Believe – A Christmas Musical - Review by Benjamin Olivera

As the countdown begins, you lay out the cookies, milk and carrots for Santa and see the Christmas lights as you drive down the street… a brand new Australian theatre show called “Believe – A Christmas Musical” has opened at the Lounge within the beautiful Chatswood Concourse. Within it, it tells the amazing story of the origin of Santa Claus and how he went from being a humble toy maker to being that big jolly man in red and white that we know and love!

Under the director Christie Koppe’s guidance, “Believe: A Christmas Musical” is shaped with a clear emphasis on storytelling, tone and the magic of Christmas. The direction favours sincerity over excess, allowing moments of wonder to emerge organically rather than being imposed or overdone. Careful attention is given to the pacing and spatial use, particularly within the extended width of the Lounge space, ensuring each scene feels purposeful and connected, whilst also being immersive. Koppe’s work balances festive charm with emotional clarity, guiding the cast toward performances that feel grounded and cohesive, and consistently yet effectively reinforcing the production’s central theme of belief. The musical direction provides a strong foundation for the show to charm audiences, and also unifies the production through clarity and control. Matthew Herne shapes the beautiful original score with a keen ear for vocal balance, ensuring they are clean, well-supported, and emotionally aligned with the narrative. By drawing out cohesive performances from the cast, it gives the music a distinct yet accessible identity, supporting and uplifting the show’s atmosphere and supporting its storytelling with confidence and precision.

The choreography in Believe – A Christmas Musical is thoughtfully tailored to both the story and the space, enhancing the production without overwhelming it. Stephanie Edmonds, assisted by Bridget McAllister ensure that movement is used with intention, favouring clarity and character over spectacle, and allowing the ensemble to contribute meaningfully to each scene. From soft shoe tap, to ballet and even including more traditional ballroom styles, this show truly is a show of all varieties; showcasing the incredible talents of the cast whilst also telling the charming story through dance as well. Furthermore the choreography uses the full extent of the venue making it feel more considered and purposeful, supporting the narrative and reinforcing the show’s sense of cohesion and immersion… but you’ll have to see it to truly experience it! The writing of Believe – A Christmas Musical demonstrates a clear love for the Christmas season. Mark & Janine Edmonds have craftedan exquisite narrative that is accessible and heartfelt, weaving familiar Christmas themes with moments of genuine reflection through the lens of Mrs Claus. Dialogue is clear and purposeful, allowing character relationships to flourish clearlywithout meaningless exposition. The structure supports the musical elements effectively, giving songs space to advance the story further, resulting in a script that feels cohesive, sincere, and well suited to the intimate message the show has to share.

The cast of “Believe – A Christmas Musical” are a cohesive and engaging ensemble who are absolutely overflowing with talent. Each performer approaches their role with sincerity and commitment, contributing to a shared sense of warmth as well as humour that carries the production. Vocally and dramatically, the cast works like a well-oiled machine, supporting one another and maintaining a consistent Christmas energy throughout. Their collective presence reinforces the show’s themes of connection and belief, resulting in performances that feel genuine, assured, and so easy to connect and relate to!

Rob Hale as the Toymaker and Melody Beck as Mrs Claus provide a compelling foundation for this cast to build off of. Hale was quite a compelling actor, portraying the misunderstood toymaker with strong conviction and emotional grounding whilst also being an exceptionally talented vocalist too. Beck served as the softly spoken yet maternal narrator of the story, who holds the audience in the palm of her hand as she guides you through each nook of this intricately written story. Playing her younger counterpart Princess Ariana is Susana Downes who is the definition of the perfect Disney princess. She delivers vocals that soar throughout the room and delivers a fantastic performance of a girl who wants to achieve more in her life. It is amazing to see such strong performers originating these fantastically written characters.

Playing the tantalising duo of Frizzle and Frazzle the elves are the amazingly hilarious and skilled Bronte Tonks & Piper Farrell. These two will have you in stiches the entire show as the comedic reliefs of the show and are equally as silly as they are talented. They showcase their clear skill in slapstick humour alongside their beautiful vocal harmonies that they display in their duets. In command of these two rascals, and the rest of these elves is Jacinta Robertson as Armadon & Ensemble. Within the show, she displays all three of her highly trained and refined skills, leading the ensemble is a beautiful garden ballet, commanding the stage with her strong acting prowess and supplying a wonderful vocal tonality to the already beautifully sounding cast.

