Review: Round The Twist The Musical
Picture source: Promotional website (NOT a Creative Futures Photography image)
Round the Twist The Musical is based on the short stories by Paul Jennings, as seen in the popular The Australian Children’s Television Foundation-produced television series (original theme song by Andrew Duffield). The book, music and lyrics of Round the Twist The Musical are all by Paul Hodge, and the narrative draws on plotlines from a number of the TV episodes. In the musical, the Twist family relocate to a haunted lighthouse, deal with school bullies and evil developers, and find love and friendship—with lots of references to Mermaids (and a Merman), enchanted clothes, lucky lipstick, ‘Birdscrap’ [sic], Mongolian cats, and the power of stinky feet.
If you are not at all familiar with Round the Twist, just go along for the magical ride--particularly if you are looking for a pantomime alternative. Round the Twist The Musical will entertain your age 7-11 grandkids with plenty of fart and smelly feet jokes…and you can all delight in the guy getting his girl, and cheer when the bullies/baddies are defeated.
Director Simon Phillips has gathered a strong team of leading actors, and it’s great to see that they really all seem to be having a lot of fun. The casting of members of the Twist family was spot on. Matt Hetherington (Tony Twist) can sing, dance, and deliver a comic line; Heatherington makes an excellent ‘I know’ fortune teller, and is more than capable of swooning over the charming Liz Buchanan (Fay James). The two older children were excellent. Hanlon Innocent (Pete Twist) has a great voice and gives an energetic performance as both the responsible older brother and lovelorn schoolboy. I enjoyed Innocents’ swooning over the excellent Taylah Johns (Fiona Richmond), and we were all smiling broadly at the comic ‘without my pants’ moments. I also look forward to seeing future opportunities for Charly Oakley (Linda Twist) to shine. Oakley has a charming musical theatre voice, was a convincing friend of Andrew ‘nails’ Shelford (Alexander Tye), and was a standout in the ‘circus clothes’ dance number.
The youngest Twist, Bronson, is a role shared by Edison Ai, Luka Sero, and Sebastian Sero. At the Sunday matinee I was fortunate to see Edison Ai relishing the limelight in a strong professional debut. Edison Ai demonstrates great comic timing, a mastery of a large script, and an ability to sing his heart out.
The roles of the baddies were ably played by David James (Harold Gribble), Tarita Botsman (Matron Gribble), Carla Beard (Tiger), Nic Van Lits (James Gribble) and Carlo Boumouglbay (Rabbit). Of the supporting roles, I particularly enjoyed Christen O’Leary’s portrayal of the lighthouse granddaughter, Nell Rickards); a lovely voice and strong stage presence.
Phillips has also attracted a strong team of fellow creatives. Round The Twist The Musical benefits from Andrew Hallsworth’s entertaining choreography, Ben Hughes’ excellent lighting design, and the James Dobinson’s brilliant Musical Direction. But, for me, the five-star creative highlight was Craig Wilkinson’s excellent video backdrop. It is almost worth seeing the show just for Wilkinson’s Monty Pythonesque work: the Mongolian cats, luscious lips, and ‘screensavers’ at the beginning of the show (the lighthouse) and during the interval (the SS Aurora painting) were captivating.
I must confess that Round The Twist The Musical wasn’t something I had planned to see. It sounded as if it would appeal to grandparents, as a festive treat for the grandkids, or might even attract those young adults who had grown up watching the popular comic/supernatural/wacky TV show.
But it was fascinating to be along for the ride; to discover the ‘Round The Twist’ phenomena, and to see so many families out together for an afternoon of live theatre. After all, anything that gets us all away from screen time must be a good thing. When I first sat down, I did a quick headcount on the proportion of under 12s in the QPAC Playhouse and realised that I may just be in for a few hours of ‘kids show’ high-pitched sugar-induced giggling. However, this isn’t just a show designed for the younger members of the family. Yes, there was a lot of giggling and little voices joining in with the theme tune. But, at the end of the performance, many parents and grandparents were on their feet, applauding with great enthusiasm. And I gather several groups of young adults dashed home after the show, to continue the fun by dialling up a few of the old TV episodes.
Do I recommend it? I’m happy to give Round the Twist The Musical a solid 4-stars. It is always great to see new local work, and if you love(d) Round The Twist you will certainly enjoy this show as a panto-alternative—particularly if your family includes kids in the rather narrow 7-11 age range. I also think Round The Twist The Musical will have a strong future as an absolute hit for performances by amateur and school drama groups—and I’ll definitely make a beeline for anything that incorporates Craig Wilkinson’s video work.
However, if like me you are new to this wacky supernatural comedy, you might prefer to make a beeline for the TV reruns or wait to see your favourite community theatre take you on a journey ‘Round The Twist.’
PS It’s a fascinating decision to entice audiences with the opportunity to be in the draw to win a car. Is this a worrying new trend for Brisbane’s mainstage theatre? Obviously, if I win I will be less concerned about this … 😉
Picture: Those magical clothes (production image credit Lyndon Mechielsen. NB Not a Creative Futures Photography image)
Audience Information: The QPAC run of Round The Twist The Musical closes on 8 December 2024. Tickets $79-99 plus $7.20 transaction fee. 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval. Recommended for ages 8+, this production contains smoke, haze, and strobe lighting.
The reviewer attended the Sunday 17 November 2024 matinee (3pm).
This review first appeared at Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane.