REVIEW: Xanadu - Mira Ball Productions

Xanadu | Presented by Mira Ball Productions at Ron Hurley Theatre

Book: Douglas Carter Beane | Music and Lyrics: Jeff Lynne and John Farrar

Producer: Elodie Boal | Director: Timothy Wynn

Choreographer: Jennifer B Ashley

Music Director: Rae Rose | Band Leader: Ruby Tate

Makeup, Wigs and Set: Rosie Humphreys | Costumes: Jackie Fredericksen

Sound Design: Jacob Cash | Lighting Design: Carter Firmager

Pegasus Design: Garry Hull

Photography: By B’rit Creative

“Let it be known: in 1980, inspiration left the arts!”

The original Xanadu film may have been considered a flop in 1980, but Mira Ball Productions’ stage version was anything but! This was a vivid, shimmering, farcical, self-aware journey on wheels. Literally.

I’d never seen Xanadu before (oops!), so I went in only knowing the basics: roller skates, disco balls, Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly... and what I experienced was a full-throttle musical fever dream about inspiration, Greek mythology, legwarmers, and the terrifying thrill of making art and hoping someone else sees the magic in it too. The script was completely on the nose and absolutely knew it. It was packed with 80s slang, fourth-wall breaks, and some cheeky local and current references tucked into the glorious nonsense. Nothing about this production asked to be taken seriously, which was exactly why it worked. But beneath all the camp, Xanadu revealed a genuinely beautiful little heart: a love letter to every theatre person who knows the chaos of making something from nothing. That is where we truly live: somewhere between inspiration, panic, and sequins.

The story follows struggling LA artist Sonny Malone, who is ready to give up on his life (bit dramatic...) when the Greek muses magically come to life from one of his murals. Clio disguises herself as an Aussie gal named Kira and stays on Earth to help inspire Sonny. Together with Danny McGuire, they dream up Xanadu, an entertainment venue in Venice Beach. But when two jealous muse sisters decide to meddle, love breaks divine rules, and suddenly we are off to Mount Olympus... a disco in the sky!

Nykita O’Keeffe was enchanting as Kira/Clio. She had exactly the sweet, shimmering tone needed for this score, with that clean 80s popstar quality that made the whole thing feel bright and dreamy. As Clio, she carried herself with magical muse confidence. As Kira, she committed fully to the terrible (American idea of an Australian) accent. I also genuinely think Nykita had been possessed by the spirit of roller-disco Barbie. She glided around the stage with this sparkly quality, all while remembering singing, acting, blocking, landing jokes, and skating in circles like she had no concern for dizziness. Her sng “Suspended in Time” was especially beautiful, giving her a chance to show off her angelic voice while riding a Pegasus, as you do.

Croft Phillips was wonderfully sweet and ridiculous as Sonny Malone. His Sonny was artsy, funky, chatty, sincere, and magnificently delusion in the way only a struggling artist in a musical can be. He gave Sonny such an earnest golden retriever heart towards Kira. His voice sparkled in the melodramatic “Don’t Walk Away.” I also need to mention the epic XANADU sign, which looked fantastic, even if Croft put the N backwards. Spelling is hard. Dreams are harder.

Chris Kellett brought old-school charm and authority as Danny McGuire, later doubling as Zeus with great (bearded) fun. His duet with Nykita, “Whenever You’re Away From Me,” had a beautiful crooner quality, and the dance work by Jaya was slick, playful, and full of vintage glamour.

Then there were the sisters. Samantha Sherrin as Melpomene and Kennedy Foley as Calliope were a wickedly funny pair, and their number “Evil Woman” absolutely brought the house down. Sam had us eating out of the palm of her hand. She knew exactly when to command the room, when to throw in some improv, and when to let a look do the damage. And Kennedy proved she could do no wrong, with immaculate comic timing and a gift for making every ridiculous moment completely intentional. Together, they were theatrical menace in drapes.

Peter Wood, Ashleigh Grabasch, Jaya, Molly Campbell, Sam Caruana, and Sophia Marzano gave the show so much of its sparkle. They kept popping up with little comic beats that made them impossible to glance away from. I kept catching something funny happening just off to the side: a face being pulled, a dramatic pose being struck, or a muse silently judging someone’s choices with divine authority. “Fool” became a bright, upbeat anthem, with Nykita leading beautifully while her sisters swirled around her like a glittery emotional support system with attitude. I particularly loved Jaya, Peter Wood, and Sam Caruana as three of the “sisters,” bringing supportive backup with sass, singing, and plenty of dance flair.

The choreography by Jennifer B Ashley knew exactly what show this was. It was camp, character-driven, and full of fun. “Dancin’” was a highlight, throwing 1960s swing against 1980s excess in a dance-off that let the cast really play with the clash of styles. The muses constantly swept in and out of scenes with purpose, creating that feeling that inspiration could strike at any second, probably wearing a toga.

Musically, the show was in strong hands with Rae Rose as Music Director. The band, featuring Ruby Tate, Mark Mirhan, Bryce Francis, and Dominic Nicholson, was tucked tightly into the "wings" but sounded fantastic. Ruby especially killed it in those jazzy keys moments. The live music gave the production a huge lift, and the score had that bright, electric nostalgia that made it very hard to stay seated. There were moments where the group vocals became a little overwhelming. Everyone on that stage had a powerful voice, which was a great problem to have, but it meant the blend occasionally got lost when they were all singing together. It may have been a mic balance issue rather than a performance one, but a little more definition in the mix would have helped the harmonies land more clearly.

Visually, the show was a sugar rush. Jackie Fredericksen’s costumes were perfectly bright, sparkly, and outrageous in all the right ways, while Rosie Humphreys’ makeup, wigs, and set gave the production its cartoonish pop. Everyone looked like they had been styled by a Greek muse who had discovered an 80s aerobics VHS. Garry Hull’s Pegasus design added a wonderful bit of stage magic, and Carter Firmager’s lighting filled the world with every colour of the rainbow.

The Olympus scene was one of the most absurd parts of the night, and I mean that as a compliment. The gods appeared with wild accents, wilder logic, and a parade of mythological creatures. Once Cyclops, Medusa, and Nessus appeared, the production had fully surrendered to its own madness. That was where Timothy Wynn’s direction really worked its magic. He let the show be ridiculous, but every pause, pose, and dramatic reveal was placed with care. The cast played the comedy boldly, but still cared enough about the story to make the audience care too, so that by the end we were on our feet giving them a standing ovation. I genuinely left with a headache from grinning/laughing so much.

Mira Ball Productions gave us a glitter-drenched celebration of creativity, carried by a cast who committed completely to the bit. For all its neon and mythological chaos, it found something genuinely magical underneath it all. It was a ridiculous, joyful reminder that sometimes the dream really is worth chasing, especially if it comes with roller skates.