Review: THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE Makes Us Hope That 2022 Is As Much Fun As 1922

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Friday 7th October 2016

Adelaide's Gilbert and Sullivan Society expanded their repertoire some time ago, and they haven't looked back. Thoroughly Modern Millie is a musical comedy about a determined young lady who comes to the big city with the modern idea of marrying for money and comfort, intending to find a rich man, get a job to be close to him, and then become his wife.

The 1967 film, starring Julie Andrews, was rewritten as a stage musical in 2002, with all new music replacing the authentic songs from the era, such as Poor Butterfly, Jazz Baby, Rose of Washington Square, and Baby Face, and the new music written in a similar style especially for the film by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn. Only the title tune was retained in the stage version. With music by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan, and lyrics by Richard Morris and Scanlan, the new songs are more integrated, being a part, of and advancing the story.

Director, David Sinclair, musical director, Heather Elliott, and choreographer, Shenayde Wilkinson-Sarti have put together a great cast, with not a weak link anywhere, and created a fast-paced, funny, and thoroughly engaging production that garnered many excellent reviews and great audience response, not to mention good houses. I was unable to attend until the end of the season, unfortunately. Thankfully, though, there were already many rave reviews out there, anyway.

Millie Dillmount's first experiences do not live up to her rosy expectations as she is mugged on her arrival and left with nothing. Knocked to the ground, she grabs at a passing man, Jimmy Smith, for help, tripping him and getting abused for her actions, not the help that she expected. His unsolicited advice is to go home, but he gives her the address of a place to stay overnight, The Priscilla Hotel, popular with penniless actresses. The woman who runs it, though, the house mother, Mrs. Meers, is part of a white slaving ring, kidnapping residents who have no family and will not be missed. Millie befriends another new arrival, Miss Dorothy Brown, who fits the bill, claiming to be an orphan.

We are not in Salina, Kansas any more, Toto.

This revelation of white slavery is not a 'spoiler', but is made explicit early in the narrative as much depends on the audience knowing this. The film, in fact, opens with Mrs. Meers taking her first victim.

It all sounds very dark and sinister but, no, it is very light, all froth and bubble, and packed with lots of extreme silliness. The kidnapper has two Chinese helpers, Ching Ho and Bun Foo, who do not speak a word of English, and Ching Ho falls for the next potential victim, turning against Mrs. Meers. The other is his brother and, eventually, he also turns against her. This comic trio pile laughter upon laughter.

Millie sets her sights on Trevor Graydon III, becoming his secretary and right-hand man; yes, man, so much so that he even calls her John. That attempt to marry the rich boss falls apart when he meets Miss Dorothy, and is immediately smitten, the feeling being reciprocal.

Millie Dillmount is brought to vibrant life by Alana Shepherdson, who embodies that exuberance and enthusiastic embracing of the new freedoms post WWI that the flappers, this is set in 1922, grabbed with both hands. Her performance is central to the production and she ties it all together, and puts several cherries on top for good luck.

Mitchell Smith plays Jimmy Smith, the bad boy, with shady dealings implied as his sources of income. He gives the role a nice touch of ambiguity so that we are never quite sure whether he is an Al Capone or really an Elliott Ness in disguise. His change from an initial coolness towards Millie to his eventual attraction is beautifully measured. Mitchell Smith is having his second bite at this particular theatrical cherry, having played Jimmy Smith once before in 2012 in the excellent production presented by Swell Productions and State Opera of SA.

Anybody who has ever caught a performance by Pam O'Grady needs no telling that the role of Mrs. Meers is in very safe hands with this great comedienne, and hilarious is almost an understatement. Adding Harry Nguyen and Paulo Nacianceno, as Ching Ho and Bun Foo, places ones underwear at constant risk of sudden dampness.

Emily Wood is absolutely delightful as the naïve, and somewhat other-worldly, Miss Dorothy Brown, looking as fragile as a china doll, with a hint of Luna Lovegood. Buddy Dawson brings his extensive experience to the production and finds plenty of laughs in his character, Trevor Graydon III, the rich businessman whom Millie decides to marry, and who doesn't even notice her, beyond her valuable skills in the office.

Miss Peg Flannery, the austere spinster supervisor of the stenographers, is played by Nadine Wood, revealing a soft heart under the brittle exterior and mining her fair share of laughs, too. Socialite and social butterfly, Muzzy van Hossmere, is played by Sam Francis, who doesn't waste a moment in this gift role.

The members of the ensemble: Emma Bennett, Thomas Brodie Phillips, Em Carter, Jamie Conlon, Tahlia Crickmar, Alex Dunbar, Emma Haddy, Chloe Hall, Scott Kelly, Steve Lewis, Maddie McArthur, Niki Martin, Maya Miller, Demi Nicholson, Josiah Pay, Ruby Pinkerton, Aled Proeve, Lucy Trewin, Andy Trimmings, Zak Vasiliou, Sandy Wandel, Emma Wilczek, and Hayley Wolfendale put in lots of hard work, singing and dancing up a storm, and who doesn't love a show with lots of tap dancing.

The set is a stylish piece of work in Art Deco style, but with the very up to date technique of projected photographic images and videos, not just as a picture on the rear of the set, but integrated within it, so that the lift (elevator, as Americans would say) appears to actually move. It is very impressively put together and sets a new standard. Costumes are bright and colourful, and the lighting adds extra cheerfulness.

Sadly, it is all over, but I am glad that I didn't miss it.

To post a comment, you must register and login.