“American Idiot” impresses audiences
Off the Leash Theatre has returned to the stage at West Gippsland Arts Centre with a dark, grungy and highly energetic performance of Green Day’s American Idiot musical.
First-time Off the Leash director Corey Bruerton has definitely made his mark, delivering a fantastically popular show that captured every audience member’s attention and received plenty of enthusiastic applause at curtain call.
The entire show came together extremely well after several pandemic-related interruptions, and each scene made excellent use of the set and stage. “Give Me Novacaine” was particularly beautifully directed and the juxtaposition between the characters “Johnny” and “Will” was expertly presented.
Hats off to choreographer Grace Attard for her efforts as choreographer for a less-than-traditional musical. Attard’s hard work definitely paid off and crafted a distinctly punk-rock-style performance. “Letterbomb” was one of many scenes where Attard’s work really stood out.
Musical director Yolette Stewart should be commended for her work as well, the performers gave good vocal performances and the band sounded great.
Daniel Hussein completely embodied the role of “Johnny”, a small-town teen turned bigcity addict. He delivered a high-energy performance from the moment he stepped on stage and carried it throughout the show. His accent, movement and characterisation were impeccable.
Hussein worked extremely well with Coby Gregg as “Will” and Matthew Berend as “Tunny”. The three meshed together well, and it was easy for the audience to buy into the character’s strong bond. Both Gregg and Berend delivered stand-out vocal performances.
“St Jimmy” was played by Sami Le Vaunter, who was an absolute joy to watch on stage. Le Vaunter’s complete commitment to the character brought an entirely new element to the show. From the moment “St Jimmy” strutted out onto the stage clad in a flared leather ensemble the audience’s attention was captured.
Eliza Mazzitelli stunned as “Whatsername”. From her entrance in “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” to the beautifully choreographed “Give Me Novacaine” and “Letterbomb”, she was a stand-out cast member.
Mazzitelli and Hussein had great on-stage chemistry and worked very well together, successfully delivering a heartbreaking tale of lost love and addiction.
Esther Bruerton was very good as “Heather” and provided some excellent comedic relief against the musical’s dark background. Mandi Lee did an excellent job as the ethereal “Extraordinary Girl”, showing off her impressive vocal range with ease.
Featured ensemble member Nick Brown had some great moments, as did Off the Leash stalwart Todd Miller. Brown demonstrated a fantastic grasp of the choreography and worked well to deliver a stand-out performance with the other members of the ensemble.
Other featured ensemble members were Sam Stephens and Shelby Fisher, who also did a terrific job.
Some particularly enjoyable numbers supported by the ensemble members were “American Idiot”, “Holiday” and “Good Riddance”.
Off the Leash Theatre’s next production is ‘The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later’. To keep up to date with the company, auditions, and other information follow https://www.facebook.com/OffTheLeashTheatre.