Rent

“Rent” tells the story of a year in the life of an eclectic mix of New York characters struggling with uncertainty, jealousy, hopelessness, losing love and losing life. Scott Nell directs the Adelaide premiere of this rock opera with conviction, making good use of the width and depth of the Star Theatre stage. The ensemble pieces are this show’s strength, though there are individual standouts too: Rod Schultz’s “Collins” is a rock for the show, his jazz smooth but city-grime voice soaring where others missed their notes and he is utterly convincing when he takes us on his emotional ride with “Angel”, played with so much fun, life and complete credibility by James Christopher Reed, who relishes the best costumes of the show. Whitney Boyd gives us immense presence and power as “Maureen” and delivers a stunning duet with Deanna Farnell’s uptight “Joanne” – but there’s strength further down the cast list too: James Clark gets to enjoy playing dark and nasty and a snarly Petra Taylor nearly steals scenes with her ever mumbling homeless woman – and what a great shocking first line in “On The Street”! Chemistry between the various couples is not always in abundance, but you truly believe the grief late in the second act. Matthew Carey’s band performs terrifically, high above the back of the stage and the well-executed stage design puts up with occasional strange positioning and movement of actors, but it doesn’t jar too much and is more than compensated for by the excellent choreography in “Tango: Maureen” and the superbly steamy “Contact”. “Rent” is a story of tolerance and friendship despite the worst that life can throw at you – and the opening night certainly had its moments of trying to trip up the cast and crew with technical challenges, but these did not dampen the passion of the company and delivered us a show worthy of its last line “there’s no day like today”.

I saw this show last week and agree with you. Nobody convinced me in this show - the chemistry was certainly missing. Roger was a bit too beefy to be dying of aids although he could sing relatively well he didn't convince me with his acting let alone his love affair with Mimi. I liked Collins and Mimi, but Maureen behaved like a 'brat' rather than a sultry flirt - vocally too she was all over the place singing out of key and couldn't reach the high notes - she was strikingly beautiful but voice needed more attention as did the direction of Over the Moon. Angel was 'cute' but couldn't dance to save his life, but he and Collins shared the best bond I would say. Nobody really stood out apart from Joanne, Collins and Mimi. The ensemble were very entertaining I think they overshadowed many of the leads. Terrific in bits but I think there needed to be more direction in many songs as most leads were just standing there singing without doing anything. Benny just faded away with the rest of them. Mark did a reasonable job. I would give it a six out of ten, as I saw the Melbourne one recently and that was definitely a top show. Musically it sounded a bit empty too and didn't have that grunge factor, but the musicians did what they could do with the restrictions they had to work with. I didn't dislike it but I didn't walk away thinking 'hey this is the cream of Adelaide talent' as the director stated in his program, it was a good mix but definitely not the best Adelaide has to offer. But go see for yourself, others have loved it, others have hated it. It's just one of those musicals you love or hate and need to judge for yourself.

Theatre Boy - I'm not someone who cares to tread the boards, but unqualified rantings such as yours really tick me off. Did you ACTUALLY read the review above? Yes, it was critical of some aspects - but it was also written by someone who is rather more eloquent than you...AND they put their name to it. If you are indeed someone who actually DOES theatre, put your name to what you write so we might have a chance to crit every minute detail of your next performance....I'm sure I would use words like "vocally all over the place", "can't dance to save his life" or "faded away with the rest of them" to describe you...... If you don't do theatre - here's a hint, don't open your yap. You can't pay $30 or less for an amateur production (which is about the going rate) and then whine like a mummy's boy coz it wasn't up to your expectations. This is not the West End or Broadway - If you don't like the local arts...don't go see it.....I'm sure the performers would rather have someone other than an oxygen thief such as yourself in their audiences......go spend your money at the local adult shop, maybe you'll get more satisfaction there.

I would encourage everyone to write a review of shows that they have seen: you don't have to be "involved" in theatre to have a valid opinion. Indeed, someone who isn't immersed in the ways of theatre can often write a more objective critique than those who think they've seen it all before. I don't like the fact that some critics choose to be anonymous (such as both "art lover" and "Theatre boy") but I care even less for responses that are little more than personal attacks.

