Anastasia the Musical → Festival Theatre
Wednesday 5th August, Adelaide Festival Theatre
FIVE STARS
Rob Tripolino (Dmitry) & Georgina Hopson (Anya)
Anastasia, the HIT Broadway musical, is an encapsulating fusion of fairy tale and history, intertwining the cherished animated classic with the historical speculation surrounding the fate of Grand Duchess, Anastasia Romanov. It invites us on a Journey to the Past, instantly sweeping the audience up into the hopeful possibility that Anastasia had a life beyond the tragedy.
The animated film is a core memory for many, however, the original composers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty revisited the score when they were asked to bring the story to the stage in 2012. With the recruitment of Terrance McNally to write the book, this musical was created for audiences, and ears, of all ages. Whilst five original songs remain, the whole score was adapted with notable musical nods to 1900s Russia and 1920s Paris. I’d argue these music and script changes bring a sense of maturity to the show, making it more accessible for all ages.
The show begins with young Anastasia and her grandmother in the grand Romanov Palace. Icon of Australian musical theatre, Nancy Hayes, is the Dowager Empress. Together they beautifully sing Once Upon a December, and she gifts Anastasia the music box - the sweet motif of their enduring connection. Then, the lavish Romanov palace comes to life as the ensemble and family members emerge in stunning bejeweled costumes. The Last Dance of the Romanvos is a beautiful showcase of operatic vocals and ballroom choreography, until their fateful demise…
Ten years later, Russia is amidst their communist regime and the cast return poverty stricken for A Rumour in Saint Petersburg. Immediately, the historical conspiracy begins as they sing that Anastasia is rumoured to be alive, and that the Empress is offering a life-changing monetary reward if she is found. Dimitry, performed by Robert Tripolino and Vlad, performed by Rodney Dobson are a delightfully cheeky pair who share their a plan to escape to Paris.
We are finally introduced to Anya, a street sweeper with amnesia on her own mission. Georgina Hopson’s portrayal of Anya is empowered and utterly captivating. She positions the audience to be instantly on her side with her sweet sense of relatability to us all at finding one’s true identity. The moment that brought tears to my eyes was her rendition of Journey to the Past. There are many bucket list scenes to witness live on any musical theatre nerd’s list, and this was one of them. I will forever treasure hearing Hopson’s soaring vocals as the stage is swept up in pink cherry blossoms and the live orchestra that swelled as she hit the song’s epic closing note.
Tripolino and Hopson develop an earnest relationship built on trust and a shared hope. Their duo is the fairytale romance many would dream about, and I loved that this show fully leans into this fantasy. The heartfelt turning point is their duet of In a Crowd of Thousands, where it's learnt that they had seen each other years ago (cue tears).
As Countless Lily, Rhonda Burchmore brings some welcomed pizzaz to the second act! Whenever Burchmore is on stage you just know it will be a hoot. On the nods to 1920s music I mentioned earlier, Land of Yesterday is Burchmore’s number that gives us the fun song and dance spectacle. You betcha she kicks those iconic legs as the ensemble delight us with Peggy Hickey’s energetic jazz choreography.
There is a comedic romance that re-kindles between Vlad and Lilly– Burchmore and Dobson lean into the humour and we all root for them. The Countess and the Common Man has the audience equally charmed and giggling. Burchmore fans her dress between her legs and Dobson is enamoured by her presence (cue bursts of laughter).
Whilst our setting is a century ago, the clever merging of technology and grandeur set pieces was a wise creative choice. There were always projections through windows, flashes of vast landscapes and moving transitions that added constant dynamics to the scenes. In one of Anya’s memories, ghost figures waltz on the screen as the ensemble dances the exact choreography below in real time. Aaron Rhyne’s video design works magically in this show, a model example of how technology and performance connect masterfully.
Now, I want to acknowledge that the script of the show has received some criticism. There is nothing wrong with going to the theatre to be swept up in a fictional historical fantasy, in fact, this is often the primary reason for seeing a live show: to be thrown into a fairytale (guilty!). However, one cannot ignore the controversy surrounding the Romanov family. Only once were the Romanov’s called out for their royal greed by Gleb (Joshua Robson) in a single, fleeting dig at their neglect of the Russian people, which may be a major cause of angst for the history buffs. But critiquing a monarchy is not the point of this show, nor should it be the cause of deterrence.
Anya’s journey is one of self-discovery and found-family. It challenges us to think about how far we would go for the ones we love, a challenge most characters grapple with in various ways throughout the plot. No matter how much we hope and dream, it is our actions, trust in others and leaps of faith that will bring us those fairytale endings. Hopson, Tripolino, Dobson, Burchmore, Robson and Heyes encapsulate this idea beautifully in character arcs of their respective roles.
It is rare to be treated to a Broadway musical of this scale in Adelaide with a cast as holistically talented as these performers. This production of Anastasia is a lavish theatre experience intended to enchantingly sweep audiences into a nostalgic fairytale, not to be missed!
~ By Sophie Tsoulos
Show Run: till 30th August
Theatre: Adelaide Festival Theatre
Tickets: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=NASTASIA26
Discounts: $55 daily Rush tickets available on the TodayTix app