REVIEW BY ELLA CALLOW-SUSSEX
EDITED BY EMMA PARFITT
I have not read the book or watched the movie of American Psycho. As a teenager I had one too many encounters with a boy that didn’t understand satire, idolised American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman and decided to lecture me on how life changing and validating the story was. As a result, it was with some caution that I entered Chapel off Chapel for the Melbourne Premiere Production of American Psycho: A Musical Thriller, presented by See You Sunday. I left enthusiastically googling whatever I could get my hands on.
Under the considered direction of Mark Taylor you are never allowed to forget that this is a satire of wealth and corruption in gory detail. Sometimes, skilful directing means remaining invisible. However, in this show, the true indicator of skill is the commitment and clarity of the distinctly human impact on the show. American Psycho follows unhinged, unreliable and chainsaw-wielding narrator Patrick Bateman, a corporate drone and sociopathic narcissist at the top of the American hierarchy of wealth and power. As is so clearly articulated in the simple director’s note, “the entire production is seen through the eyes of Patrick Bateman.” With this frame, through the raucous laughter and show stopping numbers audiences are reminded to remain vigilant. Remembering the forced perspective of this piece, the audience must not be lulled into the detached entertainment that can be found in the story of Bateman’s descent into moral depravity. As he descends, murdering ensemble members, murdering sex workers, womanising and then confessing to a detective over the phone, the audience are reminded over and again that the wealthy classes don’t have our best interests at heart.
Set designer Harry Gill accomplishes the seemingly contradictory task of making the Chapel feel both grandiose and clinical. There is not a corner of the stage that goes unused, and everything serves a dual purpose. It is intelligent and deliberate in a way that is very fulfilling. With the space they were given, the set design was perfect. I do however wish that he could have had the room to fully realise his idea of the “monolithic scale” of the set. It is my sincerest hope that this performance and team be picked up to perform on one of the large commercial mainstages sometime in the immediate future so we get to see the scale, frames and platforms extended even further.
I was struck by the incorporation of Christopher Anderson’s onstage video design through an old 80’s TV set and video recorder. The integration of quotes from figures such as Trump, Hitler and Nietzsche grounds the audience in the cruelty and the absurdity of the characters’ beliefs. To make a play script, novel and movie from the 80s into a contemporary musical required some deft and intelligent updating of relevant context. These quotes hammer home the dangers of a narcissistic, sociopathic CEO class running the world – a reality that unfortunately hasn’t shifted as much as we’d hope since this story was first There were a few moments where I would have appreciated the TV hadn’t been used as it drew my focus away from the performances on stage, but overall it was a well-integrated and delightfully unexpected design choice that made this production unique.
Sidney Younger uses colour strikingly to add a sense of frenzy and chaos to the production. At times he creates such a distorted sense of reality that you feel yourself going slowly insane alongside Bateman. Particularly impressive is how synced the lights are to moments onstage. Every beat, line, switch in expression is accounted for in the cues. I was particularly impressed with the use of lighting strips embedded into the set casting uncanny downlight and isolating spaces onstage with a never-ending series of frames.
The dedication of Jessamine Moffett in finding genuine vintage costume pieces pays off tenfold. The entire ensemble is immaculately dressed with such unity that they could have fallen out of an idealistic American dream. Through every costume change, of which there are many, it is clear which character each ensemble member is playing within a second of them stepping onstage.
The Music Director, Aaron Robuck is fully integrated into the performance with a specially made box to conduct from. Robuck also portrays Luis Carruthers and alongside Montana Sharp (Jean) some songs are played live on keyboards in full view of the audience. This choice affords the production an incredible sense of dynamism and effectively showcases the multi talented creatives that make up the production and performance team.
The choreography by Sophie Loughran is seamless and electric. The transitions are effortless and the physicality and energy of the ensemble is unmatched. A particular mention should go to Elaina Bianchi (Vanden and Others), who is at the top of some gasp-worthy lifts and flips.
As the titular psycho himself, Conor Beaumont is terrifying as Patrick Bateman. His focus is so precise that it feels like at any moment he is either going to invite you to lunch or turn his chainsaw on you. His physicality is striking and uncanny from the very first moment as he emerges out of a tanning bed. He is so captivating that the audience was compelled to clap as he entered for Act Two despite the carnage he had just wrought onstage. His voice is enthralling, particularly in the second act where he has the opportunity to properly showcase his range. To be so grounded in an intelligent performance while playing such a delusional character takes a level of skill that could only be achieved by a star of great magnitude.
The rest of the male ensemble is portrayed with appropriate insanity and depravity. Sam Ward as Paul Owen/Detective Kimball is smarmy and controlling, a formidable presence on stage with a powerful voice. Jake Ameduri as Timothy Price and Others, as well as Aaron Robuck as Luis are perfect and vital comedic foils to what is otherwise a very intense show. Ameduri’s ability to manipulate his voice and Robuck’s endlessly awkward comedic timing offer such brevity and play to the performance. Rounded out by Dan Ham (Craig McDermott and Others) and Lauchlan Mant (David Van Patten and others), the investment bankers conference table is always in perfect step and time with the music.
Despite being portrayed only through Patrick Bateman’s shallow and reductive view of women, the female ensemble shines. Jordan Malone as Evelyn, Patrick Bateman’s girlfriend, is funny, desperate and (intentionally) so annoying. When looking at women in this show, it is important to heed the director’s note – this is Evelyn as Patrick sees her, and in that way the performance is excellent. Ellie Nunan as Mrs Bateman and others is on almost every scene, often in totally contrasting characters and plays each one with such authenticity and gravitas that you forget she is only one person. As well as being a powerful dancer Elaina Bianchi has an entrancing voice and stage presence that demands attention. Montana Sharp as Jean is charming, grounded and kind. She is a breath of fresh air amidst the murder. I was so pleased to see more of her in the second half and the staging of her solo song with the rest of the female cast was a masterclass in ensemble work.
I am utterly transfixed by how fresh, vibrant and vital this show is. For a production company to debut with so many professional debuts amongst its cast and creatives it truly feels that See You Sunday is at the forefront of an exciting new era in Australian musical theatre. If you are lucky enough to see this wealth of exciting new talent in the all but sold out season, I urge you to go. I invite you to be challenged by theatre to see a show that wants to have a conversation with you; a show that makes you think, all while serving killer looks.
See You Sunday Inc’s American Psycho: A Musical Thriller plays at Chapel Off Chapel til September 21st.
ELLA CALLOW-SUSSEX is a theatre maker and reviewer for the Dialog. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English/Theatre Studies and Creative Writing.
EMMA PARFITT (she/her) is the Dialog’s head editor and has written Dialog reviews alongside studying towards her science degree for the past two years. She is a production manager, stage manager and producer on the Melbourne indie theatre scene and a veteran of student theatre at Union House Theatre.
The Dialog is supported by Union House Theatre.
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