by Jai Jackson (ROAR Student)

Overall this is an amazing show because of all the hard work, sweat (which there was a lot of) and tears that went into it. Being the world community theatre premiere of this show, Redcliffe Musical Theatre blew the audience away and did this show great justice.

Firstly I want to complement the dancing in this show. It was the most fantastic dancing I’ve ever seen. The whole ensemble did an amazing job but my favourite dancers were Adam Goodall, Michelle ‘Rebel’ Murenec, Simon Chamberlain, Stuart Boardman, Brodie Jones, William Motunuu, Rana Sabben, John Chant, Jarrad Langtree, Thomas Antonio, Taylah Hopkins, Nikki Glowaki and just about everyone else. Now I know that’s a lot but they all stood out so much. I did see a couple dancers who didn't smile and there were a couple of dancers who would look at others to find out the dance moves , putting them a beat or two off.

All the acting in the show was amazing, from the emotions to the accents. Although, sometimes an Aussie accent would appear and there were times when someone would stand on stage for a long time and do nothing but stand. I loved how all fight scenes were realistic, so much so I thought they actually punched or tackled who they were fighting. I also heard there were some bruises, meaning the actors were really into it. Lyons played the Annette to the best point and portrayed being high very well.  I actually thought she was high at times. Murenec portrayed all of her emotion perfectly and Chamberlain played his cowardice character really well. Even though Simon is in actuality a very strong, confident man. Adam Goodall played the main man very well.  The family scenes were portrayed almost as if they were a real family, with an abusive dad, ambitious mother, pastor brother, dancing son, and quiet sister.

All singing was fantastic, from the harmonies to the high notes, to even the simplest of arrangements. Although a bit pitchy at times, the singing was mostly perfection. Morgan Eldridge and James Reid were especially amazing when they were together. They helped move the story along.  The band boosted the songs 110%. The set, production and effects were all so good. Everything ran smoothly and the sets design made it so much easier to make scene changes. The effects, at times, were a bit slow, but by the end were so impressive I jumped out of my seat to clap, cheer and dance through the finale. 

**Spoiler Alert**
This production was one of my favourites and the finale was so good. The ending with Tony, Adam and Simon, semi shirtless, singing ‘tragedy’ and then ‘you should be dancing’ got everyone on their feet and interacting. It was the perfect finale. The show does include adult themes but not as bad as one might think. Overall I give the show 4 out of 5 stars, because of all the amazing work and how the audience reacted to all the amazing songs and dances that there were. Thank you for reading and I hope you see the show. 

by Ashleigh Law (ROAR Student)

The World Community Theatre Premiere of Saturday Night Fever! Sounds big, exciting and a whole lot of fun. Redcliffe Musical Theatre have produced a show that’s just as good as it sounds. Singing and dancing its way through big musical numbers such as, You Should Be Dancing, Stayin’ Alive and Night Fever, the thirty strong cast produced an exciting show that had the whole audience on their feet, dancing away.

One stand out performer was Adam Goodall (Tony Manero). This 19 year old local portrayed his emotions well and had a firm grasp on the singing and dancing side of the show. His acting skills were commendable and was “way too good for a 19 year old” as some audience members remarked. Another who really stood out was Lily Ruve (Doreen). She stole the show before even opening her mouth, with her lovesick attitude for Tony. Her accent was perfect and she really embraced the “geekiness” of her character.

Solid performances were given by Simon Chamberlain as Bobby C, a young man struggling to decide what to do with his life, the leading ladies Rebel Lyons as Annette, and Michelle “Rebel” Murenec as Stephanie, who both had wonderful singing voices. Doug Harper (Fosco) and Stuart Boardman(Double J) portrayed their characters well. For once I am going to have to disagree with “Tony”. Sorry Rana, you gave a great performance but William Motunuu and Brodie Jones deserved the first place award. These two had great energy and new the dances well. They were both stand out performers and obviously trust each other, to be doing some of the dancing they were. Great Job!

Costumes, lighting and set were all excellent and helped create the 70’s mood. The set was extremely versatile and the excellent lighting helped accentuate the amazing performance given. Costumes were excellent and suited the era it was it in. The small band of ten sounded twice their size and played well. Take a bow guys! Altogether Saturday Night fever was an excellent show, performed at a high standard. The actors are to be commended as well as all backstage, lighting, costume crew and others involved with this great show. Congratulations Madeleine, you have produced a winner!

by James Reid (Guest Blogger)

My name is James Reid and I perform as a pit and club singer in the upcoming production of Saturday Night Fever. As a latecomer to the cast I've missed a lot of the earlier rehearsals. This means I still don't know a lot of names. What it also means is that I have walked into an almost completed show with my jaw dragging on the ground at the talent in the room. As one of the "older" generation, I grew up with the Bee Gees. I even owned the vinyl of Saturday Night Fever (for you youngens, vinyl is what we used to listen to before Mr CD and Mr MP3 changed the music world). To be able to sing these songs with the vocal and musical talent we have at RMT is a great thrill. And of course I get to work with our wonderful Musical Director, Sherree. Enough said!

by Camilla Niebling (Guest Blogger)

What could be more iconic for Saturday Night Fever consuming than Tony Manero’s white suit? Together, with the stance and the attitude, it has become one of the most memorable images in movie history. However, that is the movie and as a part of the costuming team, our mission is to transfer that look to the stage for all cast members.

If you looked at the world of fashion today, most people would automatically think more of women’s fashion. It is definitely more highly advertised and thought of with a higher regard compared to men’s where you can just slap on a t-shirt and jeans and pretty much go wherever you please. The 70s however, was an era where men’s fashion was definitely just as important as women’s. In this show for us, that is certainly more the case considering the sense of presence that Tony and the Faces have when they enter the disco every Saturday night. They have to own the stage and the way they look is a massive part of that for not only the audience but for the actor playing the role as well. Imagine being a bold and aggressive character only to be dressed in flouncy light blues or pinks or alternatively, being a shyer character only to be dressed in bright red or orange. Our job as costumers is to help the actors make the transition into becoming their characters and we have a great team together to help us do that.

Due to the nature of the show, with this having reasonably heavy dance requirements, we have had to look at making sure that whatever the performers are wearing can take the strain of movement. It is because of this we have brought in Debbie Burleigh from Debbie’s Activewear whom specialises in making costumes for ice skaters and gymnasts. Debbie has worked with RMT previously on shows such as Phantom of the Opera but it is in Saturday Night Fever that her knowledge and skills are coming to the fore front (If you have seen any of Redcliffe Musical Theatre’s promo photos featuring Tony is his white suit, yeah, that was her).

Also back with us is Barbara Bloodworth who has worked with RMT on more shows than one would care to count. She knows RMT and how they operate like the back of her hand and having her wisdom and guidance is invaluable to any production. Then then there is me, shifting between performer as Ensemble/Stephanie Mangano Understudy and costume consultant after only having previous experience with costumes for Harvest Rain’s production of Spamalot in 2014 (where I didn’t even know how to tread a sewing machine when I first started) and costume designer for Underground Productions “The Pillowman” this year.

The task for costuming in every show is unique and Saturday Night Fever is no different. Taking inspiration from the film, mixing it with iconic 70s style and bringing it to the stage is no easy feat, but is certainly is a whole lot of fun.