Written by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Directed by Dino Dimitriadis and Zindzi Okenyo
Musical Direction by Allen Rene Lewis
National Theatre of Parramatta
@Riverside Theatre Parramatta
Row F – Middle
17 Feb, 2023
4 out of 5 fans
Spoiler Free Review:
Incredible production. McCraney has crafted a vulnerable tale from his very personal life experiences, that nonetheless resonates deeply with audiences of all kinds. Under Lewis’ prolific musical direction, the cast even had my agnostic little heart looking towards heaven.
The cast, especially Darron Hayes’ Pharus, were extraordinary, cycling between raucous schoolboys, vulnerable children, and ardent disciples.
Don’t miss this show.
Swipe for Review (some spoilers discussed):
Wow. This was an incredible production. I wasn’t aware of Choir Boy at all, despite its lauded run on Broadway, but I can tell you the accolades are well deserved.
The story of Choir Boy is of a very specific thing, in the context of a particular type of place – a gospel choir at a (what I would presume to be) a private Black (or historically Black) school. Admittedly, this is not my world at all – the only things I have in common with the main character, Pharus, is our gayness and our nationality (American). But that’s the beauty of Choir Boy – its universally relatable to anyone who has event struggled to belong (particularly a minority within a minority), and the beautiful gospel music transcends beliefs and moves your very soul.
The first thing you notice when you walk into the black box theatre where Choir Boy is performed is the monolithic screen which evokes stained glass and is used as one of the few set design elements. The set itself, and the lighting effects which highlight it, were so interesting I am compelled to call it out. So snaps for Karen Norris (Lighting Design) and Paperjam Productions for this simple yet breathtaking stagecraft.
This is more notable for some of the ‘shower scenes’ throughout the piece. Sexy and dangerous in equal measure, I felt both titillated and fearful for Pharus as he entered this space. The eventual shower tryst between Pharus and David was built up to slowly and genuinely, and the production elements played a big part of that.
From what I can tell, the scale of the performance has also changed to fit the piece. Instead of the larger production numbers (for example, the Tony Awards featured a tap number to “Rockin’ Jerusalem”). If I recall correctly, this was swapped out for a highly effective number which incorporated several overlapping bits of dialog (I am musically illiterate, and don’t know what this is called).
I don’t know how this show was initially staged, but I can tell you that it works really, really well in this setting at Riverside. It’s such a raw, emotional piece that seeing and feeling the vulnerability of the actors up close is just irreplaceable.
Alright, now let me talk about this cast. Darron Hayes’ Pharus is a pushy diva, but as the show starts with him getting called a slur, we forgive much of this behavior, while we slowly get to know Pharus and the cast better. Hayes can turn from serious to sarcastic in milliseconds, and manages to keep the mood light despite his character’s challenges.
Bobby, played by Zarif – how the hell can you be the villain and so damn likable? Bobby has few redeeming qualities, but Zarif plays this role with such smooth charm you yearn to see more of them. It doesn’t hurt that their singing voice is angelic.
Supporting Pharus and Bobby are AJ and Junior respectively played by Quinton Rofail Rich and Abu Kobe.
Rich’s sympathetic AJ is the roommate any gay boy could dream of – handsome, sure, but more importantly caring, attentive – did I mention handsome? Rich plays AJ as such a confident and assured young man; the moment where he offers Pharus a supportive cuddle was heartwarming.
Abu Kebe’s Junior stole every scene he was in. Predominantly comic relief, any time Kebe would flail his arms, roll his eyes—literally anything, the audience would eat it up. Coupled with his dance number with Zarif’s Bobby, they were the main characters of their own sitcom. Kebe is an actor that I would go to see a show I don’t know just because he’s in it. Can’t wait to see what he does next!
The rest of the cast is phenomenal as well.
Theo Williams as David surfaced a vulnerable and conflicted student, who is once again extremely relatable – David needed a cuddle from AJ!
And then we had Tony Sheldon as Mr Pendleton. I thought it was clever how McCraney introduced him to the show; it provided a ‘way in’ for white audiences. He was ‘out of place’, but this was quickly and expertly diffused through well written comedy, and Sheldon’s affable performance quickly won over the other characters.
Kudos also to Gareth Dutlow and Tawanda Muzenda, members of the ensemble. They had virtually no spoken lines, but their presence and commitment was easily on par with that of the featured choir members. Beautiful voices and succinct dancing – the cast is so solid together.
The musical direction was incredible. I have not been exposed to much Gospel music, but the voices of this incredible cast quickly sweep you away to another plane of existence – it really reinforced the discussions of hymns as praise.
I loved as well how intrinsically the music showcased the themes of Choir Boy – sticking to the same old hymns, what is expected, what is known, and snapping back at anyone who steps out of line. Pharus, representing gorgeous improvisations and runs, until he is slowly brought back ‘in line’. The music as the show closed out was still beautiful (how could it not, with Zarif’s ethereal voice), but far more menacing.
Serious praise to Allen René Louis for his musical direction. (I get that’s akin to saying ‘wow Shakespeare wrote well’, but credit where its due).
Finally, I must confess I deemed this review ‘spoiler’ because I had to discuss that ending. Pharus, walking across the stage at graduation. Croaking out trying to sing, but no sound would come out, while Bobby and the choir boys look on. This was crushing. It took me a good bit until I was recovered from the injustice, and the heartbreak. But that is what makes Choir Boy, especially this production, so moving. It reminds me that it is my privilege to leave the theatre, and recover from what I’ve seen – that is not the same for those who live this experience to this day.
It’s worth quoting Tarell Alvin McCraney here – the play serves, still, as an “immediate lament on how very far we have to go”.
Well done to cast & crew! ChoirBoy is touring through April, so make sure you book tickets!