13 [VIC]

13 is a fun, vibrant and modern take on ‘the new kid at school’ story, and while its themes are not new to audiences, the content and writing remain clever and witty.

13 is a show about teenagers, written for teenagers. Jason Robert Brown, writer and composer, tells that he grew tired of seeing and hearing his works performed by adolescents who were not mature enough to be performing either the lyrical or dramatic content; and so he devised a show that would be suitable for the younger demographic of performers. Funnily enough, this university-based theatre group featured a cast of predominately young adults who looked appropriate to the ages they portrayed.

The vision for this production is obvious. Tyler Hess is credited not only as Director, but Co-Choreographer, Costume, Set, Multimedia and Production designer. A mammoth task and visually the productions elements were all cohesive. Technology plays a big part in the show’s visual presentation and iPhones, iPads and Facebook are cleverly interwoven into the script and story. There are modern references to Angry Birds, The Sims, Hey Arnold!, Nintendo and Playstation; and a song is even sung over a Skype call. Most of these work a treat. I found it particularly well thought out that this technological theme begins in the production’s marketing material and is reflected in the set and props on stage.

Natalie Reid is Musical Director. Her 6 piece band are tight and play fluidly throughout the piece. The ensemble are hit and miss on the vocals, and I found that the harmonies in the opening number, “13 / Becoming a Man”, were not precisely executed. As the show progressed, the ensemble harmonies vastly improved and the closing number, “A little more homework” produced a rich, full harmonious sound. Similarly the choreography by Hess and Emmalee Meisels was shaky in the opening number, but got stronger as the night progressed.

The cast of characters are made up of familiar American archetypes. Rachel Tigel played Patrice, an unpopular geeky character who brought a mix of ‘emo’, the cartoon character Daria and great comic timing to her performance. Tigel was the hilight of the show with a resonant voice and a dash of spunk. Josh Gavin played the protagonist Evan, Jewish boy who moves to a new city. He brought a lot of energy to the stage and was comfortable in his character. Archie was played by Zac Alaimo, who’s physicality and impaired legs added much comedy to the piece. “Terminal Illness” was a highlight as the two brainstormed cashing in on Archie’s physical handicap. At times both boys struggled with their pitch while singing, but their lively performances helped them through this.

Steve Simmonds plays “Future Evan”, aged 30. His character both mentors the younger Evan and acts as a narrator. Simmonds comfortably sits in the pocket as he watches over the story, lingering in the background and singing the occasional verse. Neil Vinson plays Brett, the popular jock. Although he represents the cool kid, his persona is naïve which makes the character endearing. Vinson’s well-defined six pack was visible for much of the show, and was a constant reminder that he was not in his early teens. Kendra is played by Jessica Martin who leaps into her role as the air-head blonde with ease. Her comic timing is flawless and her vocal, strong. Jacqueline Levitas plays Lucy; a choice role for Levitas who has only had two weeks to learn the role after the original cast member had to step away from the show. She plays the cheer-leading bitch with bite and delivers her sung numbers with ease.

The ‘cool’ gang of male students (imagine a modern day T-Birds) is played by Pasquale Bartalotta, Shaun McMahon, James Oorloff and Evan Mullholland. They work cohesively as a group and harmonise well together. With Brett, they sing “Hey Kendra”, which is a highly entertaining number. The cheerleader group is played by Melanie Xavier, Rachel Lee, Jenni Alagiozidis, Stephanie James and Adrianna Tascone who are strong both as a group and individually. Josh Twee plays Todd, and features as a dancer. His training is evident and his movement is captivating – it is pleasing to see the production team creating opportunities for talent where roles aren’t scripted. Similarly, the oriental dance is hilariously and unexpectedly placed into the story, allowing Vivian Chang Chia Hsuan a feature moment also. It would be remiss of me not to mention the older female presence, Brigid De Neefe, who subtly plays many silent adult characters and offers the audience a few extra laughs.

Costumes are colourful and depict the characters well. Included are some ‘stock’ costumes for school uniforms, cheerleaders, but it was pleasing to see obvious colour palletes woven into various scenes away from the school setting. The lighting keeps the stage looking modern, incorporating four moving lights for extra effect. At times I did think there could be more front lighting where some faces were lost. The set is interesting and clever as the four walls slide into various positions across the stage revealing new locations.

I did see this production on opening night, and some of the timing and transitions were clunky. I have no doubt that the transitions will become smoother over the run, and it is a shame that the company was only able to have one full rehearsal in the theatre before opening. The main thing that went amiss for me was the use of media projection. While the two side screens were clearly visible and the content was interesting, it sometimes upstaged the performances. The facebook montage was very well put together and was used effectively during a set change. The centre projection was difficult to see each time it was used due to the detailed and textured backdrop it was projected onto, which was a shame. Also, in my opinion, the inclusion of an S&M inspired dance break in the scene where the boys looked at ‘naughty’ magazines, did not gel with the rest of the show’s family-friendly themes.

This is a fun and entertaining show staged with some innovative concepts. Unfortunately it closes this weekend, so if you are looking for some light entertainment then I would recommend this production of 13.

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