REVIEW: bare: A Pop Opera

Rhona Bechaz | 7 November 2025

Phoenix Ensemble, Beenleigh

7 - 22 November

Themes of Drug Use, Death, Suicide, LGBTQI+, Homophobia, Religion, Teen Pregnancy, and Peer Pressure.

Book by John Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo

Lyrics by John Hartmere

Music by Damon Intrabartolo

Poignant, purposeful, and resonant. 

Phoenix Ensemble rises to the challenge of another heart-felt journey into identity, religion, and sexuality. Following the success of Falsettos in February, Phoenix doesn’t shy away from stories that mirror authentic experiences, however challenging the subject matter. bare, instead of focusing on the lives of adults, tells the story of young people and their diverse journeys. Wrestling with your sexuality, peer pressure, popularity, parental pressures, and religious doctrine is another level of difficult, and this is where we find the students of St Cecilia’s Catholic Boarding School. 

“Nobody has all the answers, remember the message well.

If you hide from yourself, be someone else for someone else’s sake - that would be the greatest mistake.” Sister Chantelle , Act Two, bare.

Bare opened with the absolute moodiest of scenes well recognised by anyone who has been to a catholic mass. The lighting dimmed, the singular stained-glass window was warmly lit at centre stage with prominent catholic cross highlighted in LEDs, and the band of eight musicians struck an incredibly goose-bumpy moment where we, the audience, were welcomed into the Catholic church.

As summer comes to a close and students return to school, tensions simmer beneath the surface. Peter, an altar boy, is grappling with his sexuality and a secret relationship with his closeted roommate, Jason. Hoping for more time together, Peter convinces Jason to audition for the school’s production of Romeo and Juliet, where Jason is cast as Romeo opposite Ivy, the popular girl with a crush on him. As rehearsals begin, Peter longs to make their relationship public, while Jason fears the consequences of coming out. Over the course of the story, the students navigate parties, peer pressure, and personal crises.

Director Jo Burnett clearly understood the assignment. She mentions having loved bare since she was a teenager, and the passion and care taken to tell it well is evident. Bare is handled with poise, understanding, and empathy, the uplifting moments pushed to their full height, and the emotional valleys carefully curated to ensure the actors and audience are engaged with the story.

The music by Damon Intrabartolo perfectly mirrored the story, and set the tone of a balanced union of catholic ritual and modern contemporary music. Though some songs were more palatable than others, the diverse score was expertly handled by Musical Director, Alex Angus, with both band and vocalist performing the pieces confidently. The band of Alex Angus (Keys 1), Mattea Page (Keys 2), Bryce Francis (Guitar 1), Hayley Gravina (Guitar 2), Sari Rangiwai (Bass), Britney Evans-Mackay (Flute), Daniel Smerdon (Cello), and Jonathan Fripp (Drums) ensured the flow of the show like champions. A Pop Opera, the instrumentalists barely rest, with continual underscoring and musical flow throughout the entire two-hour production. 

Vocal highlights included (but were not limited to!) Roselie Chase's gospel inspired 911 Emergency, Jack Barrett's Wonderland rap, Rae Rose and just about anything they sing, and Harper Lanigan-Bravery's A Quiet Night at Home. The duet, See Me, between Claire (Holly Siemsen), and her son Peter (Dugald Lowis) was an incredibly expressive piece with many rhythmic challenges. Peter's Role of a Lifetime exuded warmth and tonal consistency, while Jason (Harley Roy) & Peter's Best Kept Secret struck perfect chords between the duelling balladeer and up-tempo rock vocals.

Harmonies regularly shared that warm choir resonance, in particular stunning harmonies in the opening song Epiphany and final song No Voice are proof restrained volume often enhances tonal blend. It was very funny to watch clearly good singers attempt to purposely sing offkey during the fictional Romeo & Juliet rehearsals, resulting in a satisfying unified harmony moment upon resolution of the chord. Wedding Bells provided the much needed upbeat opening to Act Two.

