Update: this production has been postponed until further notice.
There’s a bamboozle of Broadway greats coming to Sydney’s stages this summer, from the return of Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, to Natalie Bassingthwaighte in Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, to the long-delayed touchdown of Come From Away. But fans of ‘80s rock may well be most excited about the Australian premiere of Head Over Heels.
The jukebox musical deploys bangers from legendary all-woman band The Go-Go’s, like ‘We Got the Beat’ and ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ with a side serve of Belinda Carlisle’s stratospheric solo career, including the anthemic ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth’. Though if you’re expecting it to be a biopic about their rollicking adventures on the road, you might be in for a surprise. It’s actually a loose adaptation of epic poem Arcadia, written by Sir Philip Sidney towards the end of the 16th century. Yep, it’s kinda trippy.
Conceived by Jeff Whitty, who wrote the original book, it was then adapted by James Magruder and relays the story of the King and Queen of Arcadia who defy bad news from the oracle and kind of go on the run with the kids. What unfolds is a raucous story of family drama that’s ultimately about embracing the real you, whatever your true identity may be.
Aaron Tsindos (Merrily We Roll Along, Muriel’s Wedding) wears the king's crown, with Lena Cruz (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Playing Beatie Bow), as the queen. Laura Bunting (Gypsy, Rent) and Jenni Little (School of Rock, High Fidelity) play their daughters, with Lauren Cheok (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as their handmaiden. Daniel Gabriel (The Moth Effect, Two Weeks with the Queen) will hold court as the oracle.
Opening at the Hayes Theatre on February 18, 2022, and running through to March 19, the show is directed by Ellen Simpson (Muriel’s Wedding, Little Shop of Horrors) with choreography by Cameron Mitchell (Catch Me If You Can, Cry-Baby) and music direction from Zara Stanton (Fangirls, HMS Pinafore). In other words, it’s going to be a spectacle we can’t wait to see. You can nab tickets here.
