Eddie Perfect leads the way in Beetlejuice musical

Who would have thought that you could have so much fun on stage in a musical about scary ghosts, a haunted house and the afterlife?

Eddie Perfect, of course, who is the creative force behind the music and lyrics for Beetlejuice The Musical as well as starring in the title role in the production which had its Australian premiere at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on May 17.

Eddie is bubbling with energy as he acts, sings, dances and even picks on audience members for some comedy banter.

He has a dominating presence on stage playing the charismatic narrator who is a demon (also called Betelgeuse) and dreams of being set free and seen by the living again.

However, in order to make this happen, Beetlejuice needs to get someone who has recently died to convince a living human to say his name three times, and hatches a plan to achieve this.

Eddie is well supported by Karis Oka’s powerful singing as the mournful, quick-witted teenager Lydia Deetz, her father Charles (Tom Wren) and the suburban couple whose house becomes haunted, Barbara Maitland (Elise McCann who recently starred in the Groundhog Day musical) and husband Adam (Rob Johnson).

Inspired by the 1988 Beetlejuice film directed by Tim Burton, the musical is up-beat, irreverent, even crass at times, with plenty of comedy and catchy dance routines.

Its songs are immediately likeable and range from 1980s rock to current pop and gospel. There are many magical moments featuring special effects including pyrotechnics, strobe lights, fog machines and sand-worm puppetry that keep the action going at breakneck speed.

Although Lydia’s mother died months earlier, she continues to dress in black and is obsessed with the afterlife.

There is tension with her father Charles, who has found solace in a relationship with sexy young Delia (Erin Clare), a new-age life coach, and decides that they move into the Maitland’s former home after the couple  died in a household accident.

Wily Beetlejuice sees this as the perfect opportunity to help the Maitlands – now ghosts – scare the Deetzes away in return for his own freedom, but Lydia – who is able to see the dead – is hell-bent on finding her dead mother.  While some of the scenes border on being corny, the overall result is a winner with the audience.

Scenic designer David Korins has created a brilliant home which is the centre of the show, as the action moves from the lounge room to attic and rooftop.

A highlight scene is the business meeting between Charles and important clients who are possessed to dance around the dinner table to Harry Belafonte’s classic song Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).

There’s a scene in Beetlejuice The Musical where Eddie announces “L’chaim”. It’s a toast to life in a madcap story around grief that is delightfully entertaining.

Beetlejuice The Musical is currently being staged at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne. Bookings: beetlejuicethemusical.com.au