By Adam Rafferty
It’s hard to believe it has been fifteen years since the revered Broadway musical Grey Gardens has graced a Melbourne stage but considering the limited engagement of that first staging by the now defunct The Production Company it’s definitely not too soon, and a lovely gift to local musical lovers that we’ve been given another chance to see this unique gem.
Based on a 1975 documentary film of the same name, considered to be culturally and historically significant to the United States, Grey Gardens tells the story of the Bouvier Beales – mother and daughter, “Big Edie” and “Little Edie”, who were Jacqueline Kennedy’s aunt and cousin respectively. Once a part of New York’s rich and wealthy elite, the documentary found the pair living in squalor in their East Hampton ‘Grey Gardens’ mansion after decades of surviving off a trust fund, following Big Edie’s separation from her husband in the 1930s.
In Act 1, the musical hypothesises the events that led up to the downturn in the two women’s fortunes, while Act 2 musicalises the documentary. Through the two points of view the musical shines a spotlight on the complicated, co-dependent and somewhat toxic relationship that the ladies shared. By using a unique construction of having the same actress play the self-centred and domineering mother, Edith Bouvier Beale in Act 1 and then the exploited, resentful and slightly unhinged daughter, Little Edie in Act 2, the story is brought starkly to light and creates an enormous role that requires a powerhouse performer. In Helen Dallimore this production has found an Edith Bouvier Beale / Little Edie par excellence.
As Edith in her prime, Dallimore sweeps around the stage in a green silk gown preparing a party at Grey Gardens to celebrate the engagement of her daughter Little Edie (played by Meg Williams in Act 1) to Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr (Luke Ward), of the Kennedy family political dynasty. Edith is a perfectly graceful and a loving mother on the surface, but it’s not long before we understand that she’s more interested in performing numbers for the attendant party goers, accompanied by her ‘best friend’, the songwriter and pianist George Gould Strong (Nick Simspon-Deeks) than she is in allowing the focus to fall on her daughter. This embarrassing behaviour not only riles Little Edie, but also her grandfather – Edith’s father – J.V. “Major” Bouvier (David Hobson), who threatens to cut off the family finances and evict Edith from her home if she doesn’t conform to high-society’s expectations.
Williams is a thoroughly charming young Little Edie, delivering sprightly and vivacious vocals as she sings of “Goin’ Places” with Joe and their bright future ahead. She’s very much the lovely debutante and Ward is perfectly square jawed and swaggeringly charismatic. Simpson Deeks brings emotional truth to the dryly humoured piano player Gould, while Hobson anchors the first act with his strong vocals and patriarchal energy.
Also bouncing around the mansion are Edie’s cousins, the young Jacqueline Bouvier (later Jackie Kennedy herself) – brought to incandescent life by Adeline Hunter – and her sister Lee, who kick off the story with playful appeal and mirthful melodies as they harmonise with Edith and take part in her tasteless racial parodies.
Director Tyran Parke and Set Designer Claudia Mirabello have worked hard to make the somewhat ‘rustic’ fortyfivedownstairs playing space feel reflective of the Grey Gardens mansion, and a complete resetting of the space (requiring the audience to spend interval in the upstairs gallery) fully delivers the mouldering feel of the squalid and decrepit estate as it was in the 1970s. Having seating banks on three sides of the space brings the audience into the story, although it feels like Parke has neglected to instruct his cast to play to all sides, although Dallimore certainly does her best to direct her performance around the room in a way the rest of the cast largely fail to do so.
Dallimore truly shines in the second act, knocking the opening number “The Revolutionary Costume for Today” out of the park. As Big Edie, Deidre Rubenstein hits the nail on the head, creating a sadly dependent woman, unchanged in her need for the attentions of men and still as self-centred as she ever was. For a woman living in her own filth however, Rubenstein looks far too well-groomed and tidy. It’s hard to imagine Big Edie still having makeup left to use in her penniless state, nor clean and neatly styled hair, regardless of her vanity.
Ward doubles as handyman Jerry in the second act and bringing a completely different physicality and demeanour to the broke, but kindly young man. Grey Garden’s devoted and multi-tasked butler Brooks Sr (Evan Evans) in Act 1, becomes the estate’s young gardener Brooks Jr in Act 2 and Evans brings great warmth and polish to this loveable supporting character.
Budget constraints on this small production seem to have had an impact on Louisa Fitzgerald’s costumes which are designed well, but often don’t fit well, or look as lavish (or bedraggled) as they should. Likewise, wigs haven’t been set and styled as well as you would hope, giving Act 1 Little Edie’s hair particularly, an unbecoming look.
But those factors don’t dampen the enjoyment to be had in listening to this delightful score sung beautifully (thanks to Musical Director Lyndall Dawson), nor in seeing this tragic and unique story played out for Melbourne audiences once more. Lovers of musical theatre yet to see this story are in for a treat.
Image: Ben Fon
