Theatre at its core is about honesty, I mean, what’s more honest than belting out that tune, dressing up, taking those steps and diving into character two feet away from an audience. The line between the stage and the audience is so thin it almost doesn’t exist, yet there’s a world on the other side of the looking glass that we as the audience delight in, yearn for and crave. It’s what makes us come back for more shows like “A Gay Escapade”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image by Annabelle Radford

The Loading Dock Theatre is currently home to a theatre company that centres itself around honesty, community, collaboration and queer storytelling. Little Triangle needs no introduction to anyone who’s anyone in the Sydney Independent theatre scene, having been a beacon of hope to performers, creatives and theatre go-ers alike. They extend their hand towards a Kander & Ebb spectacular in their latest triumph “A Gay Escapade”. Reminiscent of their earlier work “Isn’t it Queer”, this show is an original revue featuring 8 of Sydney’s best musical theatre artists and tickles the audience with vignettes of queer happenstance, situations and relations. A marvel, the vivacious Director Alexander Andrews crafts a flowing riot of stories weaving with ease through the Kander & Ebb canon. Is it Andrews’ wit, ability to bring out the “Camp” or understanding of “Play” that alights the actors and sends them into stardom?
Andrews’ has crafted a story that moves so effortlessly and carries the audience on a journey of emotions with a cheeky wink for good measure.

We start our audience journey from the foyer where we are warmly greeted and introduced to the show! The alluring Allegra Wilson fires us up with “When You’re Good To Mama”, accompanied by clever Aaron Robuck (Musical Director) on the piano accordion with sass and miles of charm. The audience practically clamber to our seats hoping to nab the best spot.

What follows is a flow state of classic musical theatre, a space where we are introduced to the sharp, polished and charismatic cast. The back wall of the stage is pinned with a giant heart full of arrows (realistically, it could be a metaphor for how the audience felt during and after this production) shot through the heart and full of adoration for the generous and compelling performances we witnessed.

It's impossible not to mention every single cast member- who pulled a bunch of energy and then some! They thrived off the audience's vocal delight! The ensemble moments were some of the strongest in the show, and the dynamic movement and choreography Andrews directed was reminiscent of that old school top hat and tales dancing that was made famous by the greats Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, even Fosse. Each member brought their own little quirks and characters and you could tell that they surprised each other with little sparks of whimsy and delight. 

Robuck sat at the upright piano stage right and interacted with each cast member in such a genuine and warm way, providing a strong foundation for each of them to take flight with their impressive vocals. 

Nina Carmen brought a warmth and sincerity to their songs and with clear, bright vocals, captured everyone’s attention; they are truly magnetic.

Gavin Brown brought everyone to their knees with devastation as we reminisced with “I Don’t Remember You/Sometimes a Day Goes By”. A master at connecting with the audience's souls and taking them on a wild ride of emotions through both storytelling and soaring musicality. Sebastian Nelson and Brown worked tirelessly to bring a story of love, support and ultimately separation to the show.

Allegra Wilson, could only best be described as a powerhouse and a true entertainer who rallied the audience and had them eating out of the palm of her hand. The chemistry between Clara Harrison and Wilson was skyrocketing and their rendition of “But The World Goes Round” was for sure a highlight.

Clara Harrison brought a cheeky knowing to her part, and knocked our socks off with divine technique and an astonishing voice. A true comfort to see her poised by the piano with grace and interacting with her fellow cast members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

 

 

Image by Annabelle Radford

The show’s story had a nice balance between absolute chaos and calm. A story of lovers and exes and all those in between, Kander and Ebb have a fantastic way of writing tunes and the audience found themselves in a yoyo of tapping their toes and wiping their nose.

Izzy Hanly embodied the true Broadway energy of Kander & Ebb and absolutely blew the roof off with their showmanship, belt and personality galore. They really could’ve stopped the show with their numbers but as the audience cheered, we were whisked through to our next vignette. Juliette Coleman worked with ease and a high level of sophistication giving an elegant display of connection with fellow cast member Hanly.

Jayden Castle was a breath of fresh air and not only sang one of the most well known songs “Mr Cellophane”, but gave it so much new energy and light! It should also be noted Castle brought out the guitar for fellow cast members and accompanied them with prowess. 

It's impossible to share every moment, because it zooms by you like a train. A true highlight of any Little Triangle show is the camaraderie, the ensemble interacting with each other in those unscripted moments and the sheer delight in sharing their work with an audience. I was sat next to a man who knew every word to every Kander & Ebb song…and was delighted to see them in such a refreshed telling. Bravo Little Triangle - a standing ovation.

​

A Gay Escapade is at The Loading Dock Theatre by Qtopia Sydney until 31st August. 

Grab Tickets Here​​

​