Speaking of incredible vocalists, this cast is also blessed to have the skills of Louis Vinciguerra as the Mayor, Franz and Oakley and Caleb Hamwood as Dancer, Prince & Ensemble. These two are truly vocal powerhouses and exhibit as such on the stage. Vinciguerra showcases his vocal and accent versatility by portraying all of these wonderful characters, each in their own distinct and hilarious way. His presence onstage is truly gravitational and he has a classical tenor voice that soars over the adoring audience. Hamwood serves the audience gospel-like vocals in the funky, toe-tapping song “Running with the Reindeer”, a song that you’re sure to be humming leaving the store, as well as being the pompous Prince who has many baked goods that will leave you with a chuckle!

The King and Queen of the land are portrayed by Max Newstead & Tisha Kelemen respectively and these two truly exude royalty to the fullest extent. They are such funny caricatures that both accurately portray the concerns of parents who want the best for their children as well as being a campy, over-the-top comedic upper-class family. Their voices are wonderful both as actors and singers and they truly add to the overall belief that radiates from this show.

Rounding out this star-studded cast is the amazing Kayla Ingle-Olsen & Justin Sacco as Candy and Peppermint, two of the youngest elves in Mrs Claus’ workshop, listening to the beautiful story of believe by the fireside. These two are such bundles of energy who keep the spirit and belief of Christmas alive throughout the entirety of the show and are a great presence to watch onstage as they continue to share in the audiences awe as we discover more about this incredible story. Both actors are truly triple threats and it is so wonderful seeing them command the space even in a smaller role

The set of Believe, thanks to Neil Shotter is so grand and truly sets the scene to the show from the moment that audiences step into the room. It is both functional and evocative, creating a warm, familiar environment that immediately situates the audience in the heart of a Christmasstory. Design choices are understated yet purposeful, and the amazing crew, led by Amelie Downie, ensure that audiences are guided from scene to scene in a smooth and careful manner that ultimately supports the flow of the narrative while also maintaining visual interest.

The sound and lighting design, created by Christian Peterson & Paul Osborne and run by Peterson & Matthew Osborne,work in tandem to beautifully shape the atmosphere of the show. The sound design is clear and well-balanced, ensuring dialogue and vocals remain intelligible while supporting the emotional tone of each scene and being accompanied by the beautifully orchestrated tracks. Lighting is used with intelligence and precision, guiding focus and enhancing atmosphere throughout the whole room. Together, these elements create a cohesive technical framework that supports the beautifully crafted storytelling, reinforcing both the intimacy of the space and the gentle sense of wonder that is central to the production.

Apart from the fantastic show, the foyer at the Chatswood Concourse Lounge is transformed into a welcoming prelude to “Believe: A Christmas Musical”, transporting the theatre-goers into a winter wonderland. Mark Edmonds Productions have set the tone for the evening perfectly before the audience even enters the theatre. There are many activities for all ages to foster tradition and make memories; perfectly festive photo opportunities, a chance to say hi to the reindeer as well as a station where people can write letters to Santa. The atmosphere feels so inviting and celebratory, encouraging audiences to linger and soak in the excitement, seamlessly extending the show’s charm beyond the stage.

Overall, “Believe: A Christmas Musical” represents an encouraging step forward for contemporary Australian theatre, demonstrating how locally created works can resonate with audiences while reflecting beautifully told stories close to the hearts of all viewers. By presenting a fresh, homegrown perspective on the Christmas story, the production highlights the potential of new Australian musicals. Supporting and promoting works like this is vital. Not only does it provide opportunities for emerging creatives, but it also helps foster a theatrical ecosystem that values originality, diversity, and innovation. Productions such as Believe remind audiences andindustry alike that investing in new Australian voices ensures theatre remains vibrant, relevant, and culturally distinctive, which I believe to be the perfect description for this show.Hurry while you still can to nab yourself some tickets to the hottest Christmas experience in town; 18^th-23^rd December 2025 at the Concourse Theatre Lounge.