RENT

There were moments in this production that transcended this dated and earnest musical written around the spectre of AIDS and set in a vastly poorer-than-now East Village in NYC - moments like Casey Donovan and Laura Bunting circling each other and belting out Take Me Or Leave Me, or the simplicity of Andy Dexterity's choreography, deftly weaving sign language through the songs, or the convivial feeling that began the second half in the venue's small foyer with the cast launching into Seasons Of Love perched on couches around the room.

A musical just as much about its talented young cast as the characters they portray, this RENT was packed full of talent that should be given the chance to step up into much bigger productions. Nana Matapule and Christopher Scalzo, our Tom Collins and Angel, provided the emotional touchstones and were the standout performers, though Bunting's arrival as Maureen late in the first half really lit this musical's spark and the second half was much stronger for her presence.

There were minor technical problems, in particular several mic cues were missed, but director Shaun Rennie and his team have built a very believable Alphabet City in the small space.

Really though, it's the dynamic and fresh young faces populating this cast that gave this tenement a pulsing, compelling heart.