Mark’s Score: 3.5 Stars
In recent years there has been a renaissance in musicals centring on Australian stories. Those of us who champion music theatre can only delight in the fact that our heroes and legends can be the stuff of theatre magic. The creation of a musical about John Simpson – the man with the donkey – who was killed after only 3 weeks at Gallipoli is tale that has waited too long to be told with music and on a grand stage.
Like Simpson himself the writer of this show (Ian Gerrard) is an Englishman. He has spent many years developing the book and lyrics in collaboration with Russell Tredinnick (score). It is often overlooked that one of Australia’s most well known characters was a larrikin anti-hero who changed his name, often jumped ship in his early years as a stoker, and on land led an itinerant life as a jackaroo, eventually signing up for military service merely to gain free passage back to England. But destiny played a dirty trick and whilst half-way across the Indian Ocean his ship was re-routed to Egypt under British orders. There the men were prepared for the ill-fated attack to secure allied control of the Turkish Dardanelles. In his brief time in and around Anzac Cove Private Simpson, J. 202 served as a medic and orderly, a task he made easier by recruiting the help of a rogue donkey he encountered. John’s larger than life sense of humour and devil may care attitude made him (and Duffy the donkey) a favourite among the men as well as an irritant to some of his superiors. War correspondent C E W Bean recorded his activities in his reportage and from this a legend was born. In reality Simpson may be a composite character of many of the stretcher bearers who dodged sniper bullets day after day. This only adds to the mythology creating an esteem for this man in his adopted land akin to that of The Unknown Soldier or iconic Aussie underdog.
In his portrayal of Simpson Lincoln Elliott inhabits the lead role very effectively giving us a lively Jack-the-Lad performance and where his vocals and convincing Geordie accent are splendid. As C E W Bean Matthew Herne sings up a storm and is an ever-present sympathetic observer of the futility of war. Herne has great strength and sensitivity as a performer and is very often quite moving in the passion he finds within his songs. But 3 Weeks in Spring is also about the other diggers endeavouring to survive this debacle of a campaign – the bright idea a younger Winston Churchill. The male ensemble sings with an impressive unity, their anthems and laments one of the strongest elements in the show. The women’s ensemble represents the wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and sweethearts the boys have left behind. Later many play nurses and matrons who care for the injured. There is great pathos in many of their songs imbuing the narrative with the sadness and frustration of the news or no news from Gallipoli. There is a lot of fine talent and commitment to the story telling on display from this two-dozen strong chorus. Applause!
In supporting roles Colonel Monash and wife Hannah are played by Lachln James O’Brien and Courtney Powell respectively. Both actors are very accomplished and O’Brien brings out the torture his character as commander of the AIF must suffer under British Military High Command. A trio of showmen (James Tredinnick, Nathan Hodge, Adrian Evangelista) link several episodes injecting the piece with humour and satirical comment. Benjamin Roorda is a very watchable performer – one wishes his role of Sergeant Oscar Hookway was written larger. Andrew Smallbone has touching moments as The Unknown Soldier. Director Linda Aubrecht has not only drilled her cast with a keen eye she also heads a talented set of creative designers, choreographers and stage management. Note-worthy is set design and projections by Matthew Barry and Aidan Lam. A super bonus is the puppetry work from BJ Weule, Steve Coupe and Sue Wallace. In a show that could be very dark and depressing there is much joy and hope – handled with great sensitivity. I urge you to see it for its youthful emerging talent and for the terrific songs and rousing music. It is a worthy piece that fortunately avoids all forms of jingoism and schmaltz.
Mark G Nagle – Theatre Now
