West Side Story

Venue: Lyric Theatre, Sydney
Dates: 4 July - 15 August 2010

The buzzing beats of the West Side are back in Sydney for this year’s production of the Broadway hit, West Side Story. With an original creative team including Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim this impressive stage phenomenon was destined to entertain audiences for many years to come. This year the clashing crews of the West Side are entertaining audiences at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre in a touching love story that puts a 1950s spin on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.

Bursting onto the stage with supreme levels of energy the all-American thug group, known as the Jets start off the night with the first and definitely not the last enjoyable song ‘When you’re a Jet.’ Their swaggering tribute is cut short as the Puerto Rican gang known as The Sharks seize their prey in a brooding face-off that sets the trend for the rest of the night.

The Jets and the Sharks have fostered a long standing rivalry that has caused a racist rift along the Upper West Side streets of New York. When beautiful, young, fresh-off-the-boat Maria realises the many appeals of life in America, including the tempting advances of Jets veteran Tony, guns and knives start blazing in a cataclysmic conundrum that will question the true perils of desire.

Julie Goodwin and Josh Piterman were born to play the roles of loved-up duo Maria and Tony. These two stellar performers illuminate the stage with their passionate presence and magnetic voices. Goodwin could have been mistaken for a native Puerto Rican with her authentic rolling tongue and bona fide bustling hips. Having recently released her own debut album and undergoing studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Goodwin is no stranger to music as is thoroughly obvious less than two seconds into her first number for the evenings performance, ‘Tonight’. Josh Piterman is a sensational performer with perfect timing and a calm and comfortable stage manner. The role of Tony’s arch-enemy, Bernado is played by Nigel Turner-Carroll, a natural crowd-pleaser whose swift, suave attitude will be thoroughly enjoyed by all. Honourable mention for the night is definitely owed to Alinta Chidzey who plays Bernado’s love interest, Anita. The divine Miss Chidzey’s Anita is all the makings of a big-haired, cheeky chica caliente with an incredible voice to boot. Demanding attention from all audience members, Chidzey colours the stage with a flirtatious humour and impressive dance moves.

Casting director Lynne Ruthven’s assemblage along with Joey KcKneely’s direction and choreography create a unique ensemble of performers that are perfectly disciplined and extremely well-timed. The Jets boys and girls, led by rugged man-candy Riff (Rohan Browne) do not step a foot out of place as they practically soar across the stage with every smooth well choreographed move. The Sharks’ fierce attitudes are integrated into every step and sway as they present a raucous and cheeky bunch that are trying, at all costs to infuse the air with a tangy Puerto Rican spice.

Costume designer Renate Schmitzer created a subtle contrast between the chicos’ and the ‘buddy boiys’ by dressing the Jets in simple blues and greys and the Sharks in an impressive array of pastels. The Sharkettes’ really lit up the stage in flamboyant dresses and skirts that provided a useful amount of pizazz without drawing too much attention away from the action. The simplistic set by designer Paul Gallis is easily manoeuvred and expansive enough to house all 30-odd performers with enough room to spare. Raised steel balconies and fire escapes are reminiscent of New York’s West Side circa 1950, with an expansive white screen of projected images of the city to top it all off.

All in all West Side Story is an exciting, exhilarating, humorous and at times emotional performance. Audiences must be ready to clap, laugh, toe-tap and perhaps even shed a tear or two as this season of the world renowned smash hit is a mandatory must-see for all theatre goers Australia wide.

Haylie Pretorius