Type – Electro Swing, Satire, New Musical
If you liked – Shane Warne: The Musical, Gladys: A Musical Affair, Breaking: The Musical
Phar Lap: The nation’s favourite horse is alive and dancing in a musical that is as full of heart as it is bitingly satirical
As Australians, there’s an ingrained sense of nationalism when it comes to honouring sporting legends, be they runners, cricketers, swimmers, and yes, even horses. The legendary Phar Lap is one such horse that remains to this day an Australian icon – sorry Kiwis – and his life, on paper, is perhaps as perfectly aligned to be told on the big stage as it has on the silver screen. But don’t be fooled, Phar Lap is no War Horse. Realism takes a back seat in Steven Kramer‘s brand new satirical musical as Phar Lap becomes a corporeal body on stage who walks, talks, and tap dances his way yet again into the nation’s heart. After all, he’s got the buggest one (read that in a New Zealand accent).
Under Sheridan Harbridge‘s direction, Kramer’s original book, music and lyrics feel entirely fresh and yet familiar, full of zest and bite throughout the tight 105-minute production. Harbridge seems a perfect choice to take on the nation’s favourite horse, having already shown a penchant for unearthing the colonial Australian zeitgeist in works such as My Brilliant Career and reframing them successfully under a modern lens. Together, Kramer and Harbridge play a strong double act as they balance Phar Lap‘s endearing underdog story with biting satire on the “Race that Stops the Nation”, horse breeding, and the inherent animal cruelty that goes hand in hand with the illustrious spectator sport.
Electro Swing Meets Contemporary Sensibilities
Phar Lap leans into its electro swing promise, making it stand apart from other musicals of the genre. The roaring 20’s comes racing out the gate from the very start with ‘The Race that Stops the Nation’, as Kramer injects an element of Gatsby underneath the horse training montages, fashion on the field betting, and the show’s most catchy two-hander song, ‘We’ll Stick Together Like Glue’. Throughout, Kramer amalgamates the retro swing with the electric bass of modern pop and seductive jazz scores in the BDSM implications of a jockey “riding” our titular horse, and the climactic downfall of the hero’s journey as Phar Lap becomes hooked on pure Colombian sugar cubes and finds himself clubbing at the Hoof Doof.
Utilising more hair braids than a child’s My Little Pony toybox, Hailley Hunt‘s horse stable set design effectively transports us in space, making the more intimate scenes between Phar Lap (Joel Granger) and Harry Telford (Justin Smith) exude heart, and the larger race scenes require our imagination to fill in the gaps. Against Hunt’s set, Mason Browne‘s costumes hide small details that are as sly and cheeky as Kramer’s lyrics, reflecting both the outfits worn by jockeys and horse trainers, whilst layering small additions over the top to bring the horses to life. Combined with Trent Suidgeest‘s lighting design, moments of absurdism are amplified with amber-hued pinks and deep greens, while spotlights raise Phar Lap to the level of the champion he was to become.
Choreography by Ellen Simpson is as electric as Kramer’s score as she brings together human and horse to make quasi-equine shapes mixed with ballet leaps and plenty of tap movements. As a fan of any musical that gives me a good tap number, it felt a sorely missed opportunity for actual tap to take place instead of the horse’s movements being dubbed. It just doesn’t have the same appeal.
The Horses & the Horse Girls of Phar Lap
Leading the pack, Granger’s Phar Lap is impossible to not fall in love with from the first instant he trots on stage. His wide-smiled “Kia Ora” exudes his charm, whilst his struggle to pick up a sandwich with no fingers instantly creates the game for the audience in hilarious fashion. It’s a ridiculously fun premise as Granger leans into the bit, yet continues to instill the famously large heart of Phar Lap into his very being. By the time he becomes the champion the nation fell in love with, you’ll need to remind yourself that Granger is in fact not a horse.
Opposite, Smith’s Harry Telford is a more sturdy rock on which Phar Lap’s journey rotates. Smith’s rich vocals are perfectly matched to Kramer’s less electrified swing, while his Harry pairs well with the underdog journey of Phar Lap as he battles against the overpowering greed of the betting world he’s a part of.
Each member of the seven strong ensemble hit the heights of their craft to help build and sustain the satirical, heartfelt world that Kramer creates. Amy Hack does her best Edna Mode as the wealthy, horse-attuned Madame X, while Lincoln Elliot plays Phar Lap’s brother, the bad boy Nightmarch, and Sir Don Bradman with a heft of humour – the use of the famously small Ashes trophy made me cackle. Manon Gunderson-Briggs‘ announcer/narrator carries the fast-lipped race announcements strongly, while Shay Debney‘s Jim Pike commits to the role of the “big daddy” horse jockey who’s a bit too into riding horses.
Is Phar Lap Worth Seeing in Sydney?
There’s more to Phar Lap than simply honouring the nation’s favourite horse. Kramer and Harbridge continuously crack a sharp whip into the sport of horse racing itself as they play a game of push and pull with you. One moment you’re belly laughing at the continuous horse puns that’ll make any Dad proud, the next you’re sharply pulled back to the cost of reality from the nation’s biggest horse racing event. We’re almost forced to question the true cost of making a national symbol and why we’re drawn to escapism through the toughest of times.
Phar Lap is both pure escapism and a satirically dark reminder about the actions that come with making a legend, especially when that legend isn’t human. An instant classic along the lines of Shane Warne: The Musical, you’ll laugh so hard you’ll need some stirrups to hold on as Phar Lap takes you on a non-stop journey of heart and humour. This show indeed has a big – neigh, the biggest heart.
See our full behind the scenes chat with Steven Kramer and more sneak peeks of the show over on our YouTube channel.
Tickets and Practical Info for Phar Lap in Sydney 🎟️
Tickets: https://hayestheatre.com.au/event/phar-lap-musical/
Book, Music and Lyrics by Steven Kramer
Directed by Sheridan Harbridge
CAST
Starring Shay Debney, Lincoln Elliott, Joel Granger, Manon Gunderson-Briggs, Amy Hack, Nat Jobe, Joey Phyland and Justin Smith.
CREATIVES
Musical Supervisor Steven Kramer
Musical Director David Gardos
Choreographer Ellen Simpson
Associate Director & Stage Manager Daniel Cottier
Set Designer Hailley Hunt
Costume Designer Mason Browne
Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest
Sound Designer Liam Roche
Arranger & Orchestrator Jack Earle
Orchestrator & Track Producer Steve Toulmin
Associate Track Producer Glenn Moorhouse
Ableton/Keyboard Programmer David Youings
Sound Content Designer Matty James
Production Manager Damion Holling
Assistant Stage Manager Nathan Sandy
Sound Engineer Em-Jay Dwyer
Set Design Assistant Adrien Stark
Costume Design Assistant Jess Dilworth
Musical Director’s Assistant Lauren Shaw
Intimacy Coordinator Chloë Dallimore
Please note:
The role of Madame X will be played by Joey Phyland on Saturday 25 October (2:00pm & 7:30pm)
The role of Announcer will be played by Joey Phyland on Thursday 20 November (7:30pm), Friday 21 November (7:30pm), or Saturday 22 November (2:00pm & 7:30pm)
