Jim Cartwright’s The Rise & Fall of Little Voice is a classic Cinderella story. Well, almost.
Little Voice is anything but. It’s just the name her mum Mari bestowed upon her when she was younger. Self-exiled to her room most of the time, Little Voice (or LV) takes refuge in her records, obsessively listening to the voices of Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe to drown out her mother’s antics below. Painfully introverted, LV is the antithesis of her outrageous mother.
But LV has a hidden secret…an incredible singing voice honed from years of listening to her idols and singing to the walls in her bedroom. Mari’s recent fling Ray Say, the self-proclaimed talent agent, hears LV sing and dollar bills flash before his eyes.
This production, directed by Shaun Rennie, is at times funny, bleak, poignant, and ultimately moving. For any who’ve seen the 1998 film adaptation, you’ll be in for a treat.
Caroline O’Connor delivers a tour de force performance as the unhinged, brassy, obnoxious Mari. She delivers Cartwright’s best lines with savage comic timing, displaying her formidable sass and talent. Despite O’Connor’s best efforts, Mari stays unrelentingly on one note. But it’s not a bad note, and we’re happy to sing along.
In the role of Little Voice – that requires the actor not only to idolise Garland, Monroe, Edith Piaf, Shirley Bassey and more but also to sing like them – Geraldine Hakewill is astounding. The juxtaposition between her painful shyness and fragility and the dazzling impersonations in front of a microphone is incredible to behold. Hakewill gives a nuanced, sharply observed performance, although some impersonations are executed more strongly than others.
Joseph Del Re’s Ray Say is an appropriate scoundrel, if a little young for the role, and he delivers some crushing words to Mari with excellent venom. Kip Chapman is the perfect sleazy showman as club owner Lou Boo, Charles Wu pulls on our heart strings as besotted and kind Billy, and Bishanyia Vincent is impossibly funny as Mari’s monosyllabic friend Sadie – fabulously awkward dance moves and all.
The production has a strong visual impact, with Isabel Hudson’s non-naturalistic set proving a great playground for the actors. It may not always serve the action, and the ducking over and under the black bars downstairs is laborious, but it is visually striking. Lights by Trent Suidgeest solve a myriad of problems made easy work of on film, and Kingsley Reeve’s sound design is rich and layered.
Rennie directs with a deft hand and only a few scenes feel a little clunky. The pace moves swiftly in the first half, but the second half slows down, making it feel overly long and dragged out.
This production of Little Voice is ultimately a tragedy that delivers more than a few laughs. But don’t expect to exit the theatre feeling buoyant and inspired – we leave the characters fumbling through the ruins of their lives, unsure of their fate. However, O’Connor and Hakewill’s performances are worth the despondency and the late night out.
Playing at the Eternity Playhouse until 21 February.
Alana Kaye – Theatre Now Sydney
Photo Credit: Robert Catto
The Rise and Fall Of Little Voice
Jim Cartwright
1 – 24 Feb 2019
PERFORMANCE DATES
Previews: 1 – 3 February
Season: 6 – 24 February
PERFORMANCE TIMES
Tuesday – Saturday: 7.30PM
Sunday: 5PM
2PM Matinees: 9, 16 & 23 February
Venue: Eternity Theatre
Theatre Company: Darlinghurst Thetre
Duration: N/A
