Welcome to Falsettoland!
Phoenix Ensemble has kicked off its 2025 season with a bold and brilliant pick—Falsettos—a deeply moving and wildly entertaining sung-through musical that masterfully balances humour, heartbreak, and humanity. With its demanding score, complex characters, and poignant themes, this show is no easy feat. Yet, under the direction of Hayley Gervais, the cast and creative team rise to the challenge, delivering a performance that is both powerful and profoundly personal. With a relatively small ensemble, each performer is given the space to shine and evolve. I find the intimacy of Phoenix Ensemble’s theatre always enhances the experience, drawing the audience in and making us feel more connected to the story as it unfolds.
If you've never seen Falsettos before (like me), be warned—there is no spoken dialogue. This is a fully sung-through show, and the music is intricate, fast-paced, and Sondheim-esque in its lyrical complexity and demanding harmonies. Music director Emma Erdis guides the cast through these vocal acrobatics with remarkable precision. The layered vocals in the early number "Love is Blind" are particularly stunning, demonstrating not only the cast’s technical skill but also their ability to blend as an ensemble. The band, led by Erdis, is impeccable, with a special shoutout to Sally Faint, who impressively juggles at least four different instruments throughout the show.
Falsettos tells the story of Marvin, a man who leaves his wife, Trina, to be with his lover, Whizzer, while struggling to maintain a sense of family for their son, Jason. As Trina finds love with Marvin's psychiatrist, Mendel (talk about a plot twist), and Jason prepares for his bar mitzvah, their unconventional family dynamic is tested in unexpected ways. Set in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the show takes a serious detour turn as Whizzer falls ill, forcing everyone to confront the heavy themes of love, loss, and the fragility of life. Both deeply personal and universally resonant, 'Falsettos' is a heart-wrenching yet uplifting exploration of love, identity, and what it truly means to be a family, whether you're born with them or choose them.
From the very first number, Falsettos makes it clear that this isn’t your typical musical. "Four Jews in a Room Bitching" immediately sets the tone with its sharp wit and brazen humour. Young Jason (Fraser Goodreid) joining in on the number only heightens the comedy, perfectly encapsulating one of the show’s central tensions—childhood innocence clashing with the messiness of adulthood. Another notable number is Mendel's rapid-fire interrogation in the "Three-Part Mini Opera." This number demands the audience's full attention to keep up with the nonstop stream of questions. Additionally, the trio number "Everyone Tells Jason to See a Psychiatrist" stands out, humorously capturing Jason's plight as he's caught in a tug-of-war of expectations from the adults surrounding him.
At the centre of Falsettos is Marvin, played with remarkable depth by Luke O’Hagan. Marvin is a man caught in his own contradictions—selfish yet loving, domineering yet insecure, desperate to maintain control over a family that is rapidly slipping away. O’Hagan nails this complex cocktail of traits with nuance, you’ll find yourself both shaking your fist at him and nodding in sympathy. His on-stage chemistry with Joshua Brandon’s Whizzer is compelling, perfectly embodying the push-and-pull of their tumultuous relationship.
Brandon’s Whizzer is effortlessly charismatic, exuding confidence and charm, yet beneath his bravado lies a quiet vulnerability. The contrast between the two men is striking—Whizzer, self-assured and free-spirited, versus Marvin, rigid and still struggling to figure out who he is. Their dynamic feels intentionally unbalanced, their friction palpable, making the moments of tenderness between them all the more impactful. Together, O’Hagan and Brandon create a relationship that feels raw, real, and ultimately heartbreaking.
Genevieve Tree as Trina is a revelation. She delivers "I’m Breaking Down"—a comedic tour de force—with astonishing vocal control. The number is an unhinged, wildly entertaining descent into Trina’s spiralling thoughts as she desperately tries to hold herself together while baking. Her manic energy and animated delivery make this number a standout moment in the show. Yet, beneath the hilarity lies genuine heartbreak. Tree masterfully balances the absurdity of the moment with the devastation of a woman grappling with the collapse of the life she built and the foolishness she feels. Later, her vulnerability in "Trina’s Song" is deeply moving, showcasing her remarkable range as both a singer and an actor. Her vocals never falter, no matter the demands of the score, and her physicality and comedic instincts make her an undeniable scene-stealer. With every note and expression, she stamps her place as one of the evening’s most memorable acts.
The infamous "March of the Falsettos" feels like a fever dream—aptly so, as it’s essentially Trina’s surreal imagination, performed with impressive skill as the men’s falsetto voices must blend with Jason’s unbroken tone. As Act One builds to its climax, "Making a Home" provides a beautifully tender moment between Trina and Mendel, while Marvin and Whizzer’s relationship begins to unravel in "The Chess Game" and Whizzer’s introspective solo, "The Games I Play."
