The Boy From Oz
Entertainment Centre
Thurs 24 Aug
Season closed


As a theatre spectacular, they really don't come much bigger than this, the latest production of 'The Boy From Oz', starring the irresistibly high spirited Hugh Jackman as the camp and flamboyant Aussie-grown Peter Allen.

Fast paced, yet meticulously well researched, the action began as Jackman was lowered from high above the stage on a white grand piano and wearing a mirrored suit... "Are you ready for a good night?" he asked, "Because I'm ready to give you one," he teased as the crowd erupted and the chorus girls (wearing five-inch heels) wheeled the piano left of stage.

In some small points of nuance, Todd McKenney as Peter Allen in a previous incarnation of this role, was perhaps the better character actor, but Jackman's performance was nothing less than stellar. Breathtaking.

His performance showed a man at the top of his profession.

Despite Peter Allen dying in 1992, Jackman's performance in character was very much steeped in today as he referenced - often with a lot of sass and sometimes with a touch of vitriol - the likes of other Australian stars such as Keith and Nicole, Heath Ledger, Mel Gibson, and with self-deprecating humour, Hugh Jackman.

This was the curiously personable aspect of 'The Boy From Oz'; that Jackman worked so comfortably into the onstage role that he appeared totally at ease as he told 'his' story, and the anomalous aspects, such as dragging Kane Cornes onstage for some contemporary banter, and sharing a joke about Mel Gibson ("no Mel, let me drive!!!") seemed to fit right in.

Overall the costumes, lights, the backdrops, particularly the virtual generated cityscapes, and the songs (backed by a suburb orchestra situated above the main stage), were absolutely stunning.

Colleen Hewitt (as mother Marion Woolnough) reached a peak with her fabulous performance of Don't Cry Out Loud, Chrissy Amphlett was marvelous as Judy Garland and Angela Toohey a perfect Liza Minnelli. Of the other major roles, Murray Bartlett as Peter Allen's longtime love Greg Connell really didn't get enough onstage time.

The show-stopper of the night was undoubtedly I Still Call Australia Home, rendered with the full assistance of a youth choir (looking just like the QANTAS ad!) and with a huge Australian flag which ran its way across and over the audience. I suspect there wasn't a dry eye in the house...

I doubt Adelaide has never seen anything like this before, and I'm betting that it will be a long time until we do again. Fantastic!

Alex Wheaton & Steve Jones