Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Brisbane Review @ QPAC

'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical'
National Arts and Comedy Editor. Based in Melbourne.
Pop culture, pop music and gaming are three of Jesse’s biggest passions. Lady Gaga, Real Housewives and The Sims can almost sum him up – but he also adores a night at the cinema or a trip to the theatre.

'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' is just that: A stunning story filled with heartbreak and happiness, detailing the ups and downs of composer/singer-songwriter Carole King.


Carole's biggest hits (the ones she wrote for others and herself), are used as place-markers for points throughout her young life, painting a gorgeous picture of a truly tumultuous career.

It's no surprise that this show's soundtrack is a GRAMMY winning one; the music Carole wrote – including songs like 'Locomotion', 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow' and 'You've Got A Friend' – wraps perfectly around the plot, the dynamic sets and the cast members that inhabit them.

Carole prides herself on being a down-to-earth person and Esther Hannaford absolutely nails playing a woman with such a pure heart. Her portrayal is simply astonishing and even the most insignificant lines make audience members smile. Playing such a lovable and iconic character would have been met with intense pressure but Esther should be proud of her effort.

As for the rest of the cast, no mistakes were made here either. Gerry Goffin, Carole's husband and collaborator, is played by Josh Piterman who accurately portrays the anxiety and manic depression of his character. 

Mat Verevis is the charming and flirtatious Barry Mann. Mat's chemistry with on-stage love interest Cynthia Weil (Lucy Maunder) is electric. This pairing couldn't have been more perfect and their bickering like an old married couple throughout the show is classic.

Mike McLeish shines as Don Kirshner who takes Carole on board at Aldon Music, and Carole's mother Genie (Anne Wood) is brilliant, too.

Aside from just being a musical, 'Beautiful' is a learning experience. For those not so familiar with Carole's sheer volume of writing credits it's a journey of discovery as songs are performed that have been made famous by other artists but were born from Carole's brain.

It's an appreciation for the hard workers in an industry where only certain people get to shine... Of course, Carole eventually decided to release work under her name, but over the years artists have relied on others to write their material and for those writers, lovers of music should be thankful.

People such as Carole King have changed the trajectory of art in all the forms it takes. This show magnificently displays the impact she has made on music and the journey she went on to not only help others but to show the world that real talent and hard work can be truly self-fulfilling.

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