Pulteney Grammar School. Futures Theatre, Paradise. 30 May 2025
Pulteney Grammar’s production of Greg Kotis’ Urinetown- The Musical is an outstanding example of what can be achieved with a secondary school musical when the happy combination of talent, time and significant resources are brought together by a school community.
It is clear the efforts of the substantial production team to provide a strong foundation for the talented cast paid off!
A ten times Tony Award nominated, triple winner, the musical opened on Broadway in 2000. Despite that, it’s comically satirized comment on a socially two-tiered world, beset by water shortages controlled by a corrupt system under the regime of the despotic Caldwell B. Cladwell (Billy Rowan) could not be more pertinent! In this dog-eat-dog world, citizens must use public, pay-per-use, amenities controlled by the despot’s company. The underclass hero of the piece, Bobby Strong, (Patrick Longden) leads a revolution against Cladwell’s socially irresponsible, avaricious corporation, and the legal system as well as unwittingly falling in love with Hope Cladwell (Polly Schubert).
Kotis’s Urinetown is a sophisticated exploration of corporate greed, environmental catastrophe, and the resilience of a community pushing back despotism, cleverly tempered by crackling satire, and intentionally self-conscious “meta” commentary.
Under Jo Casson’s capable direction, this youthful cast manages the themes and pace of the show with great insight and impeccable timing.
Credit must be given to the ensemble, the seething, writhing, gloriously grotty mob of citizens, crooks, and sanitation martyrs. Variously huddled in protest or jazz-handing for justice, every single performer gives Broadway-level commitment such that one wanted to give them each their own curtain call.
Wardrobe is, quite simply, spectacular and testimony to the resourcefulness of Costume Coordinator, Madi Schubert, assistants, Jordan Bender and Jess Bohmer and an expansive Costume Preparation Team.
Choreographers Casson and Rosy Dobre prove to be a dynamic duo, their iterations of Look at The Sky, Snuff That Girl, Run Freedom, Run and I See A River are ensemble showstoppers one won’t forget in a hurry! And the Commedia style lazzi throughout is hilarious!
Pulteney’s Head of Performing Arts and Musical Director, Jonathan Rice, conducted Mark Hollmann’s score with professional precision, its harmonies tight, cues on point, and musical shifts, from comic to tragic and back again, seamless.
Clearly well supported by the work of Vocal Director Katia Labozzetta and repetiteur Meredith Wilson, the Principal Cast is simply superb! Henry Green as Officer Lockstock, accompanied by his faithful sidekick Officer Barrel (Sebastian Gollan – a thirteen-year-old with a great future!) is immediately likeable- despite being something of a rascal- and engaging in his finely balanced roles of narrator and corrupt cop. Similarly, Little Sally (Emily Puah) connects with personable charm and great comic timing. Pocket rocket Maggie Bridges as the rough around the edges, streetwise, crafty, Penelope Pennywise simply shines in every aspect of her performance and Billy Rowan is superbly despicable as Cladwell; I would have liked to have seen stronger attempts by the makeup team to age these two. Polly Schubert as Hope and Patrick Longden as Bobby, crackle with romantic tension and both possess great presence. Did I mention the singing is simply superb? Unbelievably so! I hope these great young performers, along with many of the ensemble are given (and take) the opportunity to pursue arts training and a career when they finish school. To this end, perhaps the SA Government could provide similar funding to the Arts as they do to bailing out basketball teams abandoned by their owners!
Along with Pelican Productions, Pulteney Grammar’s Musical Theatre course seems on a trajectory to produce the next of generation musical theatre stars!
Pulteney Grammar turned toilet humour into theatrical high art. It was witty, bold, deeply relevant, and just the right amount of absurd.
Theatre is supposed to provoke and entertain, and this production of Urinetown - The Musical does it with style.
Go! See it!!!
John Doherty
When: 29 to 31 May
Where: Futures Theatre, Paradise
Bookings: humanitix.com
