REVIEW: La Cage aux Folles - Gold Coast Little Theatre

La Cage aux Folles — Gold Coast Little Theatre

Music and Lyrics: Jerry Herman

Book: Harvey Fierstein

Based on the play by: Jean Poiret

Directed by: Joshua McCann-Thomson

Musical Direction by: Steven Days

Choreography by: Jacksoon Kook and Lucy Taylor

Photography: Clay English, Vargo Studios

“If you can’t be truthful, be vague...”

La Cage aux Folles is basically Meet the Parents. But make it gay, musical, and French. The story's got all the ingredients for a disastrous family dinner... then adds choreography for extra flair.

Just like the director, Joshua McCann-Thomson, I'd known about La Cage aux Folles for ages, yet somehow never managed to witness its feathered flamboyance live. I was familiar with its history though, and of course, The Birdcage, (starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane), which is one of my all-time favourite films. So, I approached with high curiosity, anticipating glitz, glamour, and heart. Gold Coast Little Theatre’s performance delivered exactly that.

Taking place in 1970s Saint-Tropez, La Cage aux Folles follows Georges, who runs a drag nightclub with his partner Albin - also the club’s star attraction under the stage name Zaza. Their vibrant and affectionate life is disrupted when Georges’ son reveals his engagement to Anne, the daughter of a conservative politician. Jean-Michel arrives with youth, charm, and... the audacity. Because in an attempt to make his family appear more “respectable,” he asks his father to tone everything down and, most painfully, requests that Albin stay away. While there is plenty of farce in the cover-up, underneath the comedy lies a simple, heartbreaking wound: being asked to hide by someone you love. Naturally, the whole scheme goes awry.

Thankfully, Ashley Williams portrays Jean-Michel in a likeable manner, because on paper he is testing the limits of my forgiveness! His request that Albin disappear for the evening is cruel, even if it comes from fear and immaturity rather than malice. But Williams plays him with enough nervous romantic optimism to soften the edges, particularly in “With Anne on My Arm.” His scenes with Isabella Wiesenthal as Anne help us see him as a young guy swept up in love, rather than just a son making a crappy request.

Tomer Dimanstein as Georges has the aura of a man who's already hosted enough chaos to know how to smile through it. He plays the devoted father and partner with warmth and a fabulous purple jacket. His accent sits somewhere in the realm of kinda-sorta-French, but it suits the MC quality of the role. Dimanstein’s velvety vocal tone shines in “With You on My Arm” and “Song on the Sand,” and his serenade to Albin is one of the sweetest moments of the production, complete with an accordion-ish flourish.

David Valks absolutely crushes it as Albin/Zaza. “I Am What I Am” steals the show in Act One, delivered with dignity and power rather than treated as a stock-standard belt anthem. Albin has to be a diva, a wounded partner, a comedian, a mother figure, and a nightclub legend (sometimes all in the same scene), and Valks shifts through those layers with ease. While I expected a little more edge from the Zaza persona, she still serves as the club’s headliner, commanding the room with her fierce makeup, fabulous gowns and sass to the max. Albin is then hilariously out of his depth in the Act Two “Masculinity” sequence, where heterosexuality appears to be the hardest role of all!

Luan Fitzgerald as Jacob (the butler/maid), enters every scene with mischief. Decked out in wigs, gowns, maid outfits, an endless supply of attitude, and the serenity of a fire alarm going off at 3am, Fitzgerald quickly became a crowd favourite. He grabs every chance to ake the role pop, and his slow-motion death drop is exactly the kind of unnecessary behaviour I respect. I bet Hank Azaria would be impressed.

Nicky Fisser as Jacqueline glides through with a posh persona, French accent and gorgeous gowns, arriving just when the evening needs another fabulous enabler. Carey Parsons and Melissa Quirk as Mr and Mrs Dindon arrive deep into Act Two with disapproval and confusion. The home has been redecorated in monk-like restraint, the dinner table is prepared, the lies are served, and everything is just a moment away from disaster.

The Cagelles — Nathan Gollan, Jasper Jacovou-Johnson, Hiwaru “Wasz” Paku, Ziv Manor — bring sass, stamina and plenty of visual fun. The can-can scene is completely bonkers, with fierce high kicks and choreography that looks exhausting before you even factor in the shoes! Jasper as Hannah, complete with a whip and kitty-cat dancers, was especially fierce. Plus, Melissa Quirk's incredible soprano voice caught me completely off guard in "The Best of Times," which was one of the night's brightest group performances.

Visually, this is not a beige production. Thank goodness. The set, designed by Michael Sutton and Joshua McCann-Thomson, includes a glittering archway for the club’s main stage, a rolling set with a chaise perfect for a dramatic swoon, a hot pink vanity and cocktail bar, and pop-art of Zaza overseeing everything like the patron saint of fabulous choices. Thomas Bell’s lighting splashes the stage with colour, of course. Plus, the queens turn the audience rat-run into their personal runway during the club performances, adding extra engagement and cheekiness for us.

The live orchestra, led by music director Steven Days, is a major strength. Although the musicians are out of sight, they are the driving force beneath the performance. When it comes to costumes, the show really gets to shine (literally). The costume team — Nada “Red” Kulic-Cvetkovic, David Valks, Joshua McCann-Thomson, Pina Crisafulli Omeros — understood the assignment: more is more! Think feathers, lace, sequins, leather, chains, and wigs with their own gravitational pull. Side note: Zaza’s green gown? David Valks wears it better than most women could.

Choreographers Jacksoon Kook and Lucy Taylor give the show many of its strongest visual moments, particularly when leaning into the Cagelles’ athleticism and mayhem. The choreography works so well because it lets the performers be polished and ridiculous at the same time, which is exactly where this show lives. Joshua McCann-Thomson’s direction keeps one foot in glitter and one foot in the family drama. The acting style is occasionally uneven, with some performers leaning into farce more freely while others feel a little more restrained. Still, the writing gives them plenty to play with, including killer lines like “With hair like mine, you can do anything,” and “You are a boy. She is a girl. What will you talk about??”

The sold-out audience was clearly having a wonderful time, responding strongly to the comedy, costumes, and cabaret. But beneath the glitter, I found something really moving in watching Albin/Zaza continue to bring joy after being brushed aside and insulted. Even when asked to disappear, they return with their head held high. It is worth remembering when this story is set. In the 1970s, this family would not be received with the same public acceptance many modern audiences may offer now. The show’s politics may arrive in heels rather than with a lecture, but the message is still clear: love is love, family is family, and no one should have to edit themselves into acceptability.

Gold Coast Little Theatre’s La Cage aux Folles is not a show that tiptoes. It enters, poses, and waits for the applause.