TIVOLI LOVELIES

For three years, Eddie Perfect and Dean Bryant have been working with students at the WA Academy of Performing Arts to create a production of new musical: Tivoli Lovelies. This was a combination that couldn’t go unseen so we booked tickets months ago. Thank goodness. Because the short season was sold out. And rightly so.

It’s an utterly charming piece about the vaudeville scene in Australia in the 1950s. Just that topic alone would have been entertaining enough but there was a madcap murder mystery thrown into the mix. With something like 42 students on stage and 26 musicians in the pit, it was a large and loud and exuberant production. There were some utterly mad scenes such as a musical number set on the Kokoda Trail during World War II with the Queen making an appearance. And the focus of the show, the Eleven Kevins, were wonderful to watch. The production was impeccable with effective lighting, charming costumes (such as the line up of young ladies dressed as each State moving together to make Australia), clear direction entertaining choreography and great performances.



And just in case you think I’m exaggerating, here are some other 5 star reviews:

https://www.artshub.com.au/news/reviews/tivoli-lovely-review-eddie-perfects-new-waapa-musical-is-outstanding-2830319/ 

https://www.seesawmag.com.au/2025/11/tivoli-lovely-review

I can only hope that somehow, this musical will have another life. It’s full of energy, tells part of the Australian story, and provides a great range of parts for Australia’s impressive array of musical theatre talent.

 

Eleven Kevins


Caroline McKenzie and Zoe Davidson-Wall

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