John Bucchino, for those who don't know, is a pretty big deal in the musical theatre world, having written songs which have been performed by the likes of Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkel and Kristen Chenoweth. It's Only Life premiered off Broadway in 2006 and is a musical revue of some of his songs.
For the most part, the performances in this show were outstanding. It was clear that auditions had been brutal as performers travelled from all over Victoria to work with the songwriter. Sam Rabbone, whose technique and range was simply astonishing, was a clear stand out. He should be commended on his ability to bring such sensitivity to songs without any background character. Meanwhile, Phoebe Coupe also performed some fantastic solos and Christian Cavallo provided some much-needed comic relief. Those pieces which featured the entire cast were always the most enjoyable. The vocal blend was flawless and the harmonies without fault.
The entire show, I was surprised to find out, used only Bucchino's piano to accompany the voices. This naturally left the singers quite exposed meaning that every wrong note stuck out like a sore thumb. This is not to say that there were many, although it seemed somewhat clear, at times, that Meg Hoult was an understudy.
Despite the singing being close to perfect, one couldn't help but find oneself simply watching John play. He sat there for the entire 80 minutes tapping away, his fingers running up and down the keys as if without any effort at all. Perhaps this is obvious, but he was the only one on stage who seemed to really believe in what they were performing.
Regardless, a fantastic effort by all involved.
Congratulations cast and crew!
See you in the crowd.
S
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