BWW Reviews: RECEPTION: THE MUSICAL goes inside the mind of the woman behind the front desk.

Wednesday 24th June 2015, 6:30pm, Hayes Theatre, Potts Point

Bethany Simons' RECEPTION: THE MUSICAL joins Hayes Theatre Co's CABARET SEASON 2015 with this one act account of her life behind the front desk at the Classical Music Academy. Blending original music and amusing anecdotes, Simons is joined by co-creator and pianist Peter de Jager in this piece of light entertainment.

On a simple dressed set with piano and old wooden desk with swivel chair and retro phone, Simons shares her stories in song, spoken word poetry, monologue and the occasional interaction with de Jager. Whilst the content of the work implies contemporary stories referencing computers and modern issues, Simons is dressed in 1950's floral swing dress and the set implies an older world, blurring the lines of whether this is a work of fiction or a personal account.

Simons and de Jager have created some very amusing songs ranging in content from the variations on Bethany that callers have come up with to the importance of always being available, with a nod to Devil Wear's Prada's "the desk must be manned at all times" and the anomalies of phone voices and normal voices. Simons' flexibility is demonstrated with the range of music styles and the personas she takes on to represent the people she interacts with through her job from the old man that takes her to the opera and ballet to the botoxed socialite that shares her emotions.

Whether it be a sound tech issue or Simons' vocal strength, there is however a lack of power in the vocals with the sound not filling the intimate space of the Hayes Theatre despite the use of a head microphone. Simons' movements whilst choreographed, could also do with more definition as they strive for musical theatre pastiche but don't fully convey a conviction and connection to the work. Whilst this work is presented in a Cabaret season, and cabaret can be such a broad genre, this is more a one act musical as whilst the stories are relatable on the surface, the connection with emotion is missing both between the performer and the lyrics and the performer and the audience. For example, eye movements are choreographed as part of the plot rather than holding and engaging with the audience, which should be possible in such an intimate venue regardless of whether the work is viewed as a musical theatre piece or cabaret.

Viewed as a one act musical rather than a cabaret work, RECEPTION: THE MUSICAL is an entertaining piece of light comedy with recognizable situations and fabulously creative new music.

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