A Standing Ovation for The Sapphires
The 2010 Season for the Black Swan State Theatre Company officially started last night with the opening of Tony Briggs The Sapphires.The reception the play received was unlike any I've ever seen! By the end the entire audience was standing and screaming for more, clapping until our hands stung and our arms ached. The production was that infectious. It was impossible to be in the audience and stay unaffected by the energy, positivity & fun of the production.
The cast were sensational but it was Casey Donovan & Christine Anu who really stole the show. Casey's voice gave me goose bumps and was nothing short of amazing. She took the audience exactly where she wanted them to go. When she was singing the blues the audience fell silent & when she was blasting out Aretha Franklin classics like Respect & Think we were moving to the beat, tapping our feet & singing along. Casey's acting chops weren't bad either. She definitely got a lot of laughs and confidently poked fun at her character Cynthia's overtly sexual nature.
Christine Anu showed us why she's still renowned as one of Australia's most celebrated entertainers rocking the playhouse with her powerful perfectly tuned voice and exhibiting a larger than life onstage persona. She also had the best outfits!
A huge part was played by the Costume Designer Tim Chappel whose dresses were fabu-licious! I would love to raid that wardrobe and adopt it into my own. Every outfit was gorgeous. The bright, bold prints and classic 60's shift dresses were executed perfectly setting the scene for both the music & the era flawlessly.
But I must also mention the supporting fellas of The Sapphires'; Jimi Bani who's fabulous energy, rhythm and showmanship opened and closed the show, Oliver Wenn who played the adorable Dave exceeding well & Aljin Abella who's performance rooted the play in it's Vietnamese setting and provided a genuine & raw reminder of the losses suffered by the innocent in war.
The true story the play is based on resonated throughout the performance and was reinforced by the presence of one of the original Sapphires who made it up on stage for the finale. Although the music and set were fantastical the characters & dialogue never seemed unreal.
If you can get your hands on a ticket I would highly recommend going to see The Sapphires. Check the website for availability About The Sapphires
With the reviews and reception of The Sapphires being so impressive tickets maybe hard to come by. But fear not! With the exceptional precedent set by the opening night of the season I'm sure that any show for the 2010 season will be sure to please.
Take a look at the 2010 shows to see what's on bsstc.com.au
It's productions like The Sapphires that make me proud to be the Online Partner for The Black Swan State Theatre Company in 2010.
I encourage all West Australian businesses to support the arts so that we may enjoy performances like this for years to come and improve our standing as a state that appreciates and supports cultural betterment.