Bright Star is the latest production in the Hayes Theatre’s season, with the production team and company led by Miranda Middleton and Damien Ryan taking on the Tony Award-nominated score in the Hayes’ intimate theatre in Potts Point. 

The production immediately evokes feelings of other fantastic recent productions in Sydney such as Once, with all the performers juggling instruments as well as singing and dancing. This approach worked well in the Hayes space and ensured that the focus was on the stage the whole time. 

In the production, two stories are interspersed with returning soldier Billy seeking to prove himself as a writer in the wake of the loss of his mother being one story and the story of Alice Murphy, a literary editor with a penchant for language and a deep sense of grief and loss being another. As the production progresses the stories converge in a not unforeseeable but still heartwarming way.

The brightest star of this production is Hannah McInerney as Alice who gives a truly stunning performance. Her voice perfectly fits the score and the bluegrass stylings of the music and the twang in her voice reverberates around the theatre. She is so clear and precise in her artistic choices and she really brings the audience into the world of torment and stoicism that Alice embodies. Her ballad “If You Knew My Story” is one of the highlights of the show and a reflection of McInerney’s talent. There is no doubt that she is destined for great things in Australian musical theatre. 

She is well supported by the rest of the cast, with Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward as Billy being another highlight. Some of the singing from the ensemble and other featured leads is a little wonky and inconsistent in pitch at times but this is somewhat understandable given that the performers have to master their instruments as well. It does mean that at times, some of the flow in the musical is lost, making the production a little hard to follow.

There is also quite a lot of exposition at the start of the show, although the pace picks up significantly after the intermission. Alec Steedman and Victoria Falconer’s musical direction allow the score to shine, almost bringing it to life as a part of the action itself. It is unusual for a Broadway musical to be based upon bluegrass music but it works very well in this production and is executed well on the Hayes stage for a strong performance. 

Overall, this is a strong performance with a lot of heart and an amazing performance from Hannah McInerney. While some of the singing is a little off at times from the ensemble and the production stagnates a little at the start, the beauty of the storyline and the music mean that this is a great production for music lovers and musical lovers alike. Sport for Jove has definitely found a winner here. 

Rating: ★★★★

Bright Star plays at the Hayes Theatre until 5^th October 2025. For more information, click here. 

Photo credit: Robert Catto