As a band of musicians playing on stage welcome the audience into the Reginald Theatre at the Seymour Centre, the opening of Cowbois evokes a very similar feeling to many a musical past and present in Sydney’s musical theatre scene. What has come to be associated with Once and Calamity Jane is back for this production and it actually creates quite a warming and inclusive feel, really drawing the audience in with musicians on stage even as they walk into the theatre. This is very much in keeping with the themes of the production which is premised not only on inclusivity but also on telling stories that are rarely told in theatre. Rather than casting non-binary actors into cisgendered roles, this is a production primarily concerned with telling the stories of non-binary individuals, which highlights the importance of this work and its place in the theatre landscape.  

The play, written by Charlie Josephine and directed by Kate Gaul, tells the story of a town in the Wild West during the Gold Rush era, where all the men have gone off in search of fortune and only the women and children remain alongside an alcoholic sheriff. The town is thrown into chaos by the arrival of Jack Cannon, who falls in love with the local innkeeper despite being wanted all around the nation. Eventually the men return and everything is thrown into disarray with chaos ensuing on every front.

In some ways the story is quite similar to Calamity Jane, which is also playing at the moment, traversing some similar themes and definitely a familiar setting. However, this feels like a more serious and less humorous production, with trans acceptance and domestic violence playing very heavy roles. The importance of the messages in this production, as well as the exploration of heavy subject matter, is what really stands out about this work. The play is commendable for its focus on very topical but quite difficult issues and it certainly does not shy away from dealing with these, no matter how uncomfortable. The characterisation is also strong in the play, even if a little caricature-ish at times.

However, the play is extremely long and quite repetitive and predictable in places and drags quite a bit more than it really should, with probably half an hour of length that is not needed. The second act especially feels somewhat trivial and especially caricature-ish when the men return, as the plot moves from innovative into quite a stereotypical format.

The acting is quite strong in the production, with Jules Billington as Jack Cannon an absolute star of this production (although their absence for the majority of the second act is a real shame). They are well supported by the ensemble cast, with Emily Cascarino as Miss Lillian also doing a fantastic job as the main love interest. The costuming is clever and Emelia Simcox’s set design is quaint and befitting of the occasion, doing a good job of enhancing the action on stage. However, there is so much going on on stage at all times that it feels somewhat cluttered, with a lot of actors on stage and a lot of action going on so a more cohesive plot would have been welcomed. Additionally, some of the singing and dancing leaves quite a bit to be desired and is perhaps unnecessary in the scheme of things with so much already going on.

Overall, this is an interesting production covering very important themes but it is perhaps a little too long and does not really drill into the themes in the way that one would expect from a production like this. The acting is strong but some of the singing and dancing is perhaps a bit inconsistent. This is definitely an important production and one worth seeing and one can only hope that it continues to develop as its reach grows.

Rating: ★★★1/2

Cowbois plays at the Reginald Theatre until 13 December. For more information, click here.

All photo credits: Alex Vaughan