The gorgeous State Theatre played a fitting host to the one-week revival of La Cage Aux Folles, after a season at The Concourse in Chatswood earlier in the year. La Cage is a musical that holds great poignancy for so many, as the first hit Broadway musical centred around a queer relationship. The story tells of a gay couple, Georges, who manages a Drag club and his partner Albin, who is the star of the club’s shows. The show is overtly comedic, but has a serious undertone to it, dealing with serious issues such as discrimination, love and complex family dynamics through farce. This is part of the reason why the show is so loved and is considered revolutionary in its application, for which it has won 11 Tony Awards. 

It also makes the musical a challenging one to pull off. However, the superb cast ensured that the audience left with broad smiles on their faces. Michael Cormick and Paul Capsis starred as Georges and Albin, playing their roles with the necessary humour but also layering their characters with nuanced and refined emotion in order to properly convey the story. Capsis in particular was as brilliant as he was dazzling, lighting up the stage with charisma and flamboyant costumes. 

But for all the campness of the role, it was his sensitivity and strength in “I Am What I Am” to close the first act which was one of the most memorable moments of the show. As one of the most iconic numbers in musical theatre, any performer has to be perfect to leave the audience satisfied and Capsis absolutely nailed it. It was showstopping but also delivered with a conviction that made it believable, which is especially important in the role of Albin. 

However, arguably, the real stars of the show were some of the supporting characters. Noah Mullins, who played the conflicted son of Georges and Albin, Jean-Michel, was superb in all aspects. His voice had a very modern timbre, which was unique in this production and made him immediately stand out. This allowed him to showcase the delicacy and purity of his voice, especially in “With Anne On My Arm” which was a highlight of the first act. I only wish we could have heard more of his voice! 

But the real highlight was the hilarious Anthony Brandon Wong as Albin’s butler/maid Jacob. Wong’s comedic timing was perfect throughout the show, with hilarious interjections and movement throughout. As a purely comedic role, he provided breaks from the dramatic content and those breaks were incredibly well received by the audience. He is another I would love to see on stage again soon. 

With a small cast, the performers needed to work incredibly hard to ensure cohesion and structure were maintained throughout the show. However, this cast was incredibly accomplished and managed this commendably and with ease. The set was minimalist but was enough to set the scene. It was a pleasure to see the orchestra play at the back of the stage and they did an outstanding job, led by Craig Renshaw. 

Unlike some of the other musicals of the time, which continue to play regularly today, La Cage suffers from feeling a little dated. Some of the music felt of a bygone era which can make it hard for audiences to connect in the same way as at the time of release. However, the director, Riley Spadaro, made the decision to perform the show relatively faithful to the original script and staging, which was a fair decision but arguably, it did impact the connection a little bit. Elsewhere, there were a few minor word stumbles and technical issues, which were to be expected in a space not inherently designed for musical theatre. That said, overall, this is an excellent, fun and exciting show that showcases a fairly revolutionary tale in its traditional form. With exquisite performances from its leads and moments of magic from supporting characters, this is a show not to miss!  

Rating ★★★★

La Cage Aux Folles plays until 23rd April. For more information, click here.

Photo credit: John McRae