Review: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Long before hip-hop or break dancing there was rock n 'roll. It was an era where girls wore polka dot, full skirted frocks, stiffened petticoats, peddlepusher pants and cute cardies.The men dressed in stove pipe pants, lurex jackets and winklepicker shoes.

Another age, another time? Well, yes and no.

That 50s-early 60s look and sound has been reprised by the Rotorua Musical Theatre in The Daily Post season of Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, with Neil Sedaka-penned hits as its pivot.

Without the predominantly young, energetic cast debutante director, Natasha Rivers Smith, has gathered, this could easily have been just another musical with a sideline in slapstick . . . Breaking Up is anything but "just another show".

Fresh from her success as female lead in July's big theatre staging of Miss Saigon, 20-year-old Kim Chapman's back before the footlights. This time she's frumpy, jilted-at-the altar Marge, taken to a New York state resort by consoling best friend Lois (Rose Haumate).

There the inevitable happens; brylcreamed Romeo hot-shot entertainer, Del Delmonaco, falls for Lois, Marge falls passionately for him. Resort odd-jobber cum closet lyricist Gabe (Connor Hignett) heart's gone out to Marge. All the while cupid's hovering over the more mature cast members, the resort's owner Esther (Sally Smyth) and her resident Master of Ceremonies Harvey (Graeme Katting).

All six are super-charged. They sing, they dance, they deliver their lines with split second timing, feats audiences rewards with belly laughs by the bucket load.

However Katting's the show stealer. His combination of pathos and the comedic as he delivers the bitter-sweet lyrics of King of Clowns defines the meaning of theatre.

The rapid-fire costume changes the Calendar Girl number demands, highlighted what a polished production this is.

The five backing vocalists (two off stage) and four-piece band are a bonus.

As director maestro, Robert Young, said as the curtain closed "what a great romp".

If there's any criticism it's not for those involved, but one that will be sheeted home to Rotorua if its residents fail to support such a high-revving local production.