Six years in the making, a musical version of one of the most successful Australian television dramatic comedies for children is currently enjoying its Australian world premiere season. Written, developed and produced locally, Round The Twist The Musical was commissioned by Queensland Theatre and is being staged in Brisbane as a co-production with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Lovers of the original books by Paul Jennings – which inspired four series and 52 TV episodes between 1989 and 2001 – will find much to excite and enthral them in this truly delightful new Australian musical.
The book, music and lyrics were all written by the talented Paul Hodge, who has remained pretty faithful to Jennings’ original adventure stories – the 26 episodes used in the first two television series. Hodge has recognised in Jennings’ work what made the television shows so successful – the author’s uncanny ability to understand how people, especially children, actually think and talk. Therefore, the characters in the schoolroom have jokes about farting and smelly feet, for example, which speak directly to children without a need to sanitise language or delivery.
Hodge has also understood the importance of the iconic theme song by Andrew Duffield, used for the TV series. Its first three words “Have you ever…’ are so well-known that they elicited audience laughter and applause in the theatre on the night this reviewer attended. The songs have clearly lent themselves as the narrative of choice for any live stage show. Indeed, the clever rhyming lyrics and the melodic sung compositions are intrinsic to the storytelling of this new work. There is a sameness to some of the songs, however, while the show is overly long with perhaps a need for a few judicious cuts.
A small five-piece orchestra under James Dobinson’s musical supervision plays the score well with some finely crafted orchestrations from Dobinson and Neil Douglas Reilly.
The story follows the supernatural adventures of the Twist family – widower Tony, a sculptor, plus his 14-year-old twins Pete and Linda, and their eight-year-old brother, Bronson. They leave a conventional residence in town to live in a lighthouse, in the fictional coastal town of Port Niranda. Here the unearthing of a former shipwreck leads to the discovery of past secrets and the family starts to experience several paranormal occurrences that include ghosts, mermaids and supernatural spirits, including a ghostly clarinet-playing spirit. The stuff of all good adventure books.
The children dig deeply and find many clues to help them piece together the past. They are hounded by the local ‘bad guys’ – the Gribble family, a greedy developer, plus wife and a bullying son, who wish to redevelop the lighthouse into an “‘qua-World, Casino, Pizza-Parlour, Burger-Joint, Amusement-Park’. They also find romantic interests, rounding out the storyline.
Additionally, as in Jennings’ books, the work explores such wide-ranging themes as the importance of family, love, standing up for your beliefs, caring for the environment and redressing the wrongs of the past. The musical art form helps weave all of the themes together in a rollicking, fast-paced and humorous picture-book fantasy that is both contemporary, but also timeless.
Tony Twist, played by Matt Hetherington, is an idealistic romantic, who falls for his son’s schoolteacher, Fay James, sensibly played by Liz Buchanan. He embarrasses his children, portraying the hapless adult to great effect.
The twins, Pete and Linda Twist, carry much of the narrative of the piece in both song and dialogue, and are well cast, displaying strong singing and acting skills. As Pete, Hanlon Innocent manages his repetitive “without my pants” line with aplomb. The twins tease their younger brother, Bronson, who has a key role in the storytelling through his many songs. Three young actors alternate in this role and Luka Sero played the role on the night attended. While he gave an energetic physical performance and was funny in his use of malapropisms and the song ‘Up the Pong!’, it was unfortunate that his spoken diction was often swallowed and that little of his sung narrative was effectively communicated.
The character roles are all splendid. David James in his pink suit and comb-over hair sings powerfully, his Harold Dribble an oily, despicable character. As his wife, Tarita Botsman, with her cheap gold jewellery and tiger print suit, is impressive, not least in providing operatic additions to the score. Nic Van Lits plays their son James as a believable schoolboy thug, supported by his friends, a fierce Carla Beard as Tiger, and the stupid Rabbit, played hilariously by Carlo Boumouglbay. Irena Lysiuk, filling in for an indisposed Christen O’Leary, makes a lovely Nell, the Twists’ neighbour.
Bryan Probets is a delight in all four of his character roles as the disillusioned schoolmaster, Ralph Snapper, the scientist and storm-watcher, Mr Shelford, and the gum-chewing, raincoat-wearing slick property developer, Mr Henderson. His ghost of Dead Ned, living in the outhouse of the lighthouse, is deliciously played, complete with a dry Scottish accent. The smaller roles are also all well-delivered.
Director Simon Phillips manages to keep the whole show on an even keel despite its many diverse storylines, changes of scenery and plot developments. The fantastical story is both illogical and at times confusing, but he keeps our interest. I can think of few other directors whose expert musical and dramatic eye for detail would help an audience to understand the backgrounds and quirky individualism of each of these characters.
Phillips is assisted by a joyful choreographic overlay to the musical numbers, created by Andrew Hallsworth, who helps define the people living in Port Niranda, adding greatly to the production’s sense of place.
The overall production design is particularly impressive, brilliantly moulding and shaping the multifaceted scenes visually. Jennings’ magical stories leap off the page in bright, fairytale picture-book colours, alongside eerily lit imagery of the weird and surreal.
Renée Mulder’s costumes are beautifully realised, blending ‘real’ with fantasy. From individual school uniforms through children’s casual wear, the Gribbles’ over-the-top costumes, and whimsical supernatural clothes including a splendid mermaid, she achieves a fine balance.
Mulder’s set design offers a similar mix of reality and surrealism, the latter mostly provided by amazing video and 3D projections from Craig Wilkinson, which are imaginatively lit by Ben Hughes. An integration of all three areas of design makes for a marvellous fusion of art forms.
Read: Theatre review: Blak in the Room, Southbank Theatre
Video projection moves almost seamlessly from the reality of the solid lighthouse to a school setting, a circus big top, country scene or beach. A mix of physical 2D imagery such as rocks, a boat or school desks and chairs are integrated with those 3D visuals, while the additional painting of pixels on sand, sky and water creates the necessary supernatural shapes. The effect is a powerful and updated interpretation of the TV series into a visually exciting live experience.
Round The Twist The Musical
Presented by Queensland Theatre and Queensland Performing Arts Centre
Playhouse Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane
Based on the television series produced by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation from the short stories of Paul Jennings
Book, Music and Lyrics: Paul Hodge
Director: Simon Phillips
Set and Costume Designer: Renée Mulder
Video Designer: Craig Wilkinson
Lighting Designer: Ben Hughes
Musical Director and Conductor: Lucy O’Brien
Music Supervisor and Contributing Orchestrator: James Dobinson
Orchestrator: Neil Douglas Reilly
Choreographer: Andrew Hallsworth
Sound Designer: Brady Watkins
Cast: Matt Hetherington, Charly Oakley, Hanlon Innocent, Edison Ai, Luka Sero, Sebastian Sero, Christen O’Leary, Irena Lysiuk, David James, Tarita Botsman, Nic Van Lits, Carla Beard, Carlo Boumouglbay, Taylah Johns, Alexander Tye, Laura Raineri, Liz Buchanan, Bryan Probets,
Round The Twist The Musical will be performed until 8 December 2024.
