The Great Emu War - Norma Terris Theatre

Musicals are based on movies, cartoons, fictional stories, and true-life events.  Point in fact, The Great Emu War, playing at the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester through October 26.  Yes, I said true-life!  In 1932, the Australian army was called to the Western part of the country to cull the emu herds, which were laying waste to the crops.  This historical footnote intrigued the team of Cal Silberstein (book) and Paul Hodge (music, lyrics and book) to conjure up a cute, fun, and tuneful 90-minute musical.  The story stalls in the middle, and some of the topical jokes fall flat, but, in all, The Great Emu War is a diverting, cheery time at the theater.

The cast of Goodspeed's The Great Emu War. Photo by Diane Sobolewski.

The show is told from the standpoint of…the emus.  Many of the musicals at the Norma Terris, while receiving a full production, are still in the development phase.  Accoutrements like sets and costumes are at a minimum.  In The Great Emu War, the acting troupe is garbed in Costume Designer Herin Kaputkin’s, let’s call them, shiny emu headdresses and glittering tails.  The main set piece are two small bushels of wheat.

 

The opening number, “The Ballad of the Great Emu War,” is reminiscent of the start to the musical Shucked, with their two narrators laying out the plot of the show backed up by the other cast members.  Here, there is only one narrator, known as The Bush Bard (LaRaisha Dievelyn Dionne), a happy-go-lucky bloke who pops up throughout the production to add plot exposition, translate Australian vocabulary, or make bad puns.  While Ms. Dionne performs her function with buoyancy and aplomb, as the musical progresses her entry into the action seems sometimes forced.

Ethan Peterson, Claire Saunders and Jeremy Davis in Goodspeed's The Great Emu War. Photo by Diane Sobolewski.

 

We learn from The Bard and, primarily, Edith (Claire Saunders), an independent, strong-willed female emu, about emu migration patterns, child-raising practices, and mating rituals.  Her father, Enoch (Jeremy Davis), wants her to stay with the herd, but Edith, hungry and thirsty because of a drought, wants to explore beyond her comfortable surroundings.  Let me interject that all emus are known by just their first name which always begins with the letter E.  Back to the battle – while foraging, Edith comes upon wheat.  Acres and acres of the sweet-tasting plant.  Soon, the fields are overrun by emus (historical footnote:  approximately 20,000 emus overran the harvest in 1932).  To combat the threat, the central government calls upon one Major Meredith (Taylor Matthew) to lead troops to the region to eliminate the threat.  Unfortunately, between the commander’s ineptitude and the pluck of Edith’s leadership, along with her boyfriend Ethan (Ethan Peterson), the emus continually out maneuver the armed forces until they withdraw in defeat and embarrassment. 

 

Paul Hodge’s score is refreshingly upbeat and frequently humorous.  References to other works abound - “Jam It, Damn It” from Emu sourcing “Dammit Janet” from The Rocky Horror Show.   

Taylor Matthew in Goodspeed's The Great Emu War. Photo by Diane Sobolewsk.

 

 Director/choreographer Amy Anders Corcoran brings levity and mischievousness to the musical, which is layered with a few tender moments.  Yes, emus can be introspective and romantic.  The momentum of the show slackens a trifle in the middle of the production before concluding on an upswing.  Ms. Corcoran adds a number or crowd-pleasing tap routines and the erotically tinged mating dance in “Boom” is downright steamy.

Claire Saunders and Ethan Peterson in Goodspeed's The Great Emu War. Photo by Diane Sobolewski.

 

Ms. Saunder provides spunk and an animalistic amorousness to the role of Edith.  She anchors the show with her dynamism and a powerful singing voice.  Ethan Peterson delivers charm and honesty to his portrayal of Ethan.  Taylor Matthew imbues the character of Major Meredith with a thundering, over-the-top persona.  His hatred of birds and overblown self-importance provides a consistent comic spark to the show.   As Enoch, Jeremy Davis infuses his father bird with an expressiveness and pragmatic nature that is the perfect counterweight to his high-spirited daughter Edith.  The actress Morgan Cowling, playing the second banana in most scenes, contributes ample support to her other cast members.

 

The Great Emu War, playing at the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, CT through October 26.  Click here for ticket information.