107 | Summer Nights at The Blue Room | Until 5th Feb | ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Developed with Antipodes Theatre Company as part of their 2021 Winter Lab, 107 is a production presented by Michele Gould (writer/composer), alongside Daley Rangi (director) of slam-poetry fame, in what is a fun, feminist, and fierce as hell punk rock musical.
When four young people wait aimlessly for a bus that’s notoriously late, they come together with their shared differences, and create an unlikely friendship – meet the quiet girl (Jenny Guigayoma), the popular girl (Ruby Short), the rebel (Lukas Perez), and the theatre nerd (Paris Leveque) as these young people of colour navigate the Golden Triangle, dodgy Transperth schedules, and the ever-growing landscape of living, laughing, and loving.
Being likened to The Breakfast Club meets Spring Awakening (with a dash of St. Trinian’s) – it’s no wonder the musical is as cinematic as it is poignant. Conceptually strong, 107 has the backbone that Waitress had before reaching Broadway.
Each performer acts as a strong pillar to the production: Leveque’s soulful and blues tones nestle in your heart, during their evocative solos; Perez holds a powerhouse voice, backed by their effortless comedic timing and stage presence; Guigayoma is almost forgotten until she finds her voice towards the second act, a refined soprano; and Short delivers a role she was born to play, with drive, resonance, and a voice similar to Christina Modestou (SIX the Musical).
107 operates in the classical musical format, but with a twist – utilising fourth wall breaks that pepper the performance with humour, and local West Australian anecdotes that resonate with audiences. The vocal harmony between the performers was palpable, and the writing was exhilarating and masterful for such a short-run musical. The cast and creatives have brought a homegrown musical to life, with 107 having a strong future ahead of itself.
Ending with a standing ovation, 107 is part of The Blue Room Theatre’s Summer Nights program and can be enjoyed from now until 5 February. Be sure to make it one of your final choices before Fringe finishes!
See 107 until 5th of February. For tickets and more information, head to fringeworld.com.au or The Blue Room.
Joshua Hall Haines is an arts and entertainment writer with two BAs in Media & Communications and Arts Management from WAAPA. Joshua has worked in the film and television space as a producer and production designer — but always circles back to writing, having self-published a queer mystery novella in 2018. Joshua also freelances as a publicist, copywriter, and publisher. More of his work can be found @joshlhaines on Instagram.
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