Mayfair: A New Musical (Roundhouse Theatrical Co.), at Chapel Off Chapel
The voiceover at the start of the show speaks volumes.
“How old were you when you stopped playing?”
The reference is to imaginative and unstructured play, to make believe, if you will.
Young children in particular have it in spades. It happens automatically, intrinsically. In short, it takes very little effort.
But as one grows up, the art form is all but lost.
Mayfair: A New Musical comes from a place of offering hope to an adult audience that amongst them they can still find it in themselves to be silly and playful.
The plot concerns an arrogant, stick in the mud, young lawyer named Scott who, as a child, was encouraged to study while other youngsters would be playing outside.
Now, he believes he is better than everyone else … above them, and he pillories game playing.
That is until he is all but forced to embrace it.
That happens after Scott is hit by a bus on the way to work and, most unexpectedly, lands in the afterlife.
It is a place where playing classic games is not only encouraged, but expected.
It is all about rolling the large dice, picking cards, Scrabble, Jenga, Twister and the like.
And any attempt by Scott to push back and show disrespect is met with the others turning tail and walking away.
But still, this afterlife is not the happy place it used to be.
That is because a lying, power hungry, self-appointed queen, called Mayfair, blindsided everyone.
Mayfair locked the guiding spirit in a cupboard and is gradually sapping all her powers.
Attempts to rescue the spirit, and revert to what was, have proven fruitless.
But could it be that recalcitrant young man Scott is the unlikely saviour they needed?
Playwright (and drummer) Ian Tassicker has reached deep into his fertile imagination to craft a full musical based around a flight of fancy.
With a seven strong cast and 11 in the band, Mayfair: A New Musical features a rich and redolent, up-tempo soundtrack.
The composer, music director and sound designer is Jasper Cruden.
It is a show chock full of fun and frivolity.
With strong vocalisation, Koert van der Laan makes a most welcome lead. He is talented and effusive.
Around him, the other players too, each bringing distinct characterisation, have a wow of a time.
Complete with faux German accent, Jacob Kuek as Baron Von Strategy has a soft spot for Lady Luck, one of two roles taken by Sally Harrop. The other is Madame Charade, who, naturally, gesticulates but doesn’t speak.
Tristan Sicari is a hoot as a swashbuckling seafarer, who tries his best to steer Scott in the right direction.
Douglas Rintoul plays the stiff stepping Sir Knight, who gives the Bard’s English a good working over.
Akansha Hungenahally is the congenial Miss Wordsmith, who wants to take the time to get to know newbie Scott.
And then we have the villain of the piece, Mayfair, a part filled by Charmaine Gorman, whose lust for control is overwhelming.
With potent voices amongst them, some of their best work comes in the chorus numbers and in their well-choreographed dance moves.
In fact, the choreography by Madison Randl is one of the features of the piece.
Nor are a couple of cast members afraid to engage the audience directly as part of one of the games in play.
I also loved the set and costume design by Sarah Halton, which I could have imagined in a fractured fairytale or a modern interpretation of Alice in Wonderland.
Diagonally angled furniture and evocative outfits are all the go.
Lighting design by Jacques Cooney Adlard plays a crucial role in setting the mood and signalling scene changes.
It has taken Roundhouse Theatrical Co. five years of endeavour to get to this point.
I readily bought into the theme, although with a running time of two and a half hours (including interval), I thought that Mayfair felt a tad stretched.
But that is to take nothing away from director Lachlan Obst, who ensures that the action keeps moving and the infectious energy resonates.
Mayfair: A New Musical is on at Chapel Off Chapel until 24th October, 2026.
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