World’s Longest Running Musical Comes to Sydney
What is the world’s longest-running musical theatre production?? Cats? The Phantom of the Opera? Chicago? The Lion King?
No, it’s a boutique musical with a poetic book and a breezy, inventive score which has been performed all around the globe – The Fantasticks. The show’s original off-Broadway production ran a total of 42 years and 17,162 performances, making it the world’s longest-running musical.
Whimsical, poignant and romantic, The Fantasticks focuses on two young lovers, their meddling fathers, and the journey we all must take through adolescent thrills, the growing pains of hurt and betrayal, the highs of passion, the challenges of distance and the agonies of heartbreak to discover how to truly love.
In a theatrical and inventive fashion, the gallant and enigmatic narrator – El Gallo – introduces a pair of young lovers – Matt and Luisa – who experience the magical, moonlit phase of falling in love. For a time, romance seems perpetually exciting, and heroics always seem to save the day. El Gallo leads our young protagonists from the romantic moonlight into the harsh sunshine, where the weaknesses in their relationship are exposed and the reality of the struggles and heartache love brings is revealed. With the understanding that “without a hurt the heart is hollow”, Matt and Luisa search to find their own identities, and in turn, to discover their strengths as a couple in times of both darkness and light.
Critically acclaimed Wooden Horse Productions again joins Hayes Theatre Co to bring an exciting new interpretation by director Helen Dallimore (High Society), featuring an exquisite cast led by Martin Crewes. Crewes returns to the Hayes Theatre Co stage for the first time since his Helpmann Award nominated performance in Sweet Charity, and performs alongside Laurence Coy (High Society, The Drowsy Chaperone), Garry Scale (Hairspray, The Boy From Oz) and recent graduates Bobbie-Jean Henning (WAAPA) and Jonathan Hickey (Qld Conservatorium).
With hit songs such as Try to Remember and Soon It’s Gonna Rain, it’s no wonder The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in history.
THE FANTASTICKS
Music: Harvey Schmidt.
Book and Lyrics: Tom Jones
Director: Helen Dallimore
Produced by Wooden Horse Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co
SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point
Season: 11-31 January 2016 (opening night Wednesday 13 January)
Performance Times: Tue – Sat at 7.30pm, Wed* + Sat 2pm and Sun 5pm
*No matinee performance on Wednesday 13 Jan
Prices: Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun matinees $55/ $49 concession;
Fri & Sat evening $59/ $54 concession; Previews $49/ $45 concession
Bookings: hayestheatre.com.au or (02) 8065 7337
