“Art sparking art – it’s magic … a feast for the senses,”
Alethea Mouhtouris
4 music boxes
Venue : Lyric Theatre
Sydney
Dates: Until 18th July
Anastasia is the quintessential Disney-esque stage spectacular, with phenomenal voices, sumptuous costumes, and elaborate choreography.
Based on the 1997 animated film, this production tells the story of Anastasia Romanov, the youngest daughter of the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II. They lead a beautiful and rich life until the Russian Revolution, when the family is murdered by Bolsheviks. A rumour begins
that Anastasia survived the assassination, and a young streetsweeper Anya, who has amnesia after an unspecified injury, is convinced by two men to travel to Paris and masquerade as the Tsarina to claim the family fortune.
There are four key elements to the successs of this production – a supremely talented local cast, divine costumes, incredible staging, and the music.
We begin in the royal court with the Romanovs, wearing exquisite costumes and jewels; dancing, laughing, singing, loving their lives as a family. Willa Valaris as little Anastasia is a delight, and her duet with the Dowager Empress (the superb Nancye Hayes) is very sweet. Hayes carries this role with the elegance, severity, and dignity expected of an elder royal, softening only in the presence of her granddaughter. Her imperious voice holds strength and conviction yet also conveys the despair from the eventual loss of her family.
Most recently in Titanique and Handa Opera’s Phantom, Georgina Hopson is a glorious Anya. Her voice is beautiful and clear, and she effortlessly conveys the confusion the character feels from not knowing who she is, and where she belongs. Robert Tripolino as
the street orphan Dmitry and Rodney Dobson as the former count Vlad are an excellent duo, playing off each other. As Countess Lily, Rhonda Burchmore is her usual flamboyant self, perfectly suited to this production.
But it is Joshua Robson as Gleb who, with his magnificent voice, is the standout of the night. His sensational voice belongs on the world’s most prestigious stages – a sentiment that was echoed by other audience members (in the car park lift, no less). Robson’s portrayal of the conflicted villain, charged with hunting down the assumed Anastasia to end the Romanov line, is complex and multi-layered. We can see his internal struggle with balancing duty to country and the suffocating agony of hearing the children’s screams. It’s a stellar performance.
The main cast members are supported by a very capable ensemble. In particular, the delightful ballet dancers in a Swan Lake scene; their movements reflecting the quiet desperation and tragedy being experienced by Anya and the Empress Dowager. The costumes elevate the production. From magnificent ball gowns, glittering headpieces, tailored Parisian suits, and Cossack costumes, designer Linda Cho has thoughtfully crafted a series of outfits deserving of their own credits. For the Paris ballet scene, Cho said she used the “lush golden colours and intricate patterns of Gustav Klimt’s ‘Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer’ as inspiration”. Art sparking art – it’s magic.
Finally, the set and projection design carry the audience from sparkling palace to sombre communist streets to glamorous Paris. I defy anyone who loves Paris not to get goosebumps with a special Parisian reveal at the end of Act 1. Kudos to set designer Alexander Dodge and video designer Aaron Rhyne, as well as to choreographer Peggy Hickey who took the challenge of a large cast and smallish stage and delivered movements that should have spelled chaos but instead were beautifully orchestrated.
Director Darko Tresnjak is to be commended for his deft management of such a challenging production, adhering to the Disney ideal while sparking joy into the hearts of the audience.
This storyline is not to be confused with reality. The history of the Romanovs, and indeed, Russia itself, is complex and charged. Like any country undergoing massive regime change it is marked by blood and gore and horrors. It certainly doesn’t inspire a feel-good romantic
story, as Anastasia is billed. But if you can set that aside, Anastasia is a feast for the senses, and a good night out.
Photo credit: Jeff Busby
Alethea Mouhtouris, Theatre Now
