Noel Fidge’s new play, The Eisteddfod, is not a tooth and claw drama about young singers having their egos and possible careers shredded by bitter rivalry; rather, a sense of collegiality and generosity marks the interactions between these three aspiring eisteddfod winners.
The ego at the centre of the play is that of deceased composer, Neil Bradford. In order to promote his songs, a new Eisteddfod offering generous prize money and the opportunity to study overseas has been established, a condition of entry being that each contestant must include two of Bradford’s songs. Because he had deliberately omitted expression markings in his scores, three entrants seek the help of Tanya Gibson, formerly Bradford’s favourite accompanist, in order to maximize their chance of success. Tanya’s husband Robert has performed many of Bradford’s songs with his wife over the years, admiring the music but not the man. As each young singer comes for coaching, he divides his time between encouraging the youngsters, showing off his own interpretive and vocal skills – “I thought you’d never ask” – and, as a successful professional punter, catching up with the latest horse racing news.
Noel Fidge could not have been timelier in making gambling a significant element of his “play with songs”. Just this week we saw footage of people in cars reporting information on local matches for bookmakers calculating odds. Not that gambling is totally foreign to classical music – remember the Sydney Opera House Lottery that ran from 1957 until 1986? Among the cast of characters who do not make an appearance in the play, but are handily (the plot is somewhat convoluted) described in the program, is the composer’s son, John Bradford, CEO of Surebet Bradfordbet. Racing and gambling emerge as integral parts of the plot twists concerning the contestants and family connections.
Opening night revealed some rough edges due to disrupted preparations, but these were minor compared with the polish displayed by the five performers. In the central role of Tanya Gibson, Elyane Laussade shone. As expected of one of Melbourne’s foremost pianists, her accompaniment of the thirteen songs was superb – expressive, flexible and technically accomplished. Noel Fidge must have been thrilled to hear his music played so eloquently. What was unexpected was Laussade’s hitherto hidden talent as an actress. Easy warmth with a spark of dry humour seemed to come naturally in her interactions with the singers and with Raymond Khong as her husband. Laussade has many fans, and they should all to come to see her in this role.
An experienced singer/actor, Khong was quick to establish a genuine connection with Laussade. His vibrant personality is well suited to the role, and he sang the three tenor songs stylishly and with excellent diction. There was something of Gene Kelly’s vocal timbre in the final song, My Own Web, with its laid-back jazz character complemented by a relaxed physical style – the latter a credit to Fidge’s direction as well as Khong’s theatrical know how. The subsequent interchange between singer and pianist was spot on.
As the first of the three Eisteddfod entrants to arrive, Lucy Schneider gave a dramatically convincing and vocally sound performance. Her final solo, Enduring Love, ended with a very fine high note – rounded and secure. It was initially a little disconcerting to have the audience applaud after the first song; it seemed as though the “fourth wall” became permeable at times with singers sometimes making direct eye contact with the audience and the occasional aside being directed their way.
In the role of Thomas Moore, singer and racing enthusiast, baritone Alex Owens gave a lively, focused performance, singing with good projection and finding both humour and a certain touching innocence in the role. He gave a spirited account of The New World Order ensuring the text could be understood – an easier task for the male singers than for the sopranos, although all singers were notable for the degree of musical and theatrical expressiveness they brought to their respective roles.
Much of the plot revolved around the identity of the third young singer to arrive. As Mary McCarthy, lyric soprano Sophie Bisset not only displayed a creditable Irish accent, but sang and acted with an impressive range of feeling – from cynicism to pathos – her singing of Atonement and the more up tempo Leave the Past being highlights.
The small venue might not have been ideal in some ways, but its intimacy and identity as a living-room/music studio space worked extremely well.
It would seem that the Noel of Fidge and the Neil of Bradford might suggest some overlap in character; what they obviously have in common is being the composer of songs that are appealing and well worth hearing. With The Eisteddfod, Noel Fidge and Co-producer Sally-Anne Russell have created a work that is at once thought-provoking and enjoyable. It is also a terrific showcase for a talented team of performers.
“The Eisteddfod” runs from June 14 until June 17, 8pm – 9.30pm.
Photo supplied.
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Heather Leviston reviewed Noel Fidge’s play “The Eisteddfod”, performed at Studio 1, 34 Little Turner St., Abbotsford o June 14, 2023.
