Well-behaved women seldom make history, and a well-behaved production seldom breaks new ground. A celebratory (if not a touch tokenistic) musical tribute to real women who have left their own impact on the zeitgeist, Well-Behaved Women debuted on the New York stage in early 2020. It’s a contemporary song cycle that explores the stories of sixteen her-storical figures, and this new production directed by Blazey Best (Tell Me on a Sunday) tasks just four of Sydney’s most respected performers to portray all of them.
From the compact stage of Surry Hills’ Belvoir St Theatre, the show kicks off with an impressive bang. Zahra Newman’s (star of STC’s Dracula, Belvoir’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill) performance as Eve (from the bible) is a sultry rendition of the original sin, leaving you as mesmerised as Eve herself was by that serpent. Newman takes up space with an assertion of authority, commanding attention with her every movement. The stage quickly fades into blackness, and for a moment, it seems we might be intruding on the fateful moment when Eve takes the apple. As quickly as Newman’s performance begins, the show suddenly cuts to another song – this one centered on Queen Boudica, warrior queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe, portrayed by Sarah Murr (& Juliet). Murr’s own gravitas continues to build on Newman’s momentum – tasked with portraying a lesser-known figure, her vocal clarity allows the audience to hear every lyric of Boudica’s story clearly. Murr’s vocals are crisp, saturated with a passion and ferocity which is well-suited for the warrior queen.
However, it is after the performance of ‘Warrior Queen’ that the limitations of the show’s format begin to show. The production is spliced into performances that follow no clear chronology – from Malala Yousafzai to Harriet Tubman, to Mary Magdalene and Frida Kahlo, there is a lack of coherency to the disjointed order. As a song cycle (opposed to a typical musical) Well-Behaved Women isn’t strictly required to follow a narrative arc – but, the end result is theatrical whiplash for the audience.
[While it] only manages to execute superficial praise...what the production lacks in substance, it does compensate for with the exceptional calibre of its performers
The 75-minute cycle of back-to-back songs can get somewhat repetitive. But at the same time, the songs feel disconnected and isolated from one another, leaving each number feeling out of context with the one that preceded it, and the result is an overall lack of cohesion. The skillful composition of each song is testimony to the talent of the show’s creator, Carmel Dean (a Perth-born, New York-based, multi-faceted theatre musician), and the original orchestrations of Lynne Shankel (overseen here by musical director David Gardos). The beautiful selection of flamenco, pop, jazz, blues and country influences infuse a variance of tempo, without which, the show would become lacklustre.
At the heart of the disappointment lies the fragility of Dean’s lyrics. Each story told is heavily didactic, lacking any deeper exploration of the nuances and complexity of womanhood, let alone any indications of thorough research into the lives of the women represented. The storytelling here draws from the playbook of feminist clichés – the outdated, “colour blind” second-wave playbook at that. Modern, intersectional demonstrations of feminism must also go beyond simply placing a few Women of Colour on stage, either in casting or character. It requires recognising that Women of Colour (as well as other People of Colour with diverse gender experiences) embody a plurality of social and political identities, which cannot be divorced from one another. By negating this element, Well-Behaved Women inadvertently ‘neutralises race’ and hijacks these women’s stories to produce something more palatable to white feminist ideology and white audiences (which the production reads as heavily targeted towards).
There are flickers of nuance that glimmer through the production, however. The masterful and meta performance of Virginia Woolf’s famous essay, A Room of One’s Own, provides a refreshing and creative interpretation of the classic feminist text, whilst maintaining the authenticity of Woolf’s premise. This is similarly utilised in Caccamo’s performance of ‘Only Girl at the Table’, which craftily and comically conveys Mary Magdalen’s experience at The Last Supper.
The ultra-modern and minimalistic use of on-stage video screens (with video design by Susie Henderson) combines with Kelsey Lee’s meticulously-curated lighting design to provide an emotional crutch for the production. This is most impactful in Henderson’s videography, as it oscillates between evocative sentiments and sensations, such as in the Cleopatra number ‘Stay and Fight’. However, in other sections, the video designs are a little too literal (such as a low-resolution video of stars that accompanies Janet Armstrong, wife to the first man to walk on the moon, as she sings about supporting her husband going into space).
An honourable mention must be made to the remaining cast members, Stefanie Caccamo (Belvoir’s Into the Woods, the Hayes’ Lizzie) and Elenoa Rokobaro (Rent at Sydney Opera House, The Book of Mormon), both of whom provide strong performances. Caccamo is a dynamic performer who seamlessly adapts to each character. Rokobaro, whilst slightly stiff in her choreography, redeems herself with resonant and heartfelt vocals.
After making such a strong start, the production goes on to end in a whimper with a saccharine choral of ‘We Rise’. It’s a sentimental attempt to tie all the stories together, but ultimately, the closing number only manages to execute superficial praise about some interesting women from history, and vague ruminations about hope.
Well-Behaved Women is not for everyone – and it may have set itself too tall an order by borrowing its title from one of feminism’s most popular slogans – but it is an interesting entry into “the woman question”. What the production lacks in substance, it does compensate for with the exceptional calibre of its performers. Although, this one might be best suited for the Kens of the world, and maybe that uncle who praises the Matildas for “having a go” at playing sports.
Well-Behaved Women is co-produced by Belvoir St Theatre and Michelle Guthrie Presents (who produced the 2021 season at Hayes Theatre Co). It’s playing at Belvoir St Theatre, Surry Hills, until November 3. Tickets range from $39-$95 and you can purchase them over here.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.
