Variations: The Musical March 24, 2013

Variations
The Musical
by Nick Enright & Terence Clarke
Book & Lyrics by Nick Enright
Music by Terence Clarke
Performance rights for Variations are exclusively licensed by
HLA Management Pty Ltd and The Cameron Creswell Agency.

Directed by Christopher Hurrell
Musical Director Andrew Worboys
Assistant Musical Director Isaac Hayward

Monday 25 March at 2pm & 8pm
At Theatre 19 - The Darlinghurst Theatre

Tickets $35
Bookings via the Neglected Musicals website
or by calling 0498 960 586

www.neglectedmusicals.com.au
or in person at the theatre 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point

Starring
Maggie Blinco, Amanda Bishop, Martin Crewes, Rodney Dobson
Margi de Ferranti, Belinda Wollaston
further cast announced soon

Neglected Musicals is honoured to announce that the next presentation will be Variations a musical by Nick Enright & Terence Clarke, the fabulous Australian Musical Theatre team that bought us The Venetian Twins and Summer Rain.

Directed by Christopher Hurrell and with Musical Direction by Andrew Worboys, Variations will have two presentations on Monday 25 March at Theatre 19 - The Darlinghurst Theatre.

“Variations was a quiet landmark in Australian musical theatre, at a time when the Australian Musical was still mostly limited to versions of outback-themed vaudeville,” said director Christopher Hurrell. “Variations marked one of the first times Australians heard the stories, themes and places of their daily lives expressed in a musical, where the world of the story was also the world of its audience.”

The search for love and fulfilment - Sydney, 1982. Three generations of Australian women: the oldest, a cellist, finds a violinist to accompany her in duets; the middle one, Meg, is a successful shopfront lawyer and single parent of a 17-year-old girl; each has a suitor. Meg's sister-in-law unexpectedly lands on her doorstep, a fugitive from an uncomprehending husband and a routine and apparently happy marriage.
The original production of Variations was directed by John Bell and played at The Nimrod from December 2 1982 - January 8 1983. And stared Robert Alexander, Philip Dodd, Vivienne Garrett, , Nancye Hayes, Brian James, Patricia Kennedy, Kim Krejus, Deidre Rubenstein and George Spartels

“Nick and I both thought that Variations (original title: Chamber Music) the best work we did together: it played to 98% at Nimrod; won the 1983 NSW Premier's Literary Award for a play which was the first time the awards had recognized drama and Nick received a swag of letters saying, You have told my story,” said composer Terence Clarke. “The need for love runs throughout Nick's oeuvre as a dark subterranean river; in Variations the river surfaces, finds the light of common day and declares itself.”

“I am so pleased that we are able to present this Australian musical,” said Producer Michelle Guthrie. “Our presentation of Variations marks within a few days, 10 years since we lost the great Nick Enright.”

Neglected Musicals is an initiative dedicated to presenting musical theatre that has never (or rarely) been seen in Australia, whether it be that the musicals were not considered commercial enough for an Australian season or they just didn’t get picked up by an Australian producer. A musical chosen to be presented by Neglected Musicals may have had a long run on Broadway and the West End but never made it to Australia or may have had a short run off Broadway to critical acclaim but didn’t go any further for one of a hundred reasons. It may even have been a financial flop overseas but have artistic merit and worth a look. Neglected Musicals presents a reading of a chosen show with scripts in hand, with the musical numbers sung through, after only a few rehearsals. Although the presentations do not have set or costume design – there are some design elements. Commencing in 2010 Neglected Musicals has presented eight musicals to date, this will be the first presentation of an Australian musical.

Neglected Musicals is not for profit, where the participants are volunteers. All proceeds from ticket sales fund the next Neglected Musical.