REVIEW BY TARAS SCURRY
EDITED BY CHARLOTTE FRASER
This production was nothing short of electrifying. There’s little point in attempting to soften that claim, Amplified: The Exquisite Rock and Rage of Chrissy Amphlett asserts itself with a ferocity and confidence that refuses dilution. Raw, unapologetic and deeply reverent, it is a performance that pulses with both backbone and an unmistakable sense of identity.
From the outset, the Comedy Theatre is transformed into something far more visceral than a traditional performance space. The atmosphere is charged, almost volatile, as though the audience is not merely seated but bracing themselves. This is no passive retelling. Rather, it feels as if the spirit of Chrissy Amphlett herself is looming, waiting to be channelled. When Sheridan Harbridge takes to the stage, that anticipation is not only met but emphatically exceeded.
Harbridge does not attempt imitation, something that would be both futile and unnecessary. Instead, she embodies Amphlett’s essence. There is a raspiness, a physicality and a sense of controlled chaos in her movement that evokes Amphlett’s seismic presence without ever descending into caricature. Backed by a tight four-piece band under the direction of Glenn Moorhouse, the stage becomes a living organism. Each note, each beat, reverberates with intention, as if the music itself is narrating alongside her. Harbridge’s performance is intoxicating in its intensity. She commands the stage with reckless precision, oscillating between swagger and fragility. One moment she is the audacious frontwoman in a school uniform, defiantly confronting a male dominated industry, the next, she is disarmingly exposed, revealing the cost of that defiance. Harbridge’s performance allows the audience a chance to reconcile Amphlett’s humanity with her iconic celebrity persona.
The production charts the rise of Amphlett with clarity and propulsion. From the sticky carpets of suburban pubs to the dizzying heights of chart-topping success with Divinyls, the trajectory is both familiar and freshly invigorated. However, what proves most compelling is not the chronology, but the emotional undercurrent threading it together. There is a careful weaving of myth and memory, where anecdote bleeds into performance, and performance into something almost confessional.
The production extends beyond biography – it stands as a meditation on fame, gender and the commodification of identity. Amphlett’s fearless fusion of sexuality and vulnerability is not presented as novelty, but as a radical act, one that reshaped the landscape of Australian music. By doing so, the play invites reflection on the enduring pressures placed upon women in performance spaces, and the paradox of empowerment within those constraints.
Under the direction of Sarah Goodes, the production demonstrates a keen understanding of restraint. There is no reliance on excessive spectacle, instead, moments are allowed to breathe. This is particularly evident in transitions between songs and storytelling, where shifts in lighting and tempo carry the audience seamlessly from raucous energy to quiet introspection. As such, the contrast between Amphlett’s public bravado and private vulnerability is rendered with striking clarity.
Amplified does not succumb to the trap of sanctification. While it is undeniably reverent, it avoids flattening its subject into untouchable iconography. Instead, there is an acknowledgment of complexity, a recognition that legacy is not built solely on triumph, but also on struggle, contradiction and persistence. This balance is where the production finds much of its strength.
The origins of the work lend an additional layer of poignancy, drawing inspiration from a one woman show Amphlett herself had been developing. There is a palpable sense that this is not simply a tribute imposed from the outside, but a continuation of an artistic vision left unfinished. In that regard, Goodes and her collaborators have achieved something rather remarkable, they have created a piece that feels both deeply personal and collectively owned.
Amplified is not merely a celebration of Chrissy Amphlett, but a reclamation of her voice, loud, unfiltered and defiantly enduring – a production that resonates long after its final note. If this performance is anything to go by, that voice will continue to echo for years to come, as powerful and provocative as ever.
Amplified: The Exquisite Rock and Rage of Chrissy Amphlett was presented by the Marriner Group and played at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne 19 – 22 March, 2026.
TARAS SCURRY is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Philosophy. He deeply enjoys the arts and is thrilled to be part of The Dialog.
CHARLOTTE FRASER (she/her) is a writer, performer and student editor based in Melbourne. She holds a BA in English and Theatre Studies and is currently completing her Masters degree at the University of Melbourne. Charlotte is also the 2026 Dialog Editor.
The Dialog is supported by Union House Theatre
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