★★★★☆
Amplified: The Exquisite Rock and Rage of Chrissy Amphlett is not a tribute show. It’s a stunning piece of art in its own right, anchored by an incredible performance from Sheridan Harbridge.
Chrissy Amphlett, best known as the lead singer of 1980s Australian rock band Divinyls, holds a special place in many hearts. She broke the mould for female rockers, carving an identity as a spunky, supremely talented, lead singer.
With her school uniform aesthetic, raw vocal style, and unapologetic stage presence, Amphlett helped redefine what it meant to be a woman in rock music, both in Australia and internationally.
The shadow of Amphlett looms large over the show. The affection its creators, Sheridan Harbridge, Sarah Goodes, and Glenn Morehouse, have for her is clear. And they have big shoes to fill: the genesis of the show came when director Sarah Goodes was approached by Chrissy’s husband and friends to posthumously realise her vision for a one-woman show.
That admiration, or the sense of responsibility, could have hung heavy over the production. But it’s handled gracefully. Harbridge deals with the audience’s expectations up front: this isn’t a tribute show, and I don’t sound like Chrissy Amphlett, she acknowledges. It’s a smart, disarming move that resets the terms of engagement and allows the work to breathe on its own terms.
What we get instead is something even richer. Harbridge narrates Chrissy’s life, combining the broad strokes of biography with evocative anecdotes and details. She handles the monologues deftly, bringing focus and heart to the storytelling.
Sometimes she’s completely in the story, other times breaking the fourth wall to reflect on her own relationship with Amphlett and the role. It’s a stunning, distinctive performance, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else taking on this singular role.
The exposition is interspersed with performances of Divinyls songs. Harbridge proves a capable vocalist, bringing Amphlett-like intensity to the performances.
She’s supported by musical director and guitarist Glenn Morehouse, who leads the on-stage band, with Ben Cripps on bass, Clarbell Liu on keys, and Dave Hatch on drums. Their live-gig energy helps smooth the transitions between biography and performance easily.
This production is deceptively simple. The set is bare, and there’s little movement from the band, providing a visual foil to Harbridge as she prowls the stage, and occasionally steps off it.
True to the spirit of Amphlett, she’s not afraid of audience participation. It’s in these off-the-cuff interactions that she shines comedically, at ease bouncing off the audience’s reactions and totally in control of the space.
Amplified will be most appreciated by Divinyls fans, who were out in force at the Melbourne opening night. But Harbridge’s performance is compelling even beyond that context.
This is less a retelling than a reimagining; a work that channels, rather than copies its subject. Whatever its talented trio of creators do next will certainly be worth watching.
Amplified: The Exquisite Rock & Rage of Chrissy Amphlett is presented by the Marriner Group and runs to 22 March at the Comedy Theatre. 240 Exhibition Street Melbourne Vic 3000.
It then runs in Sydney at Seymour Centre 15 – 25 April.
Tickets are available here!
Website: https://www.amplifiedlive.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/amplified.show.live/
Photo credits: Brett Boardman
