Based on the classic Australian novel first published in 1901, Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of 'My Brilliant Career' is proof that some stories are timeless.
Presented as an incredibly contemporary musical, with tracks and performances that could be mistaken for those on offer at an Olivia Rodrigo concert, this production is enthralling from the very beginning.
Featuring a diverse and divinely talented ensemble cast, the performance kicks off with an on-stage band strumming away as the audience fills the auditorium. Placed on a visually stunning set, that screams ‘rugged Australian outback’, sits a piano, which remains at the centre of the set through the show. As the on-stage environment beautifully transforms, the crowd are taken on a journey through the adolescent years of our protagonist, the unruly and captivating Sybylla Melvyn.
Image © Pia Johnson
Sybylla, played flawlessly by the phenomenal Kala Gare, is an unusual woman for the 1890s – the period in which the story is set. She is brash, determined to uncover her own path and unafraid to let those around her know about it. It is fitting then, that this story was brought to life in 2024 with the addition of pop rock tunes to add depth and a contemporary twist on the story. Sybylla’s sassy adolescence – she’s only 15 when first introduced – is reflected through original compositions, performed with exuberance and expertise by the cast. And this incredible cast are so deserving of the standing ovation received on opening night – all playing multiple characters, multiple instruments and captivating the crowd with their every movement.
Reminiscent of the incredible show 'Come From Away', but with a truly Aussie lilt, 'My Brilliant Career' is an absolute triumph. The cast are breathtaking, the set and costumes a visual treat, the songs snappy, smart, and so well sung, and the story so very important, feeling especially pertinent at a time when women’s autonomy is once again feeling under threat.
With many laugh-out-loud moments and some truly heart wrenching ones too, 'My Brilliant Career' is the Australian coming-of-age story that should not be missed.
