Carousel

Carousel, the second of the acclaimed musical collaborations between Rodgers and Hammerstein, tells of the turbulent relationship between day-dreaming Julie Jordan (Alexandra Silber) and Billy Bigelow (Jeremiah James), a brooding carousel worker. After meeting at the carousel and hastily marrying, their relationship – through a combination of unemployment, class divisions and an inability to express emotions – is put under immense strain. Eventually Billy makes the unwise decision to assist his friend, Jigger Craigin (Graham MacDuff) in a violent theft, with tragic consequences. Fortunately, he is given one last chance of redemption.

Set in 1870s New England, the musical doesn’t hesitate to confront themes more grim than are usually encountered in the genre, including domestic violence. Yet it does so in unorthodox style, with catchy songs, exuberant dancing and a riot of colours. Use of the projection screen for background images, the carousel ride and ascent to heaven are just examples of the aspects of this production that are particularly clever and imaginative. The dance and singing sequences are solidly performed, very entertaining to watch and manage to convey a large range of emotion and important aspects of the plot.

The strongest performance is from Silber as Julie Jordan, the show’s heroine. Her lasting loyalty and love towards her distant and occasionally brutal husband is perfectly captured and her grief during the latter half of the show is strongly affecting. Despite being hit by her husband and accepting the fact, she never comes across as victimised or delusional—something hard to achieve in today’s social climate. It is much harder, however, to feel empathy with Billy, whose character appears less emotionally developed and whose whimsical slide into crime fails to feel either fully justified or understandably logical.

Carousel is more than just a musical and should not be dismissed as such; this production should help it achieve recognition as a mature and timeless piece of theatre.