Revenge is best served... with a kind gesture, a ruse and a side of pig's blood. Until it backfires.
The encouraged way to deal with bullies is to ignore them. Then there’s Carrie’s way. The hyper- religious high school senior is ridiculed by her classmates to a point of breaking. 'Carrie' is a powerful lesson of the ultimate – and extreme – consequences of bullying. It explores the darkness in teenagers and coming-of-age in a theatrical thrill ride straight to hell.
Blinded by lights, deafened by a live backstage band and choked by smoke machines, Carrie's world is a shock to the system from the start. Let down by poor costumes, the standard is lifted by a simple set, and polished light and sound design.
Overall there is a lot of (somewhat essential) character building, but this leaves little room for the gruesome and lethal grand finale fans expect. There is less telekinesis shown from Carrie than anticipated. More examples of her power throughout the show would satisfy audiences' desire – more bucket blood would quench the thirst, too.
Epitomising the outcast 17-year-old, Sophie Perkins' performance of Carrie is the essence of Stephen King's cult character. From an awkwardly shy girl with a introverted persona to the belle of the ball and her abusive home-life laced in, Sophie expresses Carrie's character like second nature. The way she trembles when she cries and the terror in her eyes is spine-chilling. There's an air of sadness surrounding her which directs the (unsuspecting) audience to care for her.
Sophie PerkinsThe sweetly-spoken Sue Snell (Georgina Hopson) and footy-player-turned-aspiring-writer Tommy Ross (Alex Woodward) deserve honourable mentions. They act the 'cool kid', but they're deeper than the clique. Their onstage chemistry burns with desire. Bookending the work, Georgina delivers a scared, innocent recollection of the night's events in flashbacks, which ties the pieces together.
A lot to live up to already, adapting the classic into a musical is a strange and daring concept; one that had the original laughed off stage in Broadway in 1988. But the Wax Lyrical Production and Brisbane Powerhouse version works. Most of the songs are laced in neatly and seem at home. Though others do lose sight of production flow and ramble.
Together, the cast engage the audience when in song. Separately, there are many strong voices, but also weaknesses that crumble scenes. During Tori Bailey's (Chris Hergensen) solo, the lyrics are incoherent and the delivery amiss. Her poppy, sultry performance jars with the cohesion of the work. Though she's only acting to character – which she aces – it's distracting and frustrating when her lyrics can't be understood.
Jacqui Devereux's voice is a clear star as Carrie's mother, Margaret White. Her bellowing vocals send shivers through the body. She's equal parts loving mother, saint and sinner. Her relationship with her daughter is touching, and terribly haunting. And her end is better-sweet; both her character and performance.
Though it's sure to find a rabid following, 'Carrie: The Musical' isn't 'Carrie' by Stephen King, 'Carrie' (1976), or even 'Carrie' (2013) – no one's complaining there. But what you sacrifice in horror, you gain in talent: acting, voice and production design.
