Book, Music and Lyrics: Sam Hooper and Robert Tripolino
Director: Gabrielle Scawthorn
Is Death a serial killer? He insists that he isn’t – they’re far too unimaginative. This musical comedy, featuring an original book, lyrics and score by Sam Hooper and Robert Tripolino, is a well-crafted and beautifully dark plea from Death himself for us humans to appreciate him more.
It’s no mean feat that this death-centric comedy always manages to get the tone right. It moves between amusing and hard-hitting stories of individual deaths across the world, and each extreme is perfectly pitched. There’s a gag about Aztec priests, alongside a sensitive portrayal of a neglected 6-year-old and a chilling look into the psyche of a campus shooter. Hooper’s acting really shines; his multi-role playing is understated and unaided by costume changes, but hugely effective.
The show’s musical numbers are well-executed and nicely varied in style, with creative lyrics that command full attention. The songs move the performance on at a satisfying clip, and there is never a lull, with Death breaking the tension after each sadder moment with a slick quip. Hooper’s dancing is fantastic, surprising us a little while into the show and successfully conveying the emotional weight of the individual narratives; it is clear that the direction (Gabrielle Scawthorn) has been meticulous.
Máth Roberts accompanies Hooper onstage and is a talented musician, although there are a few moments where the acoustic guitar gets lost in the large performance space. The stories of individual people and their deaths can occasionally feel clichéd or cursory – a wayward teenager’s crash in a stolen car, for example, or a woman abandoned by the mental health care system – but Hooper portrays his characters sensitively enough that the final product feels meaty and nuanced. This is a highly original show, and Death is a completely charming companion for the evening. Who else could get a huge and well-earned laugh for celebrating “guilt-based psychological problems for the child”?
Runs until 27 August 2023 | Image: Contributed
The Reviews Hub Score
Beautifully dark
