In what is being described as a modern masterpiece, The Girl from the North Country has arrived in Adelaide after it’s Australian premiere at the 2022 Sydney Festival. As well as sold out seasons previously on the West End and Broadway
Written and directed by multi award-winner Conor McPherson (The Weir, The Seafarer) and featuring the songs of Bob Dylan, Girl From The North Country stars Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers), Helen Dallimore, Terence Crawford and Peter Carroll.
The standout part of this production for me was the incredible musical score which really shone out. Bob Dylan songs including Jokerman, Like a rolling stone, Hurricane and forever young are some of the songs that are included in the show as interior monologues. Lisa McCune is not just a an amazing actor but also has a brilliant vocal. But all the cast had fantastic singing skills and multi talented too by playing all types of instruments as well.
Lisa McCune’s role is Elizabeth Lane who is suffering from dementia therefore causing outbreaks that a kid would do throughout the show. Elizabeth’s family operate a run-down guesthouse and this guesthouse at Duluth, Minnesota in 1934 forms the base for all the storylines that revolve and develop over the next two and a half hours between the group of wanderers.
Many storylines between the various cast members are introduced in act one. But I found that the narrative thread didn’t seem to flow smoothly and the storyline is a little difficult to follow at times. Without giving too much away regarding the plot, the individual scene involving Elias Burke (played by Blake Erickson) was a little strange to include.
But the positives were Lisa McCune. She is brilliant and will have you captivated and enthralled right to the very end as you follow the life of Elizabeth Lane. The storyline may have needed improving in regarding to flow, but the actual play progresses and flows at a pace that allows the audience to be captivated throughout. The music as mentioned before is incredible and is the standout for the show. The lighting is also fantastic. I also really enjoyed the part played by Terence Crawford (Dr Walker) who does a verbal narrative throughout the production.
If you love theatre and love music, this is the show for you. And an absolute must see for Bob Dylan fans out there.
The Girl from the North Country is on till April 10 at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Words by Tony Polese
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