Brilliant musical retelling of Australian classic
The AJN reviews the new musical, My Brilliant Career, which has just premiered by the Melbourne Theatre Company.
MANY performers in stage musicals need to be “triple threats” – excelling in acting, singing and dancing – but when it comes to the cast of MTC’s new musical, My Brilliant Career, they also need to be accomplished musicians and even skilled acrobats.
The actor-musicians show off their talents centre stage at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner in the homegrown musical – inspired by the Australian classic 1979 film My Brilliant Career starring Judy Davis and Sam Neill – which has just premiered in Melbourne.
And for Kala Gare, who plays the demanding role of Sybylla Melvyn – a teenager growing up in the harsh world of an outback dairy farm during the drought-stricken 1890s and dreams of a life as a published author – also needs to perform spectacular acrobatics and play the piano.
Gare, a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts who also has a Diploma in Classical Piano, starred in the Australian premiere season of Six the Musical as Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.
In My Brilliant Career, Gare is centre stage for the entire two-hour production, the driving force with her powerful voice, likeable personality, impish humour with great comic timing, feistiness and sensitivity, all performed with boundless energy.
She sings in a range of styles including pop, rock and ballads and is supported by a talented ensemble of actor-musicians, all playing multiple roles.
We meet Sybylla’s family on her impoverished farm – her long-suffering mother (Christina O’Neill), her desperate alcoholic father (Drew Livingstone) and her younger siblings Gertie (HaNy Lee) and Jimmy (Lincoln Elliot).
Her fortune changes when she moves to the mansion of her snobbish grandmother (Ana Mitsakis) despite her traditional ideas of a woman’s place being in the home.
It is here that she meets potential suitors in wealthy landowner Harry (Raj Labade) and visiting posh young Englishman Frank (Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward) and has to face some major decisions.
Her future is further complicated when circumstances force her to become a governess, but Sybylla remains determined to follow her dreams.
The musical has been created by Mathew Frank (music), Dean Bryant (book and lyrics) and Sheridan Harbridge (book) and directed by MTC artistic director Anne-Louise Sarks.
My Brilliant Career is one of the best musicals of 2024, an uplifting production with plenty of entertainment and enough dramatic twists to keep the audience engrossed.
The brilliant performance by Gare is well-supported by the talented ensemble of actor-musicians. A five-star production not to be missed.
My Brilliant Career is at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner until December 18. Bookings: mtc.co.au
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