Bananaland
Logo for the premiere production
MusicKate Miller-Heidke
Keir Nuttall
LyricsKate Miller-Heidke
Keir Nuttall
BookKeir Nuttal
Premiere20 September 2023 (2023-09-20): Playhouse Theatre Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane
Productions2023 Brisbane
2024 Sydney

Bananaland is a musical comedy with book by Keir Nuttall and music and lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall.[1] It concerns an unsuccessful punk rock protest band finding fame as a 'kids band' performing music for children.[2]

It premiered at the Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre for the Brisbane Festival, from 16 September to 1 October 2023.[3] The production was directed by Simon Phillips and featured Max McKenna, Georgina Hopson, Maxwell Simon, Joe Kalou, Dave Eastgate, Amber McMahon and Chris Ryan. It is scheduled to tour to the Riverside Theatres Parramatta from 3 to 14 January 2024 for the Sydney Festival.[2]

Bananaland has been very well received. Limelight Magazine said it is "a bright and brilliant new Australian musical, bursting with colour and passion in both its message and delivery" and that it "celebrates the power of live performance and the unpredictable roller-coaster of being a working artist."[4] In a four-star review, The Guardian described it as "a celebration of and cautionary tale about making music, as well as a thoughtful exploration of both its limits and possibilities in offering us healing, solace and acting as a force for change."[5]

Original Cast

Character Actor
Ruby Semblance Max McKenna
Karen Semblance Georgina Hopson
Seb Kale Joe Kalou
Ex Maxwell Simon
Ron Delbridge Dave Eastgate
Mimsi Borogroves/Others Amber McMahon
Stephen King/Others Chris Ryan
Female Standby/Swing Erika Naddei
Male Standby/Swing Mark Hill/Stephen Madsen

References

  1. Heath, Nicola (2023-09-22). "How listening to The Wiggles' Big Red Car 500 times inspired Kate Miller-Heidke's new musical comedy". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  2. 1 2 "Bananaland to play Sydney Festival". Limelight. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  3. Conway, Suzannah (2023-09-21). "Musical review: Bananaland, QPAC, Brisbane Festival". www.artshub.com.au. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  4. Lawrence, Elise. "Bananaland ★★★★½". Limelight. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  5. Tongue, Cassie (2023-09-21). "Bananaland review – Kate Miller-Heidke's new musical comedy is a miraculous joy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
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