“The entire show is vocally really tight, and the ensemble all give gold -plated, vibrant, performances.“
Kate Gaul
Hayes Theatre
Sydney
23 May – 22 June
In this outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. In a dilapidated warehouse at an abandoned amusement park, they awake in limbo, The Amazing Karnak activates as an animatronic figure in a box (in this production, voiced by Pamela Rabe). Karnak has the power to return one of these youths to life – but they must all decide among themselves who is the worthiest of a second chance to “ride the cyclone” that is life.
This fanciful one-act musical features songs in vocal styles ranging from ballads to rap. It’s history on the stage is interesting – it’s been around since 2008 with minor success. In 2022 it found viral fame on social media, particularly Tik Tok- and became an instant hit with the digital generation: Gen Z. You can find production videos, memes, cosplays, backstories, and a heap more on the web and audience members even attend the show in costume! Chillingly dark and wittily funny, it makes sense that the tone and themes of “Ride the Cyclone” resonate strongly with Gen Z, who is largely known for their habit of making memes and online jokes about their own trauma. Each character performs a song exploring the lives they never fully lived. Except for one character, Jane Doe, who does not remember anything before the accident. In its vaudeville-style each character pleads for their life, “Ride the Cyclone” is a gritty, screwed up comedy that has the potential to be either unsettling or thrilling. For the ideal audience, it garners both reactions, in the best of ways.
For someone who is NOT Gen Z, I guess I found the production moderately enjoyable. The first striking aspect of the show at Hayes Theatre (Directed by Richard Carroll) is Benjamin Brockman’s theatrical set of exploded rollercoasters that creates a kaleidoscopic effect on the stage and veers out into the audience, making the space feel that much bigger. In the eye of the set is a projection screen (Av designer Daniel Herten) which hides the five-piece band led by MD Victoria Falconer. Music, direction and choreography (Shannon Burns) and all strong and keep the piece rollicking along. Costuming (Esther Zhong) is inventive as each character has both a school uniform and a fantasy costume. Hair and Makeup by Ashleigh Grace is delightful – although I wasn’t sold on Jane Dow’s hair. Jane’s (usually?) blonde and it’s fine to make an alternative design (in this production she is dark haired). The entire look just wasn’t as doll-like or otherworldly as I imagined, and it was initially confused about who this character is. Lighting by Ryan McDonald is going for spooky and makes some untraditional choices which distances audiences – sometimes we just can’t see the artist who is singing!
The entire show is vocally really tight, and the ensemble all give gold -plated, vibrant, performances. Standouts amongst the ensemble are from Karis Oka (ocean O’Connell Rosenbuer), Lincoln Elliot (Mischa Bachinki), and Bailey Dunnage (Noel Gruber). Always terrific to encounter new talent on our stages.
The audience for this production is going to love it – and hats off to Hayes for programming for a range of audiences, especially those hard-to-get youngsters!
Kate Gaul, Theatre Now