We expect, in amateur theatre, to find a wide array of skills, experiences, and vocal abilities, however Angus has cleverly ensured all actors were given scope to perform their pieces to the absolute best of their ability and range. The occasional opt down, vocal runs, and opt ups, were effectively championed, and this reviewer found it refreshing to see a team that works with their actors strengths rather than pushing them vocally to places they may struggle for the sake of remaining true to the score.

While some vocal fatigue was evident towards the end of this intense production, resulting in emotion being championed over note and tonal accuracy for some performers, it is important to note the incredible challenge of a pop opera and that most songs were on point, expressive, and enjoyable.

Choreography by Grace Clarke was innovative, stylistically appropriate and executed with energy. Clarke, along with Assistant Choreographer Kelsey Todd and Dance Captain Jackson Poole, have delivered polished, enjoyable works well executed by the cast. The use of LED flashing props in the rave choreography was very fun and extended upon existing lines. The crisp canons and strong unified movement were planned well in the small stage space for the larger cast. 

It was both engaging and brilliant to witness the clear direction and collaboration between Jo Burnett, Intimacy Coordinator Tammy Sarah Linde, and the cast. Intimate moments were handled with grace and authenticity (occasionally highlighting that awkward feeling we have all felt with high-school kisses with the perfect amount of passion and purposeful cringe!), and were clearly well thought out without pushing the boundaries of cast or audience comfort. The moments furthered the story, created union with the music, and at no point felt out of place.

A staple process with Phoenix Ensemble, the utilisation of professional intimacy coordination cannot be understated.

The acting and focus of all actors was superb - they truly left everything on the stage with this intense, emotional story. While the effort was clearly incredible, occasionally the drama became overworked, leading to one or two moments in Act Two pushing into the melodramatic realm that felt out of place and drew us from the story. The cast balanced this with many beautiful moments; scenes between Peter and Jason in particular felt genuine and well curated.

Sweet, gentle, and shy, Dugald Lowis embodied the love and gentility of Peter, championing his vulnerabilities and ‘otherness’ with a quiet resilience. Lowis delivered several beautiful solos and flawlessly executed the journey of lovestruck-turned-despair-turned-resolve. An incredibly strong actor, Lowis was unwavering in their commitment to the character, and played Peter's search for love and acceptance with grace.

Harley Roy is truly making a name for themself as the singing, dancing ‘jock’. Coming off the recent Cruel Intentions at Beenleigh Theatre Group, it is fantastic to see them stretch even further in this style of character. Roy's Jason consistently displayed versatility, passion, and emotional vulnerability. Roy's onstage connection with Lowis felt real and heartfelt to the audience, and you could never accuse Roy of performing at less than 100% energy. Their songs, particularly in Act One, were performed well with rich, vibrant tones in their solos and duets.

Sister Chantelle (Roselie Chase) emerged as a Diana Ross inspired dream sequence complete with sparkly costumes for 911! Emergency!. With driving rhythm, polished choreography, and high-octane vocals, the underlying message of reaching out for support was beautifully shared by Chase as she intentionally delivered one of the most high-energy pieces in the show. This powerful anthem about the importance of connection was a show highlight. Chase brought a wonderful sass to the ensemble, with quick one liners and an enjoyable rapport with the students - an audience favourite.

After seeing Rae Rose as Dr Charlotte in Falsettos, it was wonderful to see their versatility in embodying the youthful vibrance of Ivy, the popular girl at St Cecilia’s. Their vocals have always hit the mark, and bare was no different. Rose's Ivy was sweet, princess-like, and without the mean-girl vibe that we expected. While I originally expected a little more grit from Ivy, her sweetness really set the character up for all the feels as the rug was pulled from underneath her and her world came crashing down.

