Grey Gardens musical revival in Melbourne: a cult documentary transformed

Independent theatre company Clovelly Fox, in association with Fortyfivedownstairs, is staging a new production of the musical 'Grey Gardens' in Melbourne, directed by Tyran Parke. The musical, based on the 1975 cult documentary about Jacqueline Kennedy's aunt and cousin, 'Big and Little Edie' Beale, premiered on Broadway two decades ago. The production features Helen Dallimore and Deidre Rubenstein in the leading roles. Dallimore plays both mother and daughter across two acts, with the first act being a fictional prequel and the second closely following the documentary. The show runs at Fortyfivedownstairs until 2 August. The review notes that while the production has constraints in wig and music departments, Dallimore's performance is exceptional, particularly in songs like 'Around the World' and 'Another Winter in a Summer Town'. The supporting cast includes Nick Simpson-Deeks, Meg Williams, and Luke Ward. The review was written by Reuben Liversidge for ArtsHub.