Miranda Musical Theatre Company: She Loves Me - Review by Benjamin Olivera
- danielconway0
- Jul 25
- 7 min read
There are some nights at the theatre when you sit down, not quite knowing what to expect, and within minutes you find yourself smiling genuinely, effortlessly, and often. That was exactly my experience watching Miranda Musical Theatre Company’s July production of “She Loves Me”. From the moment the orchestra struck its first warm, lilting notes, I felt like I had stepped into a different world. This particular production doesn’t just tell a sweet story, it invites you into it. It wraps you in a world of bustling customers, mistaken identities, and the kind of love story that feels as comforting as it is clever. It’s clear that everyone on and off the stage poured heart and soul into this show, and the result is a production that feels both polished and deeply personal.
Much of the show’s warmth and cohesion can be credited to the thoughtful direction behind it all. Geraldine Turner, assisted by Kate-Maree Hoolihan, approached She Loves Me with a distinct affection for the material and a sharp eye for storytelling. Every moment, whether it was a bustling shop scene or a quiet, introspective pause, felt purposeful and carefully paced. There was a beautiful rhythm to the show: comedic beats landed with natural ease, and the emotional moments were given space to breathe without ever slowing the energy of the piece. What stood out for me was the Turner’s ability to balance the show’s light-hearted surface with the deeper emotional currents underneath. It's easy to play She Loves Me for laughs alone, but here, the characters’ loneliness, hope, and growth were treated with respect and subtlety. This gave the show a real emotional core that elevated it beyond a simple romantic comedy and into something truly touching.
Of course, thoughtful direction can only go so far without a cast capable of bringing that vision to life. The casting of this show was sheer perfection from the two leads all the way to the tiniest cameos. Each cast member delivered their performances with such care and conviction that it felt as though the characters had been waiting just for us to arrive. The leads carried the emotional weight of the story with such grace and charm. Lachlan O’Brien, as Georg, brought a wonderful balance of dry wit and vulnerability, allowing us to see both the pride and the quiet longing beneath his polished exterior. His vocal talents also shined as number after number he continued to wow audiences with his versatility and range; from patter songs to big belting ballads. Opposite him, Louise Butler as Amalia was a delight! Her comedic timing was sharp, complimented by her beautiful soprano voice, and her emotional moments were tender without ever tipping into melodrama. Her rendition of “I Don’t Know His Name” was so controlled and beautifully heartfelt that I was on my feet applauding with such joy. Butler is truly a powerhouse performer in the world of theatre and I have no hesitation in saying that her performance is worth the price of admission alone!
Izzy Tilden brought Illona to life in a way that I had never imagined. She was easily persuadable when she needed to be, but was also very sure in herself and confident at other times resulting in an extremely strong performance. “A Trip to the Library” is often a song that feels quite long and drags on, yet Tilden executed it with nuance and flair, holding me in the palm of her hand the whole time. Kyle Nozza had the audience in the palm of his hand with his spot-on portrayal of Kodaly. His acting was fitting to the complexity of the character that he plays, as he is responsible for a lot of the unspoken plot points, and yet he was extremely clear both vocally and physically with these choices. Plus, who doesn’t love a man who will serenade you with tenor vocals like that! Wow!
The entire ensemble was all cohesive and lively, with each supporting character given room to shine in their own right. Christopher Hamilton proved to the audience that he is a seasoned actor with a lot on offer. He played Mr Maraczek with a grounded, firm stance whist also not neglecting the more tender, kind hearted moments. If it’s not the main love story that you enjoy, then Hamilton’s portrayal of Maraczek will be a close second to pull at the aww factor. Ellis Pinkerton rode his way into our hearts from the opening of the show and played the lovable Arpad in such an endearing and humourous way. His vocal talents were on full display as well at the beginning of Act 2, carrying what can often be a slower part in the plot with stage wisdom beyond his years.
