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Keating! The MusicalOpening Date: July 30, 2008
Closing Date: August 31, 2008 (dates reflect final Seymour Centre run) Air date: August 20, 2008 Medium: TV and Cinema Where to watch: DVD |
Stage Production Notes
Keating! The Musical is a satirical Australian musical that follows the political rise and fall of “the Placido Domingo of Australian politics,” Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.
Keating! The Musical was conceived, written, and composed by Casey Bennetto. The show was inspired by Don Watson’s book Recollections of a Bleeding Heart, and written in 8 weeks.
Keating! first premiered at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2005 under the title Keating! The Country Soul Opera We Had to Have. The show was directed by, and starred Casey Bennetto, along with the Drowsy Drivers. Keating! received high critical acclaim, played to sold out houses, and became the first to win three Festival prizes — the Barry Award for Outstanding Show, the Golden Gibbo for a local and independent show that "bucks trends and pursues the artist's idea more strongly than it pursues any commercial lure," and the Age's Critics Award.
Producer Catherine Woodfield encouraged Bennetto to take the show further, and Keating! toured around Australia, stopping in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Darwin. The entire run was sold out, and the seasons in Sydney and Brisbane were sold out before they opened.
Under the direction of Neil Armfield, the show received further development through Belvoir Theatre’s Company B program and a re-vamped two act version opened at the 2006 Melbourne Comedy Festival.
Keating! received highly positive reviews. Critics enjoyed the fun and boisterous nature of the show, the comedic performances of the cast, and the show’s eclectic and versatile score. Musicologist Mara Lazzarotto Davis stated that the show “traverses the boundaries between comedy, music theatre and drama.” One theatre critic claimed the show was too sympathetic to Keating, and an unfair portrayal of John Howard, the man who defeated Keating in the 1996 Australian election.
Following the sold out 2006 Melbourne Comedy Festival run, Keating! embarked on a successful Australian national tour. The production won three Helpmann Awards, including Best Musical.
The real-life Paul Keating saw the show multiple times, and praised its ability to capture the humor within Australian politics.
According to historian Tony Moore, the show is notable for being one of the few pieces of “political art” created “outside of comedy and newspaper cartoons” that was in the public eye during the years of conservative Howard government.
Keating! was revived in 2015 by Birdie Productions to much acclaim.
Keating! The Musical is a satirical Australian musical that follows the political rise and fall of “the Placido Domingo of Australian politics,” Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.
Keating! The Musical was conceived, written, and composed by Casey Bennetto. The show was inspired by Don Watson’s book Recollections of a Bleeding Heart, and written in 8 weeks.
Keating! first premiered at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2005 under the title Keating! The Country Soul Opera We Had to Have. The show was directed by, and starred Casey Bennetto, along with the Drowsy Drivers. Keating! received high critical acclaim, played to sold out houses, and became the first to win three Festival prizes — the Barry Award for Outstanding Show, the Golden Gibbo for a local and independent show that "bucks trends and pursues the artist's idea more strongly than it pursues any commercial lure," and the Age's Critics Award.
Producer Catherine Woodfield encouraged Bennetto to take the show further, and Keating! toured around Australia, stopping in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Darwin. The entire run was sold out, and the seasons in Sydney and Brisbane were sold out before they opened.
Under the direction of Neil Armfield, the show received further development through Belvoir Theatre’s Company B program and a re-vamped two act version opened at the 2006 Melbourne Comedy Festival.
Keating! received highly positive reviews. Critics enjoyed the fun and boisterous nature of the show, the comedic performances of the cast, and the show’s eclectic and versatile score. Musicologist Mara Lazzarotto Davis stated that the show “traverses the boundaries between comedy, music theatre and drama.” One theatre critic claimed the show was too sympathetic to Keating, and an unfair portrayal of John Howard, the man who defeated Keating in the 1996 Australian election.
Following the sold out 2006 Melbourne Comedy Festival run, Keating! embarked on a successful Australian national tour. The production won three Helpmann Awards, including Best Musical.
The real-life Paul Keating saw the show multiple times, and praised its ability to capture the humor within Australian politics.
According to historian Tony Moore, the show is notable for being one of the few pieces of “political art” created “outside of comedy and newspaper cartoons” that was in the public eye during the years of conservative Howard government.
Keating! was revived in 2015 by Birdie Productions to much acclaim.
Filmed Production Notes
In a unique collaboration with the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and Company B, the re-vamped production of Keating! was broadcast live on free-to-air television on ABC2 on August 20, 2008. The broadcast was also made available via free public screenings in regional cinemas across Australia, including Port Augusta, Yarram, Hervey Bay, Devonport, Katherine, Wagga Wagga, Singleton and Albany.
