Hold onto your pearls Melbourne! The dazzling, award-winning spectacle, La Cage Aux Folles, is hitting the stage at the wonderful Arts Centre to mark its 40th Anniversary – that’s four decades of glitz, glamour, and enough sequins to make a disco ball jealous!
This timeless tale of love, commitment, and family is so iconic that Hollywood couldn’t resist, giving us The Birdcage. Yes, the movie where the late/great Robin Williams and Nathan Lane took fabulous to a whole new level and delivered some of cinemas’s most iconic and sassy one liners.
Leading the incredible on stage cast is Paul Capsis, a five-time Helpmann Award winner who’s strutting his stuff as Albin. Alongside him is the internationally renowned Michael Cormick, the man who brought Beauty and the Beast to life and added a touch of class to The Phantom of the Opera.
But wait, there’s more! Debra Byrne who you may remember from Les Miserables, is taking on the role of Jacqueline, the stylish restaurateur. And remember Peter Phelps from The Flying Doctors? Well, he’s back, playing Edouard Dindon, the conservative politician and future in-law who could use a crash course in letting loose.
Add Genevieve Morris as his wife Marie Dindon, Loredo Malcom as the wild butler/maid Jacob (who steals every scene they are in), and Bev Killick as the hysterical stage manager Francis. It’s a cast so fabulous, even your grandma would trade bingo night for a front-row seat.
The young lovebirds, Jean-Michel and Anne, are in the capable hands of Noah Mullins and Genevieve Kingsford. While these two characters are the catalyst for the events on stage, the real lovebirds of The Birdcage are Albin & George.
We particularly liked the strong chorus of queens who did some brilliant dance numbers (and flips), and kept the physical comedy coming whenever they were on stage.
Penned by the brilliant duo Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman, the masterminds behind Kinky Boots and Hello Dolly, this musical is the birthplace of the anthem “I am What I am” and you are guaranteed to have this stuck in your head for the rest of your night.
Get ready for a singing, dancing, and laughing extravaganza. La Cage Aux Folles is a super camp and hilarious musical with so much heart.
– The Plus Ones
La Cage Aux Folles is playing at the Arts Centre Melbourne 9-19 November 2023. Book tickets here.
This venue is accessible.
