Review: The Mad Ones, The Other Palace

The Mad Ones tells the story of Samantha Brown as she learns to drive whilst navigating the grief of losing her friend Kelly in a car accident, along with her senior year and working out what she wants to do next. Played by Dora Gee, Samantha is a smart, dedicated student with a steady boyfriend, Adam (Gabriel Hinchliffe), and a future all mapped out by her mum Beverly (Thea-Jo Wolfe). However, she is unable to get the rebellious voice of Kelly out of her head as she yearns to understand what she wants to do with her life.

Gee portrays Samantha with warmth, honesty and heartfelt vocals. She displays brilliant moments of humour and has a beautiful chemistry with Courtney Stapleton as Kelly. Stapleton’s voice is stunningly powerful and emotional, with duets between her and Gee being a highlight of this performance, particularly ‘Freedom’. Wolfe’s Beverly has the perfect balance of comedy and concern as Sam’s mother, with a hilarious song in which she forces Sam, Kelly, and Adam, to eat homemade cookies in the hope they will tell her about Sam’s life. She later articulates concerns about Sam not wanting to attend an Ivy League college, stating that the choice to not pursue a practical education and instead travel on the road is a luxury not afforded to girls. This is an insightful exploration of the societal pressure placed on young women.

The juxtaposition between the pre-determined, academic path expected of Sam and her longing for the freedom to build her own life is symbolised excellently by Hinchcliffe’s Adam. His reliable presence in Sam’s life contrasts to Kelly’s often sporadic contact, and his duets with Gee are comedic and engaging. Hinchcliffe’s rendition of ‘Run Away With Me’ is beautifully performed and acts as a real point of clarity for Sam in deciding what she will do next.

The score of The Mad Ones is one of its strongest features, with soft emotional ballads, huge belting duets, and hilarious ensemble numbers. The storytelling is also extremely effective with Sam leading, supported by Kelly, and both often breaking the fourth wall to add context. The emotional journey of the two friends is explored beautifully throughout the show as they navigate grief together.

This production, staged in The Other Palace’s studio theatre, utilises minimal and effective set design to create an intimate show that allows the audience to fully appreciate this cast’s incredible emotion, comedy, and phenomenal vocal talents.

The Mad Ones is a gorgeous and heartfelt musical that fantastically demonstrates the powerful vocals of the performers! It is a hopeful show that, whilst navigating grief and friendship, demonstrates the power of finding your own path, overcoming fears, and moving forward.

Written by Kait Kerrigan & Bree Lowdermilk
Directed by Emily Susanne Lloyd
Musically Directed by Callum Thompson
Choreographed by Lauren Stroud
Set & Costume Designed by Reuben Speed
Lighting Designed by Joanne Marshall
Sound Designed by Tom Bedworth
Produced by: Samantha Creswick
Creatively Produced by James Edge

The Mad Ones plays at The Other Palace Studio until Sunday 1 June.