Review: The Prom at Teatro at the Italian Forum

Review by Michelle Sutton 

Much loved broadway musical The Prom is currently making its Australian debut at Teatro at the Italian Forum. The Prom debuted on Broadway in 2018 and is a funny, uplifting tale of identity, growth, community and queer joy. The book was written by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, based on the true 2010 story of a teenager who was banned from attending prom as they wished to bring a date of the same gender, before the prom was cancelled all together. The music is written by Matthew Sklar with lyrics by Begeuelin. The show cleverly tells the story of four broadway performers who descend upon a small midwestern town to save a “little lesbian” being discriminated against. The veteran actors find that they also change and grow in ways they never expected. Chaos ensues as the sleepy conservative town reacts to people from the glitzy progressive theatre world and is forced to confront their values. 

Sophie Montague plays the lead role of Emma Nolan and is captivating from the moment they sing their very first syllable in “Just Breathe”. Montague’s voice is probably enough of a reason to buy a ticket to this charming show. They do a beautiful job of anchoring the show in reality and vulnerability, amidst the glitz and glamour of it all. Caroline O’Connor stars as Dee Dee Allen, a legendary Broadway star. O’Connor has had a magnificent career, playing leading roles on Broadway, The West End and in Australia. Her professionalism and experience oozes off her.

To watch Caroline O’Connor dance around the stage, belting and cracking jokes is to watch someone effortlessly do what they were born to do. Brendan Monger is the other heart of the show as Barry Glickman who befriends and mentors Emma and gets to go on a transformative journey of his own. Glickman shows off his expert comedic timing and bewitching stage presence. Monger seems to be having the most fun on stage of anyone at all times. Thern Reynolds exudes charisma as Trent Oliver who definitely doesn’t need every single member of the public he encounters to know that he attended Julliard. Bella Mcsporran is the ultimate Fosse girl as serial understudy Angie Dickenson. The four actors have electric chemistry and believable camaraderie on stage. They pop off the stage every time they are on it. Scott Irwin plays high school Principal Mr Hawkins and is the perfect match for Dee Dee, serving as a mirror for her to hold up and the opportunity to grow. 

The score of The Prom is a vibrant and heartfelt tribute to musical theatre, traditional and contemporary. There is truly a number for every variety of musical theatre enthusiast to enjoy. A highlight is the Fosse-esque “Zazz” which gives Mcsporran her chance to shine and shine she absolutely does. The set by Nick Fry glitters and glistens with plenty for the eye to marvel at alongside Cornelia Cassimatis’ equally extravagant costumes. The ensemble is polished with notably crisp and sophisticated dance numbers with choreography by Nathan M. Wright. Andrew Bevis is the director of the production and does a wonderful job bringing all of the moving parts together, ensuring every character gets their own arc and touching moment. 

The Prom is a sweet and sparkling show that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and spirit-raiser for audiences of all ages. I am excited to see what quality production comes next from the team at Teatro. 

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