REVIEW: Singin' in the Rain Senior - Brisbane Arts Theatre

Production: Singin’ in the Rain Senior

Company: Brisbane Arts Theatre

Directors: Adelle O’Connell and Kathy Kunde

Musical Director: Laraine Griffiths

Choreographer: Marisa Bucolo

Costume Designer: Kate Clarke

Sound Designer: Tara Kenn

Lighting Designer: Thomas Ranie

Photography: Kris Anderson - Images by Anderson

"If we bring a little joy into your humdrum lives, it makes us feel as though our hard work ain't been in vain for nothin'" - Lina Lamont

Brisbane Arts Theatre’s Singin’ in the Rain Senior is a cheerful adaptation of a beloved musical, performed by a cast aged 55 and over. The familiar golden-age Hollywood charm is all there, but this version has its own special appeal: watching older performers step into the spotlight with humour, confidence, and the kind of sparkle that only comes from having a few decades of life under your umbrella.

Singin’ in the Rain drops us into Hollywood during the bumpy transition from silent films to talkies. Don Lockwood has the charm, Lina has the famous face and famously unfortunate voice, and microphones are suddenly making everyone’s lives harder. With best friend Cosmo Brown and aspiring star Kathy Selden caught in the middle, the story becomes a bright mix of romance, reinvention, and showbiz panic.

As someone who grew up with Singin’ in the Rain as part of the household soundtrack, I already have a soft spot for this musical. But full disclosure: my mum plays Lina Lamont in this production, so I am reviewing with both professional eyes and the barely contained pride of someone trying very hard not to whisper, “That’s my mum!” every time she walks on stage. Even accounting for family bias, there is plenty to enjoy in this production!

Under the direction of Adelle O’Connell and Kathy Kunde, with musical direction by Laraine Griffiths and choreography by Marisa Bucolo, the production feels made with a lot of care. What I enjoy most is the atmosphere in the room: an audience full of smiles, generous laughs, and that unmistakable community-theatre warmth where everyone wants the cast to succeed.

Andrew McArthur makes for a wonderful Don Lockwood, with an easy stage presence that suits the golden-boy movie star. He is at his best when Don drops the public charm and turns into a big romantic softie around Kathy. His “You Were Meant for Me” gets plenty of little “aww” reactions from the audience, and he handles the higher vocal moments really well. And of course, in the iconic song “Singin’ in the Rain,” McArthur lets Don disappear into his own lovey-dovey little world, completely swept up like a teenager with a crush.

Robert McLachlan is a highlight as Cosmo Brown, bringing cheeky physicality, sharp comic instincts, and a constant sense that something mildly ridiculous is about to happen. He is one of those performers worth watching in the background because there is usually some mischief making the scene richer. “Make ’Em Laugh” gives him plenty of room to play, while “Fit as a Fiddle” flies along at ridiculous speed. And in “Good Mornin’,” he leads the trio in tap shoes with the ease of a former dancer and a level of skill that had my jaw on the floor!

Jo Badenhorst gives Kathy Selden warmth and sincerity, but enough backbone to hold her own in a room full of Hollywood egos. Her scenes with Don have a gentle classic-musical romance, and “You Are My Lucky Star” is a lovely vocal moment, with Badenhorst navigating its deceptively tricky intervals with control. The contrast in “Would You?” is especially fun: after Lina’s version has done crimes against vowels, Kathy’s voice arrives like a rescue mission. “All I Do Is Dream of You,” performed by the girls’ ensemble and Kathy in a cute cake costume, is a real treat — because nothing says romance quite like dressing the leading lady as dessert.

Judi Hancock is wonderfully irritating as Lina Lamont, and I do mean that as the highest compliment. Making her stage debut, Hancock throws herself into Lina’s tantrums, diva delusion, and truly alarming self-belief with great comic commitment. She has the “no thoughts behind those eyes” expression down perfectly, floating through scenes like a woman who has never once considered that she might be the problem. And then there is the voice acting: nasal, grating, and loud in exactly the way Lina demands. She keeps it surprisingly on pitch in her solo “What’s Wrong With Me?” — the only song not featured in the original film — while getting plenty of laughs and making the most of every dramatic complaint. I am biased, obviously, but I am also correct.

Gabby Gastaldin has a natural authority as RF Simpson, the studio boss. Alex Lanham is also comfortable as Dexter, capturing the frazzled authority of a director whose job just keeps getting harder. Diana Gogulski gives Zelda plenty of style, Lois Cutmore brings Dora’s composed polish, and Maria Chappell makes Roz a frantic, faithful presence whenever she appears. Pamela Smiles and Donnita Maher are great fun in the featured voice-coach roles, treating diction like a life-or-death crisis.

Some of the best little moments happen around the edges of the main action, with background characters quietly making everything funnier. The ensemble brings generous group energy throughout, and “Moses Supposes” becomes a wonderfully frantic film sequence as everyone faces the terrifying new reality of microphones. The slow-motion cake-in-the-face blocking is also a very fun touch.

Marisa Bucolo’s choreography works well for this cast, giving the production movement and character without overcomplicating the staging. “Broadway Melody” is surprisingly sprightly, with Gastaldin shining as the star, and the blocking with the flats helps cover transitions and costume changes neatly. “Singin’ in the Rain” creates a cute little rain-soaked world with twinkle lights for stars, umbrellas, and yellow raincoats. With a little more vocal lift and expression from the ensemble, this number could travel even further in the large auditorium, but the staging has a lovely homemade theatrical magic to it.

It is worth noting that the production is performed without individual microphones, which is no small task in a space this large. Sound designer Tara Kenn keeps the music nicely balanced, and the cast does well to carry dialogue and vocals through the space. A little more front/diagonal-facing delivery would help moments reach even further, but for an unamplified musical in a big auditorium, the cast handles the challenge admirably. The cast does a lovely job carrying the musical side of the production, especially in the solo and featured moments where each performer gets to bring their own personality forward. The group numbers are strongest when everyone leans into the character of the music and lets the story lead the song.

Kate Clarke’s costumes are one of the production’s great pleasures, with colour, variety, and a clear nod to golden-age movie glamour. The costumes help define each character quickly, from Lina’s starlet looks to the ensemble’s playful 1920s styling. My brain was perhaps expecting more flapper fantasy in “Broadway Melody,” but the production still gives us plenty of period charm.

What makes Singin’ in the Rain Senior so enjoyable is the spirit of it. The cast takes on the singing, dancing, comedy, and old-Hollywood theatrics with clear affection for the material, and there is real joy in seeing older performers placed at the centre of the story rather than tucked around the edges. A reminder, really, that performance does not have an expiry date. With a short runtime, affordable tickets, and plenty of heart, it is an easy show to support. And when the weather turns… you may as well sing!