Alex Smith is endearing as Mendel, bringing warmth, cringy charm, and easy comedy to the role. His therapist-turned-stepfather arc with Jason is a particular highlight, with their therapy sessions playing out as rapid sparring matches where Jason seems to out-psychoanalyse the therapist. Smith balances Mendel’s neuroses with sincerity, encapsulating the quiet hope of a man eager to build something stable amid the chaos.
Fraser Goodreid excels as Jason, embodying the dry wit and exasperation of an only child caught in the crossfire of his parents’ drama. His delivery of "My Father’s a Homo" is priceless, and he holds his own vocally alongside the adult cast with impressive confidence. He brings an authenticity to Jason’s journey, making him more than just the wisecracking kid—he’s the reluctant anchor holding this family circus together.
The first act crescendos with the gut-wrenching "I Never Wanted to Love You", where the cast’s harmonies soar with raw emotion, each voice carrying the weight of heartbreak and frustration. It’s a breathtakingly painful moment, immediately followed by "Father to Son"—a gentle and deeply affecting scene where Marvin, stripped down to his most vulnerable state, reaches out to Jason in a rare moment of tenderness. This number lingers, leaving the audience with a sense of both resolution and uncertainty as the curtain falls on Act One.
In Act Two, Rae Rose as Charlotte and Michael Enright as Cordelia bring a cozy blanket of warmth, a sprinkle of humour, and big ol' heart to the show. Their presence adds a much-needed sense of community and support as the story takes a more sombre turn. Rose’s straightforward and compassionate Charlotte complements Enright’s endlessly loveable Cordelia, whose efforts to bring levity amid tragedy enhance the impact of their scenes. Together, they anchor the story in themes of love, friendship, and resilience.
Though Falsettos is technically two musicals fused into one, Act Two undeniably feels stronger. The "Year of the Child" establishes Jason’s Bar Mitzvah preparations as a thread that ties the family together, but it’s Whizzer’s declining health that casts a shadow over everything, shifting the show from playful dysfunction to profound poignancy. Though the show is long, the pacing never falters—each song is swift, purposeful, and propels the story forward with precision.
"A Day in Falsettoland" and "The Baseball Game" are well-staged, intertwining the various relationships into a lively musical tapestry. "The Fight" provides insight from Jason’s perspective as he witnesses his parents argue once more. And Mendel’s character arc takes an intriguing turn as he appears weary and bitter, yet still strives to comfort Jason during "Everyone Hates His Parents", a surprisingly upbeat song enhanced by an entertaining dance routine by choreographer Jackson Poole.
The shift in tone begins when neighbour, Dr. Charlotte, starts to sense that something ominous is unfolding within the gay community. Rae Rose performs "Something Bad is Happening" with outstanding vocals, capturing the growing fear of an unknown disease and the looming dread that becomes tragically real when Whizzer gets hit with the diagnosis. From this point forward, the performances grow even more emotionally charged. The cast does a phenomenal job depicting the weight of this crisis—Whizzer appears physically frail yet holds onto a quiet strength, while Marvin, Charlotte, and Cordelia rally around him in "Unlikely Lovers", a beautifully harmonised piece that is further enhanced by the gorgeous flute and clarinet accompaniment.
Joshua Brandon offers an beautiful performance in "You Gotta Die Sometime", leading the audience through Whizzer’s emotional journey from denial to acceptance. Luke O'Hagan brings the show to a close with "What Would I Do", projecting such power that his microphone is unnecessary. The finale is profoundly moving, with the entire cast digging deep to deliver a powerful ending, despite their evident exhaustion.
The 70s aesthetic is well-realised, from the clothing and hairstyles to the magazines featured. It’s a time capsule that not only grounds the story’s historical context but also enhances the realism of the characters. The lighting, designed by Tammy Sarah Linde, is a stunning spectrum of colour—naturally, every hue of the rainbow makes an appearance. Linde’s design bathes the stage in a constantly shifting colour palette, mirroring the emotional tides throughout the musical. Staging is dynamic and purposeful, with director Hayley Gervais ensuring that every inch of the space is utilised to its full potential.
The set design is simple and striking, with two oversized chess pieces flanking the stage—a nod to the recurring chess motif. The stage floor, checkered in an askew pattern, symbolises the imperfect relationships that unfold. The pastel-coloured chessboard designs along the walls further enhance the retro vibe, fully immersing us in the era. The movable cubes create a versatile playground for the actors, allowing them to navigate the ever-shifting characters' lives.
Phoenix Ensemble’s Falsettos is a triumph—a beautifully performed, deeply affecting production. The show’s complexity demands a strong cast, and this ensemble more than rises to the challenge. With stellar vocals and musicians, sharp character work, and an intimate setting that makes every moment feel personal, all these elements come together to serve the show’s central theme: life is a game of strategy, and love doesn’t always follow the rules.
Comments