Buckle in and hold on tight for the Queensland premiere of Ride the Cyclone, produced by Vox Theatre Arts in association with Phoenix After Dark. Ride the Cyclone is an exhilarating, energetic and existential musical showcase! Prepare to go full speed ahead through the highs and lows of life in this loopy performance.
Following their tragic deaths on a faulty roller coaster, the St Cassian High School Chamber Choir awake in limbo. There they meet an animatronic fortune teller, The Amazing Karnak, played by Dan Konstantinos, who offers one of them a chance at resurrection. They must decide who is most deserving of this opportunity through retelling their life stories in song and dance. From academic achievements to love, sexuality and heroism, these kids have big aspirations and even bigger performances.
This inventive dark comedy comes from the brilliant Canadian duo Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. Their triumph, Ride the Cyclone, made its world premiere in 2008 at Atomic Vaudeville in British Columbia, Canada. In 2016, the musical journeyed Off-Broadway where it received acclaim from critics and was nominated for prominent awards. Ride the Cyclone surged in popularity in 2021 with the release of its soundtrack. Its high-energy and self-deprecating songs were an instant hit to the young audiences of TikTok.
The talented cast and crew do an incredible job of bringing Ride the Cyclone to life. Director Rhona Bechaz alongside Music Directors Madelin Simons (Vocal) and Alex Angus (Instrumental) successfully wrangle this chaotic musical into a stunning experience. Co-choreographers Hannah Macri and Kirsten Brown skilfully devise multiple high-energy group dances. Their thoughtful consideration of the routine for each song is clear as they utilise the character’s personalities in the performances.
The stage design and use of props are impressive. Especially the sophisticated puppet made by Celeste and Dan Konstantinos for Dan’s role as The Amazing Karnak. The puppet’s glowing eyes, movable features, and the booth’s detailed finishings could be mistaken for a real carnival machine.
While all the characters are interesting and unique, there is one choir member who stands out from the rest. Makenzi Goodwin plays Jane Doe, an unidentified girl from the crash that no one remembers and who has no memories of being alive. Her song, The Ballad of Jane Doe, is a showstopper in every way imaginable.
Goodwin’s dreamy voice resonates across the theatre in this unforgettable and heart-wrenching cry to understand her fate. The song’s well-coordinated merry-go-round choreography using light-up horses is simply spectacular.
Isaac Brown plays queer icon Noel Gruber, the most romantic boy in town, with a dramatic and judgemental flair. His extravagant eye rolls, model-like poses, and passionate irritation at the enthusiastic Ocean O’Connell-Rosenberg (played by Cameron Grimmett) will have audiences laughing.
Noel’s Lament depicts his love for French noir films by portraying his dream of being a French prostitute. It’s a performance filled with twists and turns as well as some of the riskiest dance moves in the entire musical.
The show’s turning point comes with Eloise Newman’s portrayal of Constance Blackwood in the song Sugar Cloud. Unlike all the other kids, Constance finds that she is proud of her life, even though it was short. Understandably, Newman’s emotional monologue listing Constance’s favourite parts of life convinces the choir members to be grateful and less self-centred. Newman plays the giggly and nervous Constance with a sugar rush of sweetness that is sure to bring a smile.
The long-awaited premiere of Ride the Cyclone is on at the Phoenix Ensemble’s Tin Shed for a limited time. Soar to new heights in this adrenaline-pumping emotional rollercoaster of a musical. Life is too short to miss out on this wild ride!
Ride the Cyclone runs from 6 – 14 June at the Phoenix Ensemble Tin Shed, Beenleigh Show Grounds, James St, Beenleigh Qld 4207.
Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1364791
Website: https://www.voxtheatrearts.com/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/voxtheatrearts/ and https://www.instagram.com/phoenixensemble/
Photo credits: Tayla Simpson
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