OBSERVER: Mrs Lovett’s Famous Meat Pies
Reflecting on the richness of offerings at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, audiences can be impressed by an emerging star turn, Elliot Wood in Mrs Lovett’s Famous Meat Pies Grand Reopening Extravaganza.
A Melbourne-based VCA (Music Theatre) graduate, Wood is a theatre making triple threat (singer, dancer, actor/comedian). Their latest creation showcases their talent in a 50-minute satirical sequel to the story of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Wood resuscitates the role of Mrs Lovett who has “inexplicably” risen from the ashes of the furnace to escape Victorian England for the grand reopening of her “ethical” meat pie shop at the Queen Victorian Markets.
The resurrection of Mrs Lovett is no quiet second coming! Rather, Wood’s high octane performance takes their audience on a wild ride with a live pie-making demonstration that becomes more unhinged and chaotic as the story progresses.
Their clever use of wordplay is infectious, leaving the audience on ‘tender (meat) hooks’ that someone might get the chop. That said, Wood’s invitations for audience participation are respectful and containing, and help ‘flesh out’ the play.
A symbolic supporting cast of celebrity icons including Jamie Oliver and our Kylie accompany Wood, adding chaos to the story.
Other roles are brought to life by Maxi Ford. Most notably, her ‘deadpan’ portrayal of Kitchenette adds a shift in intensity to the pie-maker’s frenetic energy.
Brilliant sound design by Lachlan Rae is the third actor of the piece. His soundtrack provides a metronome to scaffold Wood’s comedic timing and showcases their vocal and physical theatre expression.
Direction by Maude Davey, costumes by Angel Donald and Wood. This team is a tight-knit collaboration set for success and one to watch out for in future for must-see live theatre.
Review by Linda Hartley