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THEATRE
True story told in song
by GILLIAN OXFORD
CAROLINE, by Peter
Pinne and Don Battye,
presented by St Mar
tin's Theatre Company
at the Playhouse. Pro
duced by John Ewing.
March 29 to April 4.
(8.15. Sat. 5.30 and "
8.30).
This breezy little
musical follows tra
ditional lines, with the
advantage of a strong
and a true story to tell.
It spans England and
Australia as immigrants
poured into the new coun
try in the 1840s,. when
Caroline Chisholm, a
woman far in advance of
her lime, spoke out for the
protection "of young girl
immigrants, and for the
settling of families, as the
most solid basis for colon
isation. .
Mrs Chisholm is played
with poise and charm by
Leila Blake, who has the
strength to pivot the play,
and a profile good enough
for any dollar note.
Her husband is shown
to be devoted throughout,
though Geoff Hiscock is
rather stiff, perhaps due to
pale characterisation.
This is not lacking in
the case of her chief cause
of chagrin, Dr Lang,
played with great gusto by
John Frawley. His Pro
testant polemics and her
tolerance of religion in
spite of her Catholicism
provide scenes of good
bite.
Also the bewildered im
migrant Tom, played by.
Ian Smith who has a fine
singing voice, has some
neat moments especially in
the brothel interludes.
Unfortunately the sub
plot centred upon Tom,
and the other various re
unions, become over-senti
mentalised. The instances
of mushiness are redeemed,
however, by songs like the
clipped and humorous
"Bushrangers, Bunyips and
Blacks", which strike fear
into the young female
travellers. But it is much
more the brothel frequent
ers who are dangerous.
These men are rowdy,
bawdy and unbelievably
uncouth, in fact the noise
and the muddle resulting
leave the audience at a
loss. The songs here too
lack the musicality of the
'On the Road' sequence,
which is sung liltingly and
sweetly.
The set. however, is mer
cifully simple, merely a
set of wooden platforms
at different levels, which
form an adaptable back
ground for the countless
scenes rattling past at
good speed. And the whole
production has a freshness
and uninhibited quality of
acting which could not
have been easy to achieve.
$