Venue: Hayes Theatre Co (Potts Point NSW), Jul 12 – Aug 11, 2024
Book: Allan Knee
Music: Jason Howland
Lyrics: Mindi Dickstein
Director: Amy Campbell
Cast: Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward, Maddy Betts, Molly Bugeja, Peter Carroll, Emily Cascarino, Lawrence Hawkins, Vitoria Hronopoulos, Tisha Kelemen,  Kaori Maeda-Judge, Shannen Alyce Quan, Kurt Russo, Tyran Stig
Images by Grant Leslie

Theatre review
Jo is an aspiring writer in 1868 Massachussets, facing challenges due to her gender and class. It is decades before women obtain the right to vote, so to have career ambitions, and indeed to imagine herself as anything more than a wife and mother, is quite remarkable. Family, however, remains central to Jo’s concerns, as we see in this musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott much-loved novel, Little Women. Her mother and sisters form important threads in the narrative, of a young woman who has no qualms about deserving it all.

In a book by Allan Knee, we discover a slightly lacklustre plot assembled from a condensation of key events from Alcott’s story. Songs by Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein are generic in style, although theatrically effective, and on occasion capable of being deeply moving. Direction by Amy Campbell excels at creating believable characters, and at making every scene engaging, for a show that many will find enjoyable. Visual aspects are less accomplished. Set design by Tanwee Shresta demonstrates admirable creativity, but struggles to evoke relevant time and place. Costumes by Lily Matelian too are imaginatively rendered, although not always flattering. Lights by Peter Rubie are mostly pragmatic in approach, only taking the opportunity to be conspicuous at the right moments.

In the lead role is the sensational Shannen Alyce Quan, powerful not only with their vocal abilities, but also with their depictions of Jo’s emotional dimensions, making a gregarious personality feel wonderfully vibrant and spirited, whilst remaining convincing as a woman from a bygone era. It is a strong cast that delivers Little Women, each performer dedicated and considered in their respective parts, and harmonious as an ensemble. The strong quality of singing is a highlight of the show, and along with music direction by Gianna Cheung, Little Women is a work of theatre that proves enjoyable, if not sufficiently poignant.

We love telling children, that they can be anything they wish when they grow up, but subliminal messages often convey something different. Girls especially, are indoctrinated all manner of restrictions that pertain especially to how we conceive of gender as a defining element in a person’s being. Not only do we continue to believe that men and women have different capacities, we insist on perpetuating the subjugation of one beneath the other. Even if Jo is able in her own mind to escape all that conditioning, there is only so much she can achieve, in 19th century USA where the sustenance of prevailing systems require that very imbalance of power. Jo would certainly have gone further in today’s improved circumstances, but disparities persist and many of her sisters will continue to not be able to shine.

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