Hornsby Musical Society: Reefer Madness - Review by Selina Wong

Delightfully camp and effortlessly hilarious, the Hornsby Musical Society’s production of Reefer Madness was hilarious and had the audience in stitches from start to finish. Co-directors Kevin Rodrigueza and Max Waterson clearly struck gold in their selection of a standout cast, production team and versatile band, bringing the 1930s anti-cannabis propaganda satire to life with razor-sharp wit and clever comedic timing. Rodrigueza and Waterson’s vast experience across different musical styles was on full display, seamlessly carrying the production through a truly wild mix of genres and eras. Blending the absurdist humour of Monty Python, the campy cult energy of The Rocky Horror Show, and the sharp harmonies of Jersey Boys, this production hits an eclectic sweet spot that worked brilliantly!

I was in absolute awe of John ‘Jack’ Goggin as The Lecturer- the narrator who seamlessly slips into several other characters throughout the show. Popping up here, there, and everywhere, Goggin effortlessly carried the production’s satirical tone and fast pace. It is genuinely mind-boggling to believe this is his onstage debut! With remarkable versatility, a strong voice, superbly camp acting skills, and rapid-fire costume and character changes, he was an absolute delight to watch. I simply couldn’t get enough of him, and his transformation into President Roosevelt was easily my favourite moment.

Emma Derbidge as Mary and Logan McArthur as Jimmy play an innocent high school couple very much in love. Their budding relationship is forever changed when Jimmy ‘takes a hit’ of the feared “marihuana”. Derbridge’ performance of “Lonely Pew” was beautiful and “Little Mary Sunshine” was an opportunity for the audience to see the full range of Derbidge’s voice and aggression. As a testament to McArthur’s acting ability, the evolution of clean-cut Jimmy before “Jimmy Takes A Hit” was a completely different character to the start of the show. He even looked physically different! His exaggerated falsettos complemented his drug-induced hysteria but the audience was able to see the lighter side of McArthur with his emotive voice in “Mary Jane/Mary Lane”.

Bronwyn Dyer was easily the standout performer of the night as Mae. Commanding the stage with her dynamic vocals and effortless confidence, she completely devoured the role, making her solo “The Stuff” and its reprise absolute showstoppers. Her banter with Samuel Byres as Jack was absolute gold. Navigating a storyline where she is the victim of their violent relationship, the duo managed to play it for laughs without missing a beat, a true testament to their comic timing and chemistry. Byres threw himself wholeheartedly into the drug dealer role and with his slapstick style and exaggerated tone, he clearly had a ball with every second onstage.

James Denton was truly hysterical as the crazed Ralph, crawling and puttering in and off stage. I loved his cheeky playfulness alongside Derbidge in “Little Mary Sunshine.” He brought impressively solid vocals to the song, so much so that I wished we got to hear even more of him. Meanwhile, Asha Perry leaned into the promiscuous, drug-addicted mother stereotype as Sally, hitting the perfect balance of sharp satire and overt sexuality. As both Jesus and Goat Man, Andrew McBain led the crowd favourite “Listen to Jesus” with infectious energy. Despite the over-the-top antics of these wild characters, his vocal talent stood out leaving me keen to see him take on leading comedic and dramatic roles in the future.

Hornsby Musical Society struck absolute gold with this endlessly versatile, all-singing, all-dancing ensemble. True theatrical chameleons, they shifted effortlessly between jazz, gospel, lounge, and cabaret without missing a beat!. Numbers like “Down at the Ol’ Five and Dime” and “Listen to Jesus” were electric, showcasing powerhouse vocals and slick choreography that were equally top notch. Special praise must also go to choreographer and costume designer Lauren Oxenham, who must have felt like she was designing for several different shows at once given the wild variety of styles spanning period outfits and eccentric ensembles from angels and marijuana leaves to appearances by Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty!

Meanwhile, the band was phenomenal, and I loved that Hornsby Musical Society featured them right on stage. It’s hard to believe a group of just five musicians could tackle such contrasting genres while peppering clever musical stings throughout the night. I loved the minimalist staging, with its three levels used cleverly to make scene transitions and prop changes completely seamless. The stairs and upper tier in particular added a whole new dimension to the stage and were put to imaginative use. I have genuinely never seen lighting used so effectively, it carved out new spaces and mirrored the characters’ inner turmoil onstage, which was so impressive! Meanwhile, quirky props like the brownies and the vegetable strainer were wonderfully random and hilarious.

Please go and check our Reefer Madness! Although the whole team lean into its satirical genre, it is full of surprises and will guarantee you to laugh out loud. Also, if you’re a bit of a history nerd, you’ll enjoy the historical touches to the program and stage.