La vie bohème

Rent (book, music and lyrics by Jonathon Larson)

Directed by Madeleine Johns

Redcliffe Musical Theatre

Season: 9th-25th November

Rent is set in New York in the late 1980s, and follows the trials and tribulations of a group of friends across the period of a year. The group of mostly impoverished bohemians face adversity in the form of HIV/AIDS, housing insecurity, and love and loss. I remember watching the film adaption of Rent many times when I was in high school, so I was curious to see if it would be a show I would appreciate as an adult, as much as it was when I was an angsty youngin'.

The cast of RMT's Rent (photo by Beak Photographics)

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the theatre was the set. The large arched window, ladder and platforms all make the set look and feel like an industrial loft. I especially appreciated the little details, like the Christmas lights effortlessly strewn over a panel of chainlink fence; which reminded me of the home decorating efforts I've encountered in a many a share house.

We are first introduced to Mark (the show's narrator), and his roommate Roger. As the story unfolds we are introduced to all of the characters and learn about who they are and how they fit into the narrative of Rent. Most of the scenes didn't appear to have specific blocking or choreography however this made the show feel more natural and free-flowing. I'd expected the band to be a little more in-your-face for the more energetic group numbers, but I feel a more nuanced approach was appropriate to the size of the venue. Vocally, the cast had beautiful, balanced harmonies and the solo parts conveyed the emotions felt by their respective characters ("I'll Cover You - Reprise" hit me like a brick to the face).

The costuming was appropriate to the era and complementary to each character's personality and social class. The ensemble worked as a cohesive unit whilst also allowing their individual characters to show on the stage. The romantic partnerships worked well, however some couples had better on-stage chemistry than others. Zac Crisan's charismatic and tragic portrayal of Angel stood out to me the most, however I must also acknowledge the powerhouse vocals of Georgia Burnett (who played Joanne), and the resilience displayed by Rebel Bliss (Mimi), who was able to cover a fall on stage as if it never happened.

The dialogue was at times unintelligible and there was a pivotal moment in Act 2 that I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in because I was more concerned about the character's getting down the stairs safely, but apart from that, Redcliffe Musical Theatre has created a captivating production of Rent and I would recommend going to see it. Tickets for the remaining shows of the season can be purchased here.

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