Jenny Nimon
That’s All She Wrote is Red Scare Theatre Company’s latest spellbinder. In a move that shouldn’t be revolutionary but is, this show puts the work of female and non-binary musical theatre writers in the spotlight. Red Scare promises cabaret but delivers a robust experience that doesn’t skimp on any of the theatrical elements at its disposal, while still preserving that stripped-back feeling that gives the music space to be heard.
How someone can be simultaneously sultry and endearing, I don’t know, but writer and performer Cassandra Tse pulls it off. She commands the stage without feeling the need to shrug away her sweetness, and for me this is one of the most empowering things she can do (*cough cough* the patriarchy has conditioned us into thinking we have to reject classic femininity to take up “male” space *cough cough*). Tse shows dexterity in her vocals, particularly in “Lioness” from Miss You Like Hell where she shifts from pretty melody to speak-singing to belting and back again – that’s one smooth passaggio. While Tse’s Southern accent could be a little cleaner, she moves for the most part between accents with ease. My personal favourite of the night is “Taylor, the Latte Boy”, which Tse performs in her own Kiwi accent and rewrites to romanticise none other than a Mojo barista. Suffice to say it elicited a few laughs from the audience.
Despite Tse’s ability to hold the attention of an audience, it is clear that this is not really a solo show. The scenographic blend is the thing that lifts That’s All She Wrote from a concert to a musical art exhibition. It’s glamorous. Rachel Hilliar’s set comprises four pillars of taped-together sheet music, which mesmerise me before the show even begins. Then the backlights come up, courtesy of lighting designer Ruby Kemp, and the stage is transformed. The pillars turn fire, then smoke, then river – all from a simple shift in colour from the back lighting, and it is beautiful. The No Man Band (great name, by the way) is led by music director Katie Morton, and not once in the show does it feel like they are just accompanying Tse. The band brings musical breadth to the show. They take their own big moments without ever stepping over Tse’s vocals, with my personal favourite being the pairing of Ellie Stewart’s violin with Morton’s accordion during “The Crying Scene” from Murderballad. The show is incredibly slick, which is in large due to the mix of talented artists involved, but also likely in part due to the skillful interweaving of said artists’ offerings by director James Cain.
Tse’s curation of work reads like a love letter – to musical theatre, but also to badass women and non-binary folk. She takes us on a journey that is light and fun but also a little bittersweet, as it’s one we should have had the opportunity to go on a long time ago. That’s All She Wrote is showing at Te Auaha until this Saturday 10 July and is selling out fast. To book tickets or to find out more, visit the Red Scare website.
Despite Tse’s ability to hold the attention of an audience, it is clear that this is not really a solo show. The scenographic blend is the thing that lifts That’s All She Wrote from a concert to a musical art exhibition. It’s glamorous. Rachel Hilliar’s set comprises four pillars of taped-together sheet music, which mesmerise me before the show even begins. Then the backlights come up, courtesy of lighting designer Ruby Kemp, and the stage is transformed. The pillars turn fire, then smoke, then river – all from a simple shift in colour from the back lighting, and it is beautiful. The No Man Band (great name, by the way) is led by music director Katie Morton, and not once in the show does it feel like they are just accompanying Tse. The band brings musical breadth to the show. They take their own big moments without ever stepping over Tse’s vocals, with my personal favourite being the pairing of Ellie Stewart’s violin with Morton’s accordion during “The Crying Scene” from Murderballad. The show is incredibly slick, which is in large due to the mix of talented artists involved, but also likely in part due to the skillful interweaving of said artists’ offerings by director James Cain.
Tse’s curation of work reads like a love letter – to musical theatre, but also to badass women and non-binary folk. She takes us on a journey that is light and fun but also a little bittersweet, as it’s one we should have had the opportunity to go on a long time ago. That’s All She Wrote is showing at Te Auaha until this Saturday 10 July and is selling out fast. To book tickets or to find out more, visit the Red Scare website.