Sophie Laurentus and Jack Taylor in Roger Gimblett’s 18 EDEN AVENUE
What’s not to love in the Genesian Theatre Company’s production of 18 EDEN AVENUE, a show that’s perfectly imperfect in places but meritorious in all the right ways. Its a sparkling story about family, love and surprises behind closed doors. The musical charts the fortunes and fates of three generations of women, sharing life under the roof of a run-down historic house.
The story centres around these characters as they navigate family tensions, relationships and the polarities between ageing and young love while exploring musically the connectivity of memories and eccentricities of older folk while the adults in the household juggle expectations and responsibilities. There is budding young love fermenting in the wings as teenagers come to terms with nascent feelings. The show prospers in this domestic setting with a lovely intimacy allowing interactions of personalities and character portrayal to be the carriage for the play giving the show a homeliness and humour.
The family home of Sophie, a dance teacher, her daughter, Poppy, nearing 16, along with Sophie’s mom, Honoria, a little eccentric and confused but a hoot. There’s a boarder who works at the local post office and revels in raising plants in the greenhouse at the bottom of the garden, in his spare time. There’s a cat who inhabits and owns the ballroom. Jasper Barnard plays Simon, brilliantly catching the angst of a teenage crush, projecting perfect posture, awkwardness. He lives next door with parents who are never there, loitering at 18 Eden Avenue, almost part of the family. Jack Taylor plays Gilford, a newly arrived boarder, a strapping lad from the country who has aspirations to become an actor. He is imbued with serious ambition and hope, his lines peppered with many theatrical references. He brings a changed dynamic to the household creating laughter and romance amidst long- buried secrets. Loitering Simon makes a standout gag when sneering at Gilford’s showiness, saying ” he’s not even a real actor. He hasn’t even been on Home and Away”.
Jack Taylor is a pivotal conduit for laughs and stagecraft as is Greg Thornton playing Arthur, that boarder referred to as the ” someone in the greenhouse”, a linchpin in the family’s secret who is a quiet observer, kind but reticent to be the person he would Iike to be. His performance nails the joy and quiet humour, intersecting perfectly with all the cast. His singing strength is marvellous.
Poppy played by Sophie Laurentus is a hyper-aware miss, intelligent beyond her years, anchors the family’s conscience and is pivotal in her singing range and comeliness, straddling the tightrope between teenage independence and maternal reliance with superb aplomb and flourishes.
Isabella Rodrigues plays Sophie a single mom, looking after the family boarders and a run-down house that needs repairs with no funds incoming and a mortgage, brings gusto, rendering a woman holding everything together under a tsunami of woes. She has stage magnetism, perfect comic timing that enhances and strengthens the family ties without a complaint or resentment. Accolades fall on Jenny Jacobs as the senile grandmother Honoria, who romps through the stage, igniting the humour in every gags. She showcases what an aging trouper can bring to the stage with her wiser. wackier role. She expresses the perplexity of ageism and advancing dementia singing, “when I dream… I remember the things I don’t recall”.
Roger Gimblett, writes, directs and designs the sets making the production feel right in the small stage setting with clever backdrops and sets. The original score was by Sally Bodkin-Allen with music direction by Christine Firkin, whose job it was to present songs supported by MIDI backing tracks. The musicality of all the cast cannot be faulted, as is their projection of the roles. The six cast members bring considerable energy to the stage, making their performances the success of 18 EDEN AVENUE with lyrics snd one-liners the glue that makes the musical sail.
An Australian premiere production, Roger Gimblett’s 18 EDEN AVENUE is playing the Genesian Theatre, St Joseph’s Church Hall, 2B Gordon Street, Rozelle until the 28th March 2026.