Hamish Wells is a funny man onstage and off and clearly knows where his strengths lie. His performance as Ladislav was polished to a tea, as he brought out all the belly laughs from me whether it be his facial expressions or physical slapstick. That being said, his vocal performance and other serious moments are of the same calibre and should be highly commended. Finally Garth Saville was SUCH a delight to watch onstage. Whenever he graced us with his presence, his intentions were clear, and the laughter was clearer. It is a hard thing to do to steal the spotlight from the lead without detracting from a scene, and I think Garth successfully did that. This resulted in a very entertaining performance which I could still vividly see in my brain the next day!
It would be extremely remiss of me to neglect speaking on the 9 other members of this cast, who, as an ensemble, held this show together and made the world of 1930’s Budapest to be what it is. Often ensembles are overlooked at the expense of talented leads and incredible sets, however I find that none of these exceptional things would be noticeable without the help of a tight, equally as talented ensemble; and that is what MMTC and the production team has managed to pull together. Zoe George and Josh Kable had acting and dancing skills in the café scene that had me captivated, even sometimes away from the main action due to their unwavering commitment to the bit! The female presenting ensemble should also be commended for their vocal prowess in the overlapping singing which resembled that of the work of a complex Sondheim piece. Not an easy feat and yet handled with ease.
Jonah Eskander is slowly solidifying himself as one of the most polished musical directors in the Sydney amateur scene, and this show is a great testament to this fact. the show’s score was brought to life with clarity and charm. The ensemble vocals were tight and well-blended, and the soloists consistently delivered confident, expressive performances. The incredible orchestra played with precision and sensitivity under the strong guiding hand of Eskander. It was clear that he had worked closely with the cast to shape not just the musicality, but the emotional arc of each number.
One of the most impressive elements of this production was the exquisitely constructed set with a design unique to any community theatre productions that I’d seen. The design team transformed the stage into a charming slice of 1930s Budapest, with Maraczek’s Parfumerie serving as a richly detailed centrepiece which was able to double as a shopfront as well as a detailed interior quite easily. From gleaming glass front counters to period registers & phones, and neatly arranged product displays, every aspect of the parfumerie felt authentic and lovingly crafted. Bob Peet should be highly commended on this design and David Cashman and his team should be proud of their hard efforts coming to life on the stage so beautifully. It truly looks spectacular.
Emilie Lawson and her team of hardworking crew are responsible for quite a lot of significant changes within the show and they should be commended for their efforts with this show as with a lot of set comes a lot of crew responsibility. I loved the incorporation of them as waiters in the café scene to allow for the blend in the scene transition with the scene itself. Meredith Simpson also has collected an impressive plethora of period appropriate props used in the show which add that extra element of world building which was honestly the cherry-on-top of this already wonderful show. Melannie Hogan and Christine Forbes have also worked so hard to ensure that everyone is dressed in period appropriate and more importantly stunning costumes. I don’t think I could pick a costume in this show that didn’t flatter the cast which is a difficult job in community theatre handled with finesse.
Lachlan Roberts & Blake Williams work together on lighting and sound respectively to add all of the bells and whistles on this production. The lighting, specifically the ones inside the store and the café gave great contrast and really transported the audience. The shop gave off clean, bright, expensive and polished whilst the café was dimly lit, sexy and quite romantic as well, making for quite a beautifully lit end of Act 2! The sound design was of a high standard with microphone levels being well-balanced, with clear vocals and no noticeable feedback and the live orchestra was extremely well-integrated into the mix, with the drums only overpowering the vocals in one number.
It is a rare instance in community theatre that I find a show with a well written script, beautiful orchestrations, and spot on vocals from an extremely talented cast. However, as I sat in the audience last night, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Miranda Musical Theatre Company’s production of “She Loves Me” had not only brought me this, but had brought it in spades. I’m sure that audiences, much like myself, will fall in love with beautiful show so be sure to grab your tickets to this strictly limited season!