Bosom Buddies – Nancye Hayes & Todd McKenney
Adelaide Cabaret, Sunday 10 June 2018
Words Geoff Jenke
Nancye Hayes is Australia’s leading lady of musical theatre. Todd McKenney is Australia’s leading song and dance man. Together they shine with song, dance and humour reminiscing about the highs and lows they have shared over the years and giving us a candid glimpse into life growing up and life back stage.
The show starts with a voice over how Nancye and Todd met to do the musical 42nd Street using the video screen. Once on stage the two interact with each other and connect with the audience. Using the video screen to great effect, they dance and sing to classic numbers from their past.
Although we know the stage patter is scripted, the two make it feel totally unrehearsed and spontaneous. We hear childhood stories (complete with photographs), how they got into the musical business, why Nancye’s name has a e on the end and why Todd’s name has a double d. They were not afraid to make fun of themselves and the industry they work for. In fact, the audience were laughing more often than not.
Todd talked frankly about his disappointment of relinquishing his Boy from Oz role to Hugh Jackman for Broadway, but he genuinely does not hold it against Hugh. We laughed at his judging role on the television show Dancing with the Stars and sat quietly in awe at his duet with Peter Allen on Tenterfield Saddler.
The two sang pieces of songs from all the musical’s they have been in (well maybe not Cats), which wouldn’t have been an easy job for the excellent three-piece band accompanying them. My only small complaint of the show is that we were not introduced to the band, so have no idea who they were.
Overall a very stylish captivating show, one that sat nicely within the Adelaide Cabaret framework.
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