Sweet Charity

For too long lovers of musical theatre in Sydney have had to wait patiently for big ticket shows to open at one of the major theatres only to see them close a couple of weeks later with empty seats and a mystified chorus of “But it worked in Melbourne...”

Sweet Charity marks a new beginning. Sydney now has a dedicated musical theatre venue in the intimate Hayes Theatre Co and their first production was everything a show like this should be.

It was brash and a lot of fun, with plenty of laughs and great performances. Verity Hunt-Ballard made an easy-to-love Charity, bumbling her way through her romantic mis-adventure with Martin Crewes' various leading men, even if she occasionally bordered on caricature. And while Crewes clearly enjoyed playing the hapless, nerdy Oscar, the prospect of him tackling Sondheim or something a bit more straight-laced is thrilling. Debora Krizak was the stand-out of a strong ensemble. Her comedic timing gave the cynical and hard talkin' Nikki a couple of scene-stealing moments.

The stripped-back costumes and set, given the intimacy of the theatre, were inventive but the sound balance between the live band and the performers could be tweaked. The flaws, though, were minor and this venture deserves support not just for what it represents but also for the quality of their debut show.

Hayes Theatre Co to 9 March