Menopause the musical

‘Menopause the Musical’ with storyline and lyrics by Jeanie Linders, is being presented by the Perth Theatre Trust and the Playhouse Theatre at the Playhouse Theatre, 3 Pier St, Perth. This hour and a half show starts at 7.30 pm each evening until Saturday 12^th December.

‘A Night on the Tiles’ which is now showing at The Old Mill in South Perth, had us laughing at contraction pains, now ‘Menopause The Musical’ shows us the fun side of women and the change.

         It is sale time in Myers, when four very different women meet by chance, fighting over a garment. The buxom and rough, country wife (Cindy Pritchard) is told in no uncertain terms what she can do by the smartly dressed businesswoman (Maria Mercedes). Then there is the shy wife of a Dubbo undertaker (Donna Lee) who is fighting with a TV soapie superstar (Carolyn Waddell), who thinks she is still 30. The group become friends and meet on a regular basis for tea or lunch.

        The women recall and live through the events of their menopause in song.  The songs are all well-known hits of the 60s and 70s with the most brilliantly parodied lyrics. Every song is hilarious, delivered with tremendous power and feeling, and in the case of Maria, sounding very like the original. One or two well-known singers from the past, Tina and Olivia included, appeared to give their magical touch to this fun show.

       Nothing was sacred, hot flushes, sweats, mood swings they were all there. Donna’s version of ‘Only You’ was certainly not what the Platters had envisaged 50 years ago.

Already seen by 1 in 20 Australians, in the theatre last night, about 1 in 20 would have been middle-aged men, at last having a chance to laugh at their hell years. The younger men would certainly have learned a great deal of what was to hit them in the future.

Donna Lee’s cheeky face and hilarious body movements had the house collapsing. Maria Mercedes – wow what a singer. Cindy Pritchard reminded me of Tessie O’Shea, what vivacity. Carolyn Waddell skilfully sang some quieter songs. To get four excellent singers, good movers and superb comediennes is a big ask, but here we have the best in one great team.

Gary Young’s direction was fast and furious with the girls effectively doing a 90-minute gym workout. Despite the pace the voices did not falter or fade, the tunes kept belting out. Paul Keelan’s musical direction was light and bouncy and played in an unsophisticated manner that suited the mood marvellously. Choreography by Andrew Hallsworth was clever, and I was amazed at how the cast did not flag. Brilliant costumes ranging from sophistication to nutty.

A small whinge, the balance between the music and the singers was wrong, also the total volume was at times past the pain threshold. I know that the director will have asked for plenty of drive, but this was uncomfortable – or perhaps I am having a pre-prostatepausal event.

It is years since I have seen so much fun and vitality in a show. This ‘happening’ will run for ever.