Review by Suzanne Tate
Opening night for Rebel: A New Musical in Prahran on Friday night was a resounding success! The Book, music, and lyrics were written by Drew Downing, initially performed by him as a cabaret, which he debuted at the Midsumma festival in 2013 and revised for the Melbourne Cabaret Festival in 2014. Downing redeveloped the show into a short book musical that was performed in 2018 and then delayed by COVID. Finally, version 4.0 is here in Melbourne and it was absolutely worth the wait! Directed by Clary Riven, who directed the 2018 version, designed by Betty Auhl and with fresh orchestrations by the new Musical Director Alex Martello, Rebel immersed the audience both in the western-style dive bar atmosphere through the staging, and in the enthralling tale of the charismatic Davey, played by Maxwell Simon.
Not surprisingly, as the show grew from a cabaret, this is a one man musical, a style of performance that is not common. It takes an immensely talented and powerful performer to carry an entire show almost single-handedly, staying on stage for every minute and belting out 19 songs. Simon was supported by a talented band of musicians; along with the MD on Bass, the talented team included Aaron Syrjanen on Guitar and Banjo, Ella Summers on Fiddle and percussion, David Youings on Keyboard, and Sally Ingrams on Drums.
Simon is a powerhouse of a performer – versatile, expressive and with an amazing vocal ability. Having seen Simon in Hair recently, his performance as Davey brought home his immense acting talent and versatility, as he was entirely believable as the Texan country boy-turned-rock star (nothing like Berger in Hair). His accent never slipped, and as he told Davey’s story both through the music and brief monologues between songs, he portrayed Davey’s initial naivete, his cheeky sex-appeal, his romantic nature and loneliness, and his regret and guilt over leaving his family, particularly his Uncle and his little sister Tully. He could be shy and bashful or passionate and confident, and when someone’s phone made noise during the performance, he was also cold and threatening, while staying completely in character, drawling “you best deal with that” with an intense stare at the offender.
The set designed by Auhl consisted of a back wall made of pallets and hung with quintessentially western ‘art’ and décor, which continued around the small bar on the side of the theatre. One glaring anachronism in the set was the bright red push-button telephone, which looked like it belonged in the 1980s, not in the mid-1950s, when most of the show is set. Simon’s costume was simple but effective, starting with a western shirt, jeans and a Stetson hat to suit Davey’s Texan origin, and in Act 2 changed to a plain black T-short and jeans, showing his transition to a Californian rock ‘n’ roll performer. The band’s costumes suited the overall vibe of the set, but some of the details would have looked more at home at Woodstock in ’69, than in LA in ‘55. Although it is possible this was intentional to imply an older Davey was reflecting back on his younger years…
Musically, the band was great, showcasing each individual’s skills at various times, and conducted by Martello using the head of his bass guitar. The music was strongly country, even when he was describing his rock ‘n’ roll era and referring to the influence of Elvis Presley. I am not generally a country music fan, but it is ideal for this style of show, as every lyric contributes to telling Davey’s story, and it kept the toe-tapping. The country style also allowed for variety in the instrumental sound, such as switching between double bass and electric, and electric guitar and banjo. The only negative, musically, was that the sound was sometimes unbalanced, with Simon having to strain over the band, particularly the drums.
I came into this show with no pre-existing knowledge and had no idea what to expect. What I found was a polished, captivating performance, a nuanced, believable story and a fantastic night out. I have been lucky enough to enjoy two of Maxwell Simon’s performances in the last 6 months. He is an amazing performer, and I look forward to the next opportunity that arises.
Rebel A New Musical is now playing at the MC Showroom, Prahran.
For more information: https://www.rebelmusical.com.au/
