‘Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson’ – Squabbalogic

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON – BY ALEX TIMBERS & MICHAEL FRIEDMAN
DIRECTED BY CRAIG STEWART
SQUABBALOGIC – THE FACTORY THEATRE, THE FACTORY FLOOR
14 AUGUST – 1 SEPTEMBER 2013

Lea: Initial overall reaction – I want to see more theatre like this.
Sybil: Okay. Interesting.
Lea: Because its immediate, and real, and we’re close to the action, and it’s not perfect. Yes, some of the authenticity of the performances weren’t always there…
Sybil: I want to see this theatre company do more. But I didn’t love the show.
Lea: It was like it was trying to be RENT at times.
Sybil: It was trying to be RENT, it was trying to be Into the Woods…
Lea: It was trying to be Assassins.
Sybil: The cast were almost uniformly great! Commitment. Energy. Voices. Talent. Beautiful. I honestly really enjoyed the cast.
Lea: A really good ensemble.
Sybil: My problem, was I wanted characters that were developed. I wanted to start caring.
Lea: There was only one character who’s journey you actually followed the whole way through really – Andrew Jackson.
Sybil: Two. His wife, Rachel (Louise Kelly).
Lea: Yes, but you didn’t really see that much of her.
Sybil: No, and I didn’t care about her, because I didn’t know her.
Lea: You know what I did love? Her solo – which is obviously why she got the role – emotionally she NAILED that at the end. Did you watch her at the end of that song?
Sybil: I did. I wasn’t as emotionally engaged. She was good.
Lea: The way they described his wife – ‘The most beautiful woman in the world’ – they didn’t typecast that. I really liked that this company didn’t go for the cliched choice. She was beautiful, but not cookie-cutter so. I was like – that’s cool.
Sybil: What did you think of the guy who played Andrew Jackson (Peter Meredith)?
Lea: I love him and I didn’t love him.
Sybil: Yeah. I’m with you. There were parts where I was “You’re awesome!”.
Lea: “You nailed it!” And like other parts I was like “Dude, you’re just going through the motions”.
Sybil: Not going through the motions, but just not connecting. Not disconnected, just not reaching it. I think my main issue with the show was that it was inconsistent.
Lea: Yeah, okay.
Sybil: It was inconstant stylistically in places, and a lot of that is the show. It seemed, maybe even slightly under-rehearsed.
Lea: I don’t mind that, and I actually don’t mind the stylistics changes, because I felt that WAS the show and I felt that this is a company that’s willing to take risks and jump different genres.
Sybil:  I saw their [title of show], and to be honest, it was polished. You know, four, professional, really schmick performers, doing a really good show. I don’t think this show was of the same standard. The actual show itself – the piece. You know… “There’s not a tune you can hum.”
In unison: “There’s not a tune that goes bum-bum-bum-di-dum.”
*laughs*
Sybil: Tell me one song? The most memorable song for me, because it was so simple and devastating was the ‘Ten Little Indians’ song.
Lea: Yes that was very good.
Sybil: It was beautifully done. It was simply choreographed and those girls were just awesome. I really really liked it.
Lea: I also thought the choreography was really, really good.
Sybil: All the way through. It was appropriate to everyone’s levels. It wasn’t a cast of dancers. It was powerful and simple and everyone was absolutely on the beat.
Lea: It was appropriate for the size of the stage.
Sybil: And stylistically it worked, and was interesting. It added to it, it didn’t take away from it. The chorey was one of the best things about the show. I just wanted more from the actors, and I feel that it was the director’s job to get it from them.
Lea: I’m a fan of this production. I feel so good about it. I saw a lot of people who are very talented, who I have never really seen before, who I think are genuinely good and will improve, and everyone really supported each other. It was an unusual show.
Sybil: It WAS an unusual show. I really liked it because it was an unusual cast as well. Often music theatre is just polished…
Lea: It gets a bit cookie-cutter.
Sybil: It is, and they’re all so perfect and considered performances and they’ve over-rehearsed. This did seem rawer, but the performers seemed more real.
Lea: And a bit renegade.
Sybil: Which was exactly what they were going for.
Lea: And fitted.
Sybil: Considering this is a musical I don’t really like, I think quite highly of it. I wouldn’t choose to see this musical again, and I wouldn’t buy the soundtrack.
Lea: Our experience also speaks of the venue, it’s size, the vibe, how they worked in the venue. I loved how the show started with the characters in situ, in motion, a kind of slow moving tableau.
Sybil: Stand out performers?
Lea: I quite liked Richard Woodhouse. He didn’t have a very big role. He was really constant and my eye kept being drawn to him.
Sybil: And Phil McIntosh.
Lea: He had very stylised characters, but he was committed and excellent in them. There was nothing false. I really like Toby Francis.
Sybil: He was absolutely fantastic.
Lea: And all the accents were excellent.
Sybil: Most of the accents were excellent. There were a few that were a bit slippy.
Lea: Do you know who surprised me? Bridget Keating. At the start, she had quite a neutral face, almost un-engaging.
Sybil: I think that was the character she was playing.
Lea: Yes, because as her parts evolved in the show, her characterisations were fabulous!
Sybil: You know, her woman from Ohio with the lisp, was brilliant!
Lea: Her newsreader was really good. Oh, how about the band! How much did you love the keyboard player/conductor?
Sybil: Yeah he was really good.
Lea: I loved his conducting style. He just blew me away. He was a performance unto himself. He was awesome.
Sybil: What a great use of the space, with the band behind. It’s a great space. You could use it in so many ways.
Lea: I love the idea of a live rock band. Obviously it specifically lends itself to this show, but it’s something that would be great for other musicals.
Sybil: It was really interesting how they used the soundscape and the band. They didn’t go one way or the other, they used whatever they needed.
Lea: What I liked about it was how it mixed times, people, it crossed characters. I actually liked the crazy mixed up styles. I liked that.
Sybil: It was a proper ensemble piece.
Lea: Yes and I liked that. I’d like to know what the writing team did next.
Sybil: What has Squabbologic got on next? Or Squabbalicious as I like to call them.
Carrie the Musical. November 7th at the Seymour Centre.
Lea: Okay, great! That’s where we’re going next to see Squabbalogic!
Sybil: Carrie the Musical sounds absolutely terrifying!
BOTH: *laughs*
Lea: Bring it on! Let’s get really drunk beforehand.

IN SUMMARY

Lea: I loved the rawness of this show. Yes, the songs aren’t ones that grab you around the waist and don’t let go, but the the performers so endeared themselves to me, I was left with a great buzz.
Sybil: Look – commendable. I want to see more from this company and these performers. However, didn’t love the show… go see it if you like your musical theatre rough and raw and rock’n’roll.

IN SUMMARY

WHERE WE HAD POST SHOW DRINKS: The Factory Theatre Bar which has a gorgeous festival feel. A tad chilly (should have asked them to turn on the heaters in retrospect)
OUR HANGOVER STATUS: Sybil wished she had driven, The Factory Space isn’t the easiest of places to get too. Lea cleared any cobwebs with a brisk half hour walk home.
MORE INFORMATION: squabbalogic.com.au/bloody-bloody-andrew-jackson.html