Rent is one of the most intriguing musicals in the theatre canon, both in terms of its own story and in terms of its stylistic place in theatre history. With the creator of the musical, Jonathan Larson sadly passing away just before previews of the original show started, the musical has a uniquely rough and unfinished feel to it. Yet, the societal impact of the show was huge, dealing with the AIDS crisis at the time in a sensitive and nuanced way whilst also bridging the megamusical era with more modern-day musicals with a rock-heavy, radio-friendly score. 

This production of Rent is run by Opera Australia as part of their double-bill with La Boheme, which closed in the Joan Sutherland Theatre only a few weeks ago. Rent borrows quite substantially from the opera which makes Opera Australia’s programming quite clever and a nice bridge between the various ends of their work. 

The production team, led by Director Sean Rennie, have assembled a superstar cast for this production with some of the best Australian musical theatre performers combining for this special show. And the performers do not disappoint, with Jesse Dutlow as Angel being a particular standout with his marked charisma on stage and Calista Nelmes as Maureen absolutely raring the crowd up with some jaw-dropping vocal runs. Googoorewon Knox is appropriately sensitive as Collins but has plenty of opportunities to show off his gorgeous voice while Henry Rollo (Mark), Imani Williams (Joane) and Harry Targett (Roger) also give stellar vocal performances. 

In part due to the unfinished nature of the musical, Rent is not the easiest show to follow for the audience, frequently jumping between themes and storylines. On opening night, this was not helped by some sound issues which meant that the diction of the performers was lost (which is not an infrequent occurrence when the Joan Sutherland Theatre plays host to amplified sound). Additionally, while the vocals from all cast members are very strong, some of the nuanced acting in the production is missing at times meaning that the thematic development is slightly underdone. Some of the main couples on stage, whilst outstanding performers in their own right, do not have quite the same chemistry and passion together to really elevate the show to the next level. 

What is captured incredibly well in this production is the sense of bohemian optimism and triumph even in the face of tragedy. There is an exuberance about this production which drives the energy of the show and, given the sound issues which obscure the storyline a little, give the audience something tangible to latch onto. The energy in the show is at its highest when Nelmes takes on “Over The Moon’ with incredible vocal dexterity and performance craft to quite literally bring the house down. It is a highlight of the show and a masterclass in stagecraft. 

Of course, the show is known for its iconic group numbers especially “Seasons of Love” and this production certainly does not disappoint in its execution of this number. The ensemble is one of the strongest that I’ve seen in Australian theatre and they do a fantastic job in creating a wall of sound which permeates beautifully through the Joan Sutherland Theatre. 

Dann Barber’s set and Ella Butler’s costuming are appropriately gritty and muted while the band led by musical director Jack Earle are superb as well. Sound issues aside, this is a very well-considered production, which, whilst not deviating too much from the original vision, manages all the elements of this challenging work quite well. 

On opening night, the audience was treated to a special performance as members of the original Australian cast of the production joined the current company on stage for an encore performance of “Seasons of Love”. It was a beautiful celebration and had everyone in the audience up on their feet dancing and savouring the moment. It was a wonderful end to the night. 

Overall, this is a strong production of an iconic musical, with a great cast and amazing vocals. While the sound issues made following the production a little challenging on opening night and some of the chemistry is missing at some points, the cast capture the essence of bohemianism and the spirit of the fight beautifully. This is a musical that means so much to so many and for those who love the musical, they will be suitably impressed with this excellent production. 

Rating: ★★★★

Rent plays at the Joan Sutherland Theatre until 1^st November 2025. For more information, click here.

All photo credits: Neil Bennett