What do you think of when you hear "barbershop quartet"? I doubt many would answer "a trans-led, independent Australian barbershop quartet musical"... but that's exactly what Sheanna Parker Russon (No Love Songs for Lady Basses) and Lillian M. Hearne (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) have conjured up for Griffin Theatre's Lookout Program, now playing at Belvoir's Downstairs Theatre.
What is the premise of Afterglow?
Produced by the femme-focused storytelling of Purpletape Productions – Lily Hayman (Co-Director) and Tyler Fitzpatrick (Lighting Designer) – Afterglow takes place in the male-dominated world of competitive barbershop championships.
It’s 2012 and the Barbershop Singing National Championships have ended with the yearly “afterglow” now in full swing. Think the socio-political allure of the Freemasons but with more four-part a cappella harmonies.
At this particular afterglow, where dickie-bows are loosened and the whisky (straight) flows, Michael (Cassie Hamilton) meets Tom (Nic Prior). Their quietly bubbling romance ensues across a six-year period as Michael's barbershop purism clashes with Tom's more modern outlook on gender politics within a traditional quartet.
Behind these closed doors, the metaphor of the barbershop gives way to much more potent truths – that of gender performativity and policing.
Who are the cast and crew of Afterglow?
Cassie Hamilton’s Michael is sufficiently loveable as a purist for the art of barbershop. Vocally strong and direct, Hamilton leads the swiftly moving production with determinism and range. Her teenage romance with Prior’s Tom feels affectionate, without fully blossoming into physical believability. Musically, there’s a physicality to Hamilton’s vocals as she conjures both humour and yearning with ease.
Nic Prior’s Tom takes on the didactic symbolism for the play’s overall messages – that of gendered truth and gendered performance. It’s a hefty role for an actor to take on as Tom often has to suffer the sometimes overplayed dialogue we see of the straight gaze in a trans character’s world. But Prior holds their own throughout it, creating a character that feels lived in – a highlight being their entrance in a stunning ensemble of Geita Goarin’s costume design giving David Bowie confidence.
Perhaps the most adaptable performer in the Sydney theatre scene currently, Lincoln Elliott seems as transformationally capable here as he was on the Roslyn Packer Stage in My Brilliant Career. The joy of watching Elliott perform is his commitment and understanding of every world he inhabits, and Afterglow is no different. Paired with Nat Jobe’s proven-and-tested ability to bring depth to the ocker sensibilities of traditional Australiana, the pair round out the cast to create a cohesive ensemble.
Why is Afterglow a three-star production?
There’s a lot going on in Afterglow and the final product can sometimes show its struggle to balance it all. The delightful newness of the barbershop musical element feels short-lived, yet nonetheless ambitious. Meanwhile, some motifs begin to feel tired as gags are repeated beyond their expiry date, and the narrative can often leap over key plot points that mean we feel less able to connect fully with the piece and the characters that live in this world.
There is didactic dialogue which yearns to educate, while it sometimes distances itself from the community at the heart of the piece. Is this a production celebrating the beauty and vibrance of the trans community, or a piece wanting to educate those who sit outside of it? It feels like a fine line is being walked here.
What is a highlight of Afterglow?
Fitzpatrick’s lighting design subtly infuses the colours of the trans community throughout Afterglow in key moments, often showering the backstage in a soft glow in romantic scenes. Fitzpatrick gives significance to her lighting; no moment is wasted to create atmosphere, intensity or warmth.
The four-part harmonies are without a doubt the highlight of Afterglow. Their playfulness, quick wit, and lyrical ingenuity are decadent treats for the ears; it’s like the equivalent of having a pleasure you don’t often touch. You may not have it all that often, but when you do it’s utterly delightful. When the harmonies are replaced by piano in the show’s halfway point, you feel their absence as the play drifts into the traditional musical form.
Who will like Afterglow?
This is a production to take a chance on. While it may promise something new in the barbershop quartet musical, there is enough of the familiar to please audiences less brave on venturing too far out of their comfort zones – musically speaking. Elsewhere, there’s a beautifully crafted sentimentality in trans-led, queer storylines. It’s one that deserves space and deserves its audience.
Afterglow reminds us that fostering love above all else – most importantly within yourself – can truly lead to something beautiful.
Get your tickets here.
