Presented by Country Arts SA
Reviewed 15 April 2016
Imogen Moore & Joe Meldrum
Fred Astaire spent 76 of his 88 years of life as a performer – and a damn fine one at that, particularly in the field of Dance. He and the many leading ladies he worked with, in particular Ginger Rodgers, typified the Hollywood Era of Romance and Glamour: the 1930 and 40s. Astaire influenced so many male dancers including Gene Kelly, Rudolph Nureyev, and (yes, believe it or not!) even Michael Jackson.
To use a George and Ira Gershwin song title, A Fine Romance – The Magic Of Fred Astaire is s’wonderful and s’marvellous!
Director/Choreographer Jeremy Hinman has somehow managed to capture all the glitz, glamour and style that was the period and the man by only using one fantastic pianist (Musical Director Shanon D Whitelock) and two very talented young newcomers, Joe Meldrum and Imogen Moore.
Meldrum captures each and every member of the audience from note one of the opening, Blue Skies. He is as clear and clean in his diction and vocals as he is in his graceful dance steps – and actually sings better than Astaire.
Moore is a shimmering delight who dances beautifully and sings wonderfully. The two performers compliment one another well in both harmonies and movement. In fact, the casting of both is spot on – they work with one another in the same way that Astaire and Rodgers did.
This is a glorious tribute to a performer and a by-gone era that one never wants to end – but when it does, you’re guaranteed to come steppin’ out of the theatre and go rushing to put on the Ritz.
Note that Joe Meldrum is an ex-pat Adelaidean and makes us all very proud.
Reviewed by Brian Godfrey
Twitter: @briangods
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