Apparently Ugly at Underbelly Boulevard Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review. All views are our own
Everyone knows the story of Cinderella and her magic slippers, but whatever happened afterwards to her “apparently ugly” stepsisters? Written by Nicky Douglas and produced by Rachel Duncan, Apparently Ugly is a brand new musical that seeks to see the stepsisters find their own happily ever after.
The storyline was effective in keeping the audience engaged and simple enough for children as young as four to enjoy. The two sisters, in this production named Agnes and Olga, shone in very believable sibling banter and arguments. After banishment by their mother until they find suitable husbands, we see the sisters go on a traditional quest to find magical beans, an acorn that is blue and a heart of true reflection to create a transformation potion of beauty. Plenty of mishaps and shenanigans occur and the sisters’ fire means that the audience laughed loudly throughout.
This show takes more than a few elements of traditional pantomime, including a dramatic dame and audience style participation but also retains its own musical style. At times the comedy slips into a more mischievous style that the adults in the audience will love whilst flying over the children’s heads. The songs, composed by Nicky Douglas, were written well and explained the plot in a fun and entertaining manner. However, they did not have particularly catchy lyrics aside from the rhyming devices used.
The set utilises a fantastic mirror on stage, which unfurls many different secrets and set changes throughout. It was engaging without being overwhelming and suited the storyline well. Apparently Ugly’s message of inner worth and finding the beauty in everyone was beautiful and well explained to the audience.
This is a wonderful fringe show and would be popular with children five to eleven. This would also shine as one performed in schools for primary aged children as well. The pacing of one hour worked well to keep the younger audience members engaged and kept the storyline moving quickly to the conclusion. The ending did feel abrupt and some of the younger audience did worry about the aftermath of Olga and Agnes’ lives, but that can smoothed with a few lines of additional dialogue.
The cast was fabulous. Amber Hegarty as Agnes and Chloe Way as Olga had fabulous chemistry together and believable sisterly squabbles. They brought much light and energy to the production which made it a joy to watch. Elliot Wooster as the campy Fairy Godfather brought much of the jokes and hilarity which moved the plot forwards in a captivating and engaging form. Nicky Douglas as the delightfully scheming evil mother was magnetic to watch and truly was a highlight of this throughly enjoyable performance.
Overall this is a brilliant and fun afternoon out for all the family, filled with fun, dramatic drag step mothers and plenty of cheeky jokes. If you’re searching for a school holiday experience that’ll fill your children with joy and give them a screen free afternoon of fun, then I recommend this show for you.
★★★★