Ah, the theatre. The lights, the spectacle, the endless glitter. New producing duo Technically Delightful have built their debut show as a fictional awards night celebrating the biggest musicals on Broadway, and they have committed to the bit from the moment you walk in.

The format is burlesque-and-variety with extra theatre kid energy to make it pop. Each act is a love letter to a different iconic show, and between numbers you get just enough lore to teach you a little something about the social and political context surrounding these musicals and why the performers (and the audience) love them so much. It’s a fun way to add a narrative that connects each act together.

For full transparency, the following words might be a little biased, with lots of my favourite performers and friends in the cast and crew. I’ll try my best to keep the incoming gushing professional, but no promises.

Arthur Nicely takes the Cowardly Lion in surely his most glamorous wig, and shares an act about being courageous and getting comfortable in your own masculinity, then finishes the whole thing with a powerful whip crack. I am still thinking about the whip. Bebe Bubbles (an emerging performer you should keep your eye on) brought a whole supporting cast onstage for Hairspray with big-hearted, high-spirited Tracy Turnblad energy. Lulu Belle gave us a sultry Mary Poppins on a merry-go-round-horse pole. Duke Draper played a hilariously dodgy Monsieur Thénardier with exactly the right amount of sleaze. Saz and Georgia smashed their first duo act on aerial hoop as Elphaba and Glinda. Quintessa’s trapeze ode to Matilda and growing up was gorgeous. Sabre Delight, one half of the producing team, channelled Christine from Phantom of the Opera for a solo song-and-fire combo that blew us all away. Rosie Ritz brought an adorable Dolly to life. Starling Strix made an absolute meal of the often-underappreciated stage kitty role as a slinky Alfonso from Cats. And Polly Esther Pantomime, Darling Deville and Evie Eerie squeezed the entire Rocky Horror Picture Show into about five minutes, embodying each larger-than-life character like they were born to do it. This is my formal request for these three performers to put on a full length run of the show together next, please.

A special shout out to Ember Rose as MC, who appeared to change into a hundred outfits, performed in two acts (including leading the group act opening number), and ran the room like the absolute pro she is. If the MC role is about keeping pace, keeping the good vibes flowing, and keeping everything sparkly, she could not have played the part more perfectly.

When the producing team are also the community’s go-to live performance tech duo, you arrive expecting the production to deliver. And it does. Sabre Delight and Tech Dave paid attention to detail across the full show experience, from arriving at the venue to get your picture taken on the red carpet, to the high quality lighting and sound production, to the variety in tone and skills on display, to reminding people about the broader inclusivity and political context and its importance to the theatre community. Other than a couple of tiny first-run snags (the ones that always get tighter by night three anyway), it was hard to believe this was a debut production.

The cast really earned their standing ovation… and then kept us on our feet for the Time Warp. The whole crowd was beaming, giggling, and thrusting at the cast in approximate unison. As it should be. 

Broadway Bares All was so much fun, so moving, and so extravagant. The perfect love letter to musical theatre. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to rewatch Rocky Horror Picture Show and practise my Hairspray moves.

5 stars

By Amy Sincock