Tivoli Lovely | Heath Ledger Theatre | ★ ★ ★ ★
A truly home-grown Western Australian musical has premiered in Perth this weekend, and it’s a glitzy, high-energy and heartfelt love letter to Australia’s rich theatre history.
Tivoli Lovely is a remarkable project, which saw acclaimed playwright Eddie Perfect collaborate with students from his alma mater – the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts – to develop this musical over the last three years.
The performance opens with the precocious Charlotte (Zoe Davidson-Wall), a 15-year-old who is desperate to find an ‘elder’ to speak to for her school project. Here she meets the 85-year-old ex chorus girl Kitty (Caroline McKenzie), who has no time for nonsense, but plenty of time for stories. The pair serve as narrators throughout, as Kitty’s humble living room transforms into a flurry of dancers, lights and revelry as she reflects on her life.
Kitty starts her tale from the beginning in 1954. She’s the newest girl among the Tivoli Lovelies, a showgirl troupe among the lineup of the Tivoli theatre’s famed variety show. It’s a rag-tag group: Evelyn the American girl who can’t stop smiling, Bridget the stagehand and proud lesbian, clowns, sheep and of course – The Eleven Kevins.
When the Eleven Kevins, a singing, tap-dancing powerhouse variety group, suddenly becomes ten, the headline act and its leader Daddy (Sebastian Cruse) are desperate to make sure the name of their act still rhymes so they don’t lose their hook. But do they need to go back to Eleven Kevins, when they could be Seven?
This is where the plot unravels in unexpected and hilarious ways. Along the Tivoli’s Australian tour, the members find love, courage and community as more Kevin’s start turning up dead. This absurd whirlwind plot is puntuated with well-timed, uniquely Australian gags that make Tivoli Lovely as hilarious as it is impressive. Honestly, leaning further into the comedy would have elevated this show to even greater heights.
And impressive these students are. These second- and third-year WAAPA musical theatre students are already performing at a professional level. They are all extraordinary singers, dancers and actors, keeping the audience enthralled throughout the two-hour plus performance, flawlessly executing the dynamic choreography while singing the house down. This brilliance is complemented by the soaring, lively music under the direction of Zara Stanton and the dazzling, transforming sets by Dann Barber that seamlessly transport the audience from a dim, suburban living room to the bright lights of the Tivoli stage.
Tivoli Lovely is an impressive feat, and clearly a labour of love for these students and creative team. It’s heartening to see a uniquely Australian story told with such powerful execution, infused with joy, flair and humour.
Tivoli Lovely will be at the Heath Ledger Theatre until Friday, 14 November. For more, head to artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au
Declaration: OUTinPerth co-editor Graeme Watson is an employee of Edith Cowan University.
