Musical Tick, tick...BOOM! in Hamilton ‘highly recommended’, reviewer says

A show highlight was the song Sunday, set in the diner. Photo / Mark Hamilton

What: Tick, tick….BOOM!

Presented by: Shmall Productions

When: Until April 5

Where: The Meteor, Hamilton

Tickets: https://themeteor.co.nz/event/tick-tick-boom/

Reviewed by Cate Prestidge

Tick, tick…BOOM! was the second full-length musical by RENT composer Jonathan Larsen.

Sadly, Larsen passed away before both shows became successful, but this autobiographical rock musical gives us a glimpse into his life as he tries to make it on Broadway.

At the centre of the story is something faced by many creatives, the conflict between struggling for your dreams or making more pragmatic, comfortable choices.

With more than a dozen songs, live band and just three performers, it’s a bold first choice for Courteney Mayall’s newly formed Shmall Productions, but it’s one that the creative team has the skills to tackle.

Musical Tick, tick...BOOM in Hamilton: Jonty Climo as Jon and Hannah Doherty as Susan. Photo / Mark Hamilton

Alongside Mayall (director) are Nick Braae (musical director) and Alexis Holmes (choreographer), all bringing a wealth of experience.

Mayall said she has enjoyed the soundtrack of Tick, tick….BOOM! for years and with a 2021 film adaptation giving it a wider audience, the time was right to bring it to Hamilton.

Starring experienced performers Jonty Climo (Jon), Hannah Doherty (Susan) and rising star Bailey Lindsey (Michael) the central action focuses on Jon and the upcoming, high stakes workshop of his futuristic musical, Superbia.

Climo is likeable as the talented and, at times, tortured Jon.

He has mastered a huge amount of complex, and often witty dialogue and moves well between quick-fire scenes, playing against Doherty and Lindsey in their main roles as girlfriend Susan and best friend, Michael.

Doherty is a versatile actor bringing the sincere Susan to life, as well as a slew of other characters including a high-energy, corporate-babble, team facilitator.

But her real strength is her singing, which literally and emotionally, doesn’t miss a beat. Her solo Come to my Senses was polished and the duet of Therapy with Climo was a highlight, as was Sunday, sung by the trio and set in the diner Jon works in. A clever and entertaining scene.

Bailey Lindsey was superb; his acting performance was a standout and his main role as Michael showed nuance and honesty.

Tick, tick ... BOOM! Hamilton: The set showcased the band as well as the cast. Photo / Mark Hamilton

He parried that with more comedic work as Jon’s father, a store owner and a marketer. His singing was also strong and showcased in particular in No More and Real Life – one to watch for in future productions.

The experienced band (led by Braae on keyboards) was excellent.

Spread out on a riser across the back of the stage, Damon Taylder (drums), Joe McNamara (guitar), Tony Sisam (bass) and Braae also formed part of the action, occasionally interacting with the actors and adding a few lines.

Occasionally some of the clarity of the lyrics was lost with the volume of the band which had an impact as they carry a lot of the narrative progression.

Overall, the show is a success. The direction showed great care with the many changing moods and characters.

The set was well-designed, unfussy and versatile with changes neatly incorporated into the action. Characters were expressed with minimal physical signifiers, relying on the actor’s skill to carry the changing roles and scenes.

An excellent show, and an interesting personal story. Highly recommended.