Little Women - Hayes Theatre Co (NSW)
Presented by Joshua Robson Productions. Book by Allan Knee. Music by Jason Howland. Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott
Shannen Alyce Quan leads a superbly grounded production that is, at its core, full of warmth and heart, but yearns for a greater emotional weight
Reviewed by Justin Clarke
Hayes Theatre, Potts Point
Until 11th August, 2024
The tale of the four March sisters has captivated audiences the world over since its two volume publication in 1868 and 1869, with Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel encapsulating the notion of sisterhood in its writing. Its fame has empowered young readers with its tale of the pursuit of dreams and resilience in the face of society’s strict expectations for women. Joshua Robson Productions (City of Angels, Bonnie & Clyde) present a new look at the Broadway Musical, headed by the unique eye of Amy Campbell (A Chorus Line, Once, In the Heights in a production that oozes with charm.
Led by Shannen Alyce Quan’s immovable Jo March, the cast radiates a joy and love that is palpable in the space. Alyce Quan is a steadfast figure amidst the changing world of Jo’s family. They present Jo as both endearing yet selfish, prideful yet loving; their Jo is larger than the sum of her parts. Under Gianna Cheung’s musical direction, Alyce Quan brings life to Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein’s simple, yet elegant music and rich lyrics. They remind us how Jo was a character ahead of her time.
Little Women, Hayes Theatre Co (2024). Images by Grant Leslie Photography
As Marmee March, Emily Cascarino is endlessly loving, a figure of warmth and comfort beyond her character. Cascarino imbues Marmee with a powerful voice in her vocality and lyrics as a mother left to raise her little women as her husband fights in the war.
The rest of the March sisters, Molly Bugeja’s Beth, Kaori Maeda-Judge’s Meg, and Vitoria Hronopoulos’ Amy provide the heart at centre of the musical itself. Each one sitting neatly inside their roles as each tracks their own path, either following the expectations of the world they live in, or supporting Jo in the refusal of it.
In the large manor house across from the March’s, Peter Carroll’s Mr. Lawrence casts a discerningly sharp eye, with a dry wit and humour that softens as he too falls for the charm of the sisters and their rebellious ways. With him, Lawrence Hawkins’ Theodore “Laurie” Laurence is charming and dashing, his love for Jo being a crushing moment for both himself and Jo’s staunch view on love and marriage.
Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward, Tyran Stig and Tisha Kelemen round out the cast, each offering extraordinary laughs to add moments of lightness or warmth.
...elasticity and immovability act as a recurring motif throughout Campbell’s choreography.
Little Women brings the much-loved tale to a modern audience, but it's not without dialogue which carries a different weight in a contemporary world. Jo's constant remarks of “Christopher Columbus” at moments of shock and exhaustion act as a reminder of a time of colonisation on stolen land, giving us a reminder of the generation of the stories from women whose voices have been squashed and lost.
Tanwee Shrestha’s set design utilises bungee cords shaped in diagonal patterns cut throughout the space, breaking up the world of the March sisters into a playground in which the young actors manoeuvre through Campbell’s choreography. The elasticity of the pieces provide moments of unique movement wherein the cast climb through, bounce around and fling themselves across the stage.
...played with heart and humour, providing audiences with a warmth that will beat the winter chills outside the theatre walls.
In fact, elasticity and immovability act as a recurring motif throughout Campbell’s choreography. The chords remind us of the ability for women to shape themselves, move and stretch as they grow from young girls, to little women, and their true selves amidst the conformity of the world in which they exist. For the March sisters, this world is amidst the American Civil War and the gendered expectations of women when it comes to high society, marriage and families.
Peter Rubie’s lighting design works to highlight the shapes in space, creating patterns as the chords criss-cross each other. For the already intimate Hayes Theatre, this also highlights the cramped space that’s established; it feels tight with the playing space being limited and messy with sheets of paper and colour being scattered throughout. There’s a lot going on which reduces the emotional impact of some of the main storylines. The loss of Beth should have carried a greater weight in the March’s world, but was instead soft and fleeting.
This Little Women is played with heart and humour, providing audiences with a warmth that will beat the winter chills outside the theatre walls. In a powerhouse role by Shannen Alyce Quan, Little Women is one to bring your little ones to for its timeless reminder to forge your own path in a world that wants to contain you.
Cast & Creatives
Starring Shannen Alyce Quan, Molly Bugeja, Kaori Maeda-Judge, Vitoria Hronopoulos, Emily Cascarino, Lawrence Hawkins, Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward, Peter Carroll, Tyran Stig, Tisha Kelemen, Maddy Betts and Kurt Russo.
Director & Choreographer Amy Campbell
Music Director Gianna Cheung
Music Supervisor Laura Tipoki
Assistant Director Miranda Middleton
Assistant Choreographer Amy Zhang
Set Designer Tanwee Shrestha (Mandylights)
Costume Designer Lily Mateljan
Lighting Designer Peter Rubie
Lighting Associate Lyndon Buckley
Sound Designer Jarrad Payne
Sound Operator Em-Jay Dwyer
Production Manager Sherydan Simson
Stage Manager Hannah Ribbons
Casting Director Rhys Velasquez
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