You ask Theatre Boy to put his real name on his post and yet you won't do the same? Isn't that a little hypocritical? What would we find if your name had been posted? Would we find you were one of the cast or crew of the show or related to them? I don't think we can take you or your comments credibly.

I went to see "Rent" with a Renthead friend, expecting to have a "meh" experience as rock and roll musicals aren't really my thing. I actually quite enjoyed it and thought that, on the whole, the odd technical glitch, sound problem and half of one song being fluffed didn't come close to ruining the experience. However... I hesitate to call this a criticism, as it's probably something over which the production team had little control, but for a show like "Rent" where the ethnic diversity of the company is pretty much a USP, said cast was surprisingly, jarringly, white. I didn't buy a program with close-up photos so I will cheerfully stand corrected, but I saw one Asian girl in the ensemble, and one principal was played by an Indian actor. As I say, this kind of isn't criticism at all, more of an observation. I don't know how many ethnic actors auditioned and I certainly wouldn't have wished the actor playing Mimi, for example, to have lost out to another actor who couldn't sing or dance to save her life but happened to have the right skin colour. (Mimi is meant to be Latina, right? I got that impression from the name and I think there was a line somewhere, but again I will stand corrected.) It's just that you don't (meaning I don't, as a theatre-goer) see a lot of overtly non-white/non-Western-looking faces out there in amateur theatre and I wonder sometimes whether it's just because they're not around or because there aren't as many opportunities available. Obviously there are shows that require actors of specific ethnicity like 'The King & I' or, to use a recent example 'Driving Miss Daisy' but they don't seem to come along often, and would many directors be willing to cast a non-Western actor in a "white" part - ie a part where no other ethnicity is specified? I mightn't know what I'm talking about seeing that I don't make/act in shows, I just go to them, but when something like "Rent" comes along where the cast are meant to be as diverse as possible, it seems a shame that the opportunity isn't taken. PS I personally thought that the staging of "Over the Moon" was a perfect tribute to (ie send-up of) everything that is terrible about terrible performance art.

I haven't seen Rent and won't the show doesn't appeal to me. I am however a director and a producer in Adelaide and I agree that our casts often appear to be very "white". Some of this is because we see very few people auditioning who are anything other than white. I have no problem casting contemporary plays set in multi cultural societies like our own with multi ethnic casts. I work regularly with an actor of Indian background and recently worked with a Asian actress. I would be very happy to hear from actors of any ethnicity who are interested in working in new plays in Adelaide. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

I see 'arts lover' that my comments have sparked a personal attack against me and my credentials when it comes to theatre. I usually would not respond to these attacks, but as this show was part of my life for sometime I feel the need to. I am now semi retired living in Melbourne and still lend a hand to the occasional theatre show in Melbourne. I was in Adelaide visiting a friend of mine who is HIV positive and knew about the Adelaide production of RENT, so I went along to your local theatre, as I have done in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. I was involved with RENT at the Theatre Royal for Cameron Mackintosh in Sydney auditioning over 4,000 people nationally for the roles and worked for Kevin McCollum who produced the show on Broadway at the Ordway Music Theatre in Minnesota. I am allowed to critique and give my opinion - that's what theatre is all about. Okay it's hard to compare Angel to Sydney's Opell Ross or Courtney Act but that was my opinion. Wasn't this was supposed to be Adelaide's best? A director can only do what he can with the cast he has to work with in amateur theatre, and as I stated in my comments I didn't dislike it, I merely pointed out the standouts. And as for 'oxygen thiefs' in the audience - they go to the occasional amateur show to scout for talent. I didn't know anybody in the cast - and this is purely MY opinion. It took other professionals to point this out and that you chose to attack rather than accept a critique. You also need to understand that young talent improve the more they perform - not everybody has the 'it' factor, as I've sat through thousands of auditions and have worked professionally in this field. I also pointed out that it was spectacular in bits, and I have to commend the director having to work with young talent who need to listen and learn from criticism - that's part of growing as a performer. He has offered an avenue for these young people to grow. People have made some valid points about the show that's what forums are all about.