The broadcast was released on DVD by Madman Entertainment in early December 2008. The DVD contained extras including commentary with writer Casey Bennetto, actors Mike McLeish, Enio Pozzebon, and keyboardist Gareth Evans, and previously unreleased footage from the live broadcast.
Critics reviewed the DVD favorably, noting that "larger than life" performances geared for the stage did not detract from the film.
Keating! The Musical is available on DVD from the ABC Shop.
In a unique collaboration with the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and Company B, the re-vamped production of Keating! was broadcast live on free-to-air television on ABC2 on August 20, 2008. The broadcast was also made available via free public screenings in regional cinemas across Australia, including Port Augusta, Yarram, Hervey Bay, Devonport, Katherine, Wagga Wagga, Singleton and Albany.
The broadcast was released on DVD by Madman Entertainment in early December 2008. The DVD contained extras including commentary with writer Casey Bennetto, actors Mike McLeish, Enio Pozzebon, and keyboardist Gareth Evans, and previously unreleased footage from the live broadcast.
Critics reviewed the DVD favorably, noting that "larger than life" performances geared for the stage did not detract from the film.
Keating! The Musical is available on DVD from the ABC Shop.
KEATING! THE MUSICAL PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Seymour Centre, Sydney
Producer: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with Company B
Book and Music: Casey Bennetto
Director: Neil Armfield
Musical Director: Casey Bennetto
Choreography: John O’Connell
Scenic Design: Brian Thomson
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Sound Design: Simon O’Riordan
Stage Manager: Suzanne Large
Cast:
Mike McLeish (Paul Keating)
Terry Serio (Bob Hawke/John Howard)
Brendan Coustley (John Hewson/Alexander Downer)
Enio Pozzebon (Gareth Evans/Keyboards)
Mick Stuart (Cheryl Kernot/Electric Guitar/Saxophone)
Alon Ilsar (Drums/Percussion)
Eden Ottignon (Bass/Kiwi)
Matthew Stuart (Acoustic Guitar)
Robert Bertram (Company Performer/Paul Keating Cover)
Theatre: Seymour Centre, Sydney
Producer: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with Company B
Book and Music: Casey Bennetto
Director: Neil Armfield
Musical Director: Casey Bennetto
Choreography: John O’Connell
Scenic Design: Brian Thomson
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Sound Design: Simon O’Riordan
Stage Manager: Suzanne Large
Cast:
Mike McLeish (Paul Keating)
Terry Serio (Bob Hawke/John Howard)
Brendan Coustley (John Hewson/Alexander Downer)
Enio Pozzebon (Gareth Evans/Keyboards)
Mick Stuart (Cheryl Kernot/Electric Guitar/Saxophone)
Alon Ilsar (Drums/Percussion)
Eden Ottignon (Bass/Kiwi)
Matthew Stuart (Acoustic Guitar)
Robert Bertram (Company Performer/Paul Keating Cover)
Sources
Books
Articles
Websites
- Brian Carroll, Vintage Keating: His Wit and Wisdom, Rosenberg Publishing (2010)
- Eds. Lisa Andersen and Kate Oakley, Making Meaning, Making Money: Directions for the Arts and Cultural Industries in the Creative Age, Cambridge Scholars Publishing (2008)
Articles
- Jan Chandler, “Keating! The Musical,” Australian Stage (April 13, 2007)
- Suzanna Clarke, “Paul Keating musical hits the right note,” News.com.au (Oct 8, 2009)
- Matt Foley, "Keating! The Musical" Stagediary: Brisbane theatre reviews (April 23, 2008)
- Bernard Hemingway, “Keating! The Musical,” Cinephilia (undated, 2008)
- David Knox, “Airdate: Keating! The Musical,” TV Tonight (July 31, 2008)
- Mara Lazzarotto Davis, “Flicking the Switch: Vaudeville Traditions and Myth-Making in Keating!” Sydney Undergraduate Journal of Musicology, Vol 5. (December 2015)
- Clare Morgan, “All Good Things Must End,” Sydney Morning Herald (Aug 2, 2008)
- Andrew L. Urban, "Keating! The Musical: DVD" Urban Cinefile (March 26, 2009)
Websites
- Keating!, AusStage, Accessed via: https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/72926
- Keating! The Musical, Booktopia, Accessed via: http://www.booktopia.com.au/dvd-movies/keating-the-musical/prod9322225072695.html
Written by Luisa Lyons (April, 2017)