An underfunded aged care facility might not be the most likely setting for a musical, but renowned comedy writer Tom Gleisner’s first foray into the art form – produced by the Melbourne Theatre Company – manages to find the necessary tonal balance to deliver an exuberant, joyous and thought-provoking experience.
We enter Pine Grove alongside Rose (Evelyn Krape), a reluctant new resident, and Finn (Slone Sudiro), a slacker music student who responds to an ad that offers free board in exchange for some ‘light duties’ – aged care qualifications not essential. There they meet put-upon staff members doing their best to give a small group of charmingly dotty residents the care they need despite sub-standard facilities, food and activities that are the direct result of maniacal cost-cutting by the facility’s heartless manager Mrs MacIntyre (Anne Edmonds).
It should come as little surprise that the new arrivals shake things up, fomenting rebellion against the facility’s constraints and challenging perceptions while forging a connection of their own. Krape does an excellent job with Rose, imbuing what might have otherwise been a rote elderly ‘free spirit’ character with genuine depth. The character of Finn, on the other hand, is a little thin and despite newcomer Sudiro’s best efforts, rarely feels like he has a life outside the story.
This is very much an ensemble piece though, with all characters very intentionally given the chance to shine. One of the key messages that resonates through the production is that despite appearances, these residents and carers should be recognised as real people and not just background players. Frankie J. Holden is a standout as Doug, an unpretentious bloke who struggles with infirmity and no longer being the go-to alpha male. His larrikin nature clashing with some more broadly drawn arty residents is Gleisner’s sweet spot and results in some of the best comedic moments.
On the staff side, Christina O’Neill brings a marvellous understated dignity to Gloria, a long-term carer who is the one actually keeping the place afloat, while Vidya Makan’s professionally frustrated Ruby nails the most powerful solo performance of the night before the halfway point, making one wish she might have gotten a little more to do than the predictable path that follows. Meanwhile, the wonderful Eddie Muliaumaseali'i is arguably over-employed across four characters which, given his formidable presence, does become a touch distracting.
But the real casting masterstroke is Edmonds, styled to resemble Margaret Thatcher and personifying the unfeeling, cost-cutting nature of so much aged-care bureaucracy. As a stand-up comedian, Edmonds has long demonstrated genuine musical chops along with an exceptional knack for embodying delusionally self-righteous characters. Her cartoonishly villainous Mrs MacIntyre is smartly drawn and inhabited to exist at a distance from the more believably human members of the cast, allowing her to fire off some of Gleisner’s most savage critiques of the aged care system’s ailments while consistently providing the strongest comic relief.
As for the songs, it’s in the impeccably choreographed group numbers that Katie Weston’s arrangements really soar, with ‘Chasing the Clock’, ‘Everything I Do’ and ‘Grow A Little Older’ fit to grace any musical stage. Mileages may vary on how syrupy some of the others get, but it should be noted that nothing overstays its welcome. And when the show inevitably amps up the pathos in the third act, the audience is palpably pulverised by some undeniably affecting moments – that at times commendably don’t shy away from the reality of the depicted situation – in the lead-up to a suitably uplifting finale.
Bloom might not try to do anything out of the ordinary in terms of story but it does provide the sort of poignantly funny and uniquely Aussie comedy experience we’ve come to expect from the pen of Gleisner, enhanced by memorable musicianship and exceptional direction, choreography and set design. An original local production of this standard – especially one with such a vital message about the quality of life that can be enjoyed by all ages – is undoubtedly something to be celebrated.
'Bloom' is showing at Arts Centre Melbourne until 19 August. For more information and to book tickets, head to the website.