyable night at the theatre with an infectiously exuberant production, some great home grown performances and a committed rendering of love and survival. Go see it.
RENT continues at The Joan
Wednesday, Sep 28 2016 8:00pm
Thursday, Sep 29 2016 8:00pm
Friday, Sep 30 2016 8:00pm
Saturday, Oct 1 2016 2:00pm
Saturday, Oct 1 2016 8:00pm
For more about Rent, visit
So happy to hear such a great review for Rent. I know how hard all the cast have worked to make it a success. My only wish was that I could have been there to see it ourselves Our grandson is Harry Cook and we live in England, but have followed it every step of the way. Well done to everyone ,
I disagree with certain parts of your review. The parts of Mark, Roger, Angel, Benny, Maureen, and Joanne were phenomenal. Great vocal and acting choices for all of them. But I had two problems with this production, for a script that was written to be racially diverse and inclusive in every way –there was NONE of that in this production. Certain characters are not defined by their culture and could have been white with the exception of Mimi Marquez. I mean her name really says it all.
Her entire role is of impoverished, struggling, junkie that comes from a Hispanic household and Mimi was not convincing at all. Her performance was dry, dull, and lacked the Mimi vibe that was necessary to make her convincing. She was a good singer, I’ll give her that and if she had not been so boring, I would have looked over the fact that she wasn’t a Latina, but she truly did not understand the character. Mimi is naive but also has been hardened by the world around her and she packs a punch. What she lacks in maturity and self-control she has in sass and some attitude.
Her mother trying to speak Spanish was a joke. At least try to learn how to pronounce words properly if you’re not going to cast someone that actually can. Otherwise, man, it’s offensive and honestly kind of funny.
Further, the performance–because of the lack of diversity in the casting– was not 100% believable for New York in the early 1990’s…especially in an impoverished neighbourhood. Some great vocalists were a part of this production ( except for girl who did the solo of Seasons of Love, they really should’ve given that to the girl that played Joanne) but it lacked the spunk that the diversity gives it.
New York is a melting pot of cultures, personalities, identities and I just didn’t get that in this production.
I’d give it a C at best.