With songs like Plain Jane Fat Ass and A Quiet Night at Home, there was the potential for Nadia to have been portrayed as the offensive trope from the 2000s ‘funny fat girl’, and in the beginning, I was concerned this was the choice the cast and team had made. However as the show progressed, I was delighted to see the purposeful intent behind Nadia's character arc. Harper Lanigan-Bravery delivered Nadia from stereotypical joke to an empowered, real, crass character full of life. Lanigan-Bravery plays on Nadia's cynicism with loud anger and disruption in the beginning, a mask for the self-absorbing pain and otherness she feels. Her growth throughout the story to become an empathetic nurturer and supporter of others is gratifying. Langian-Bravery’s vocals were consistent and beautiful in all songs, reaching some heartfelt places in A Quiet Night at Home that brought a tear to the audience's eye.

August Cocks’ versatility never ceases to amaze me. From Professor Bhaer in Phoenix’s Little Women earlier this year, to Masc Super-Swing in Ride the Cyclone, and now Matt, a jealous high-school boy whose regrettable actions cause tragic consequences, Cocks is formidable. He displayed excellent vocal control and was entirely committed to every scene, finding nuance to explore. A consistently excellent performance that truly drove the antagonistic relationship between Matt, Jason and Peter.

Lucas (Jack Barrett) once again played an awkward Catholic High School boy (after his incredible Ricky Potts in Ride the Cyclone earlier this year), but he this time embodied the role of class drug dealer and party animal. Flawlessly executing a complex rap in Wonderland with gusto, he channels the diction and expectoration of Jonathan Groff. His energy is unmatchable on stage and it worked very well in this character.

Tanya (Maegan Weir) , Kyra (Jade Goldberg), Diane (Cameron Grimmett), Rory (Ella Uhlmann), Zack (Ronan Mason), and Alan (Jackson Poole) presented beautifully individualised characters as a unified ensemble. Their execution of choreography, harmonies, and solo moments as St Cecelia's students was well done.

Claire (Holly Siemsen) delivered one of the most polarising characters in the show. The mother of Peter, she refused to acknowledge or accept his sexuality, or support her son in any real way. Siemsen's acting choices in cutting off Peter's sentences and complete dismissal was enraging and very well played. Her duet with Lowis was beautiful and moving, and gave me a little cry.

Luke Devine had the sweetest tenor voice in the show and was a delight to listen to. I would have loved to see a little more variety in acting as the Priest to balance some of those intense scenes with Jason, Matt, and Peter, however he confidently delivered a stoic Catholic Priest who eventually realises his error in judgement.

I offer a challenge for the cast to continue exploring versatility in their characters' emotional reactions to stimuli; what is the truth for you in that emotion and how can you portray it authentically? This is not a criticism of effort or skill, as the cast demonstrated both to a high degree. I also encourage the same exploration with your vocal choices to enhance your already solid foundations.

The technical elements provided expression and support to the cast. Sound by Luke O'Hagan was well mixed in most scenes and songs, though I would have loved to hear Sister Chantelle more clearly in 911 Emergency, and we stumbled across some missed dialogue in Act One due to a mic echo. The blend of vocals in harmonies was delightful with all parts clearly balanced, and the band was of a level that did not overpower the vocalists in the intimate space.

Lighting by Maddy Bosanko (operated by Angelina Mustafay) was delightful and a variety of techniques and colours created aesthetically pleasing moments. The LED crucifix and orange and purple upstage lights were unique and enjoyable. Scene transitions were made swiftly and often invisibly by Bosanko, George Amy and cast. 

Costuming by Emma Parkinson was beautiful, particularly the 911 Emergency sparkles, school uniforms with a touch of lilac, and Romeo & Juliet play costumes. The rave costumes were confusing and chaotic, however perhaps this can be put down to 39-year-old me never having been to a rave!

Program design by Emma Erdis was, as always, stunning and informative. Show photography by Creative Street Photography, Images by Anderson and By B'rit Creative made the marketing material look incredibly professional and expressive.

In all, a poignant story, strong performances, and enjoyable music, choreography and aesthetics. If you'd like to feel many emotions and maybe have a good cry, you simply must see this beautiful theatre by Phoenix Ensemble.