September Song (1983)

Once again the Wesley/Lauriston musical has passed. As with previous years, the standard of acting, singing, music, and total production were excellent. But this musical differed from the others in several ways. Those who try to find September Song in a list of Broadway or off-Broadway productions will attempt this in vain. September Song is the brainchild of Mr. Laurie Humphries who has been working on it for several years. The music has been provided by the subject of the musical himself, Kurt Weill and his associates in many years of composing/playwriting. The arrangements were by Mr. John Lee with musical assistance by Mrs. Kath McGrath, both now as much a part of ”The Musical” tradition as the two schools themselves.

This year, however, there are two new faces in The Musical's production team. The much-respected duo of Mr Dawson Hann and Mr Tony Scanlon have elevated themselves from directing Middle School Plays to directing The Musical. Perhaps a wish for greener pastures, perhaps a wish to see veterans from their previous productions, perhaps a desire for an early death; whatever the reason, they were a welcome addition to the company.

The male star of ”September Song” was Warwick Smith. He gave the character of Kurt Weill a good rendition and although he may have had doubts of his own ability, he can rest assured that the audiences on all four nights did not share his doubts, but showed their appreciation. The female lead playing Weill's wife Lotte Lenya was Lauriston's school captain Barbara Syme. Having spread her dramatic wings in three previous Wesley/Lauriston productions (Pal Joey, lolanthe, and The Lady's Not For Burning) she finished her run with all her thespian talents displayed. Possessing an excellent voice and an almost unlimited dramatic talent, Barbara again showed the style that may one day earn her a place on the professional stage. Despite her diminutive stature, her compelling stage presence gave Lotte a character that the real Mrs. Weill would have been proud to possess.

There were many splendid performances from talented young actors of both schools. They played a group of characters that read like an ”anyone who's ever been anyone ” book Bertolt Brecht, the Gershwin Brothers, several Weimar playwrights. Josephine Baker, Abbie Mitchell, Maxwell Anderson, Moss Hart, Gertrude Lawrence, Noel Coward and Mary Martin. Adolf Hitler even put in an appearance, to look back-stage and see Bertolt Brecht during the finer points of rock music with Maxwell Anderson, or Moss Hart, Noel Coward, George Gershwin and an unidentified ”graduate” sitting in a circle intoning the Krishna chant complete with cymbals, is something that had to be seen to be believed. Jamie Weir, as Bertolt Brecht, gave his characterisation the right mix of the gruff radical and the passionate artist.

One member of Tuesday night's crowd asked why the powers-that-be used a teacher as Brecht instead of a student Amelia Joscelyne as Abbie Mitchell (as Clara) was superb with her rendition of Gershwin's Summertime. Possessing a magnificent voice, she was one of the highlights of the show. Despite Amelia being white and possessing an enormous shock of flaming red hair, with a little help from some hair dye and face paint she was transformed into the blues singer she portrayed. Stephen Torek's MC or ”Conferencier”, although smacking of Joel Gray's Cabaret character, was a real scene stealer. His face buried under about three inches of greasepaint, Stephen appealed to the audience's sense of the bizarre with his two renditions of communist poems.

Louise Stiriing, as the debonair Gertrude Lawrence, was excellent. She gave the part the typically Lawrenceian touch of performing solely to the audience, and hamming it up all the way. Mention must be made of the voice of George Biritz. This fairly untried performer's vocal ability far outstripped his years and he held the audience spellbound with his two beautiful solos. Finally, James Garden. This year he played a series of cameo roles; he was, of course recognisable as James Garden, in each one! But instead of detracting from the audience's enjoyment of the part, it seemed only to spur them on to louder laughter, applause and appreciation.

In no way could this be considered an actor’s-only production. The twenty-seven piece orchestra - somewhat of a co-ed Big Band - the music for which Mr. Lee had arranged himself, played their part excellently. During the scene changes they were heard to play reprises of numbers we had just heard, permanently placing those numbers in our minds. The lighting and sound crews, so often unsung heroes, fulfilled their roles perfectly. A minor disaster occurred just before opening night when the lighting desk started smoking and short-circuited, leaving the production with no lights. After a major operation that shortened the lives of everyone involved in the production, a new desk was found, and the show went on.

Thanks must go to Mark Read, David Benallack, Rufus Black and Alex Shackleton for lighting and Bill Johnstone, Dean Huntsman, Corey Mitchell, Michael Heffernan and Anna Johnston for sound. The backstage crew of twelve had sixteen different scene changes to do, all of which presented their own problems, but were dealt with magnificently. Mr. Bill Toppin must be congratulated for co-ordinating the entire operation with Mr. David McLachlan as assistant stage manager. All of those who saw September Song must agree that it was one of the best musicals ever put on by Wesley/Lauriston. The reason for this success may be partly attributed to the fact that it was the world premiere of this musical, but also to the amazing teamwork shown by all members of the cast, crew, and orchestra. This teamwork managed to bring them through seventy-six and a quarter hours of rehearsals and twelve hours of performances.