By Shane Rodgers
It took me a few days to find it. I went to the Beetlejuice The Musical Brisbane opening night last week and something about it hovered around for a few days looking for a place to land.
Was it the sheer quality of the cast? Quite possibly.
Was it the music and the flawless first night? That was great, but no, that wasn’t it.
Was it the energy of the audience and the genuine appreciation of a stand-out production? That helped. But not that either.
Then it hit me. It was the dancing pig. And something about the flying pie (more about the pie later).
For most of the thousands of people who have flocked to Beetlejuice during its Australian run, the pig may not have been the star. Hey, it didn’t even get a bow.
But the moment the pig got off the plate and started dancing, I realised that I was laughing out loud.
None of that half-baked laughing out of respect for a clever line – laughter that comes from a primal, natural, uncontrollable place that releases something inside and just feels good.
That is the thing with Beetlejuice the Musical. It helps you remember why you used to laugh.
The script is genuinely funny, the cast have effortless comedy timing, and you walk away feeling better about life. Not bad for a musical about death.
The musical is wonderfully cast. The characters are a bizarre juxtaposition of the ordinary and the quirky somehow united by machinations we can all relate to.
Like the characters, we live in a world of worlds that we are caught between.
In Beetlejuice, it is complicated family dynamics, defining yourself when you don’t fit in a box, facing mortality and not putting off the things that matter.
And, of course, trying to bring yourself back to life and deal with a mother who runs a version of afterlife hell.
Highly awarded American Andy Karl brings a relaxed charm to the title character. You can’t help but like him. And then not. And then again. Great acting, and use of the fourth wall. Curious – I don’t often relate to demons.
Karis Oka as Lydia Deetz is a treat to watch. As an actor she keeps you guessing and drawing you in to her dilemmas and confused loyalties.
And that singing voice. Wow. Not just a pitch perfect delivery, but there is something really interesting and compelling about it. I kept thinking that I wished she was fronting a girl rock band and doing two-hour concerts channelling Joan Jett.
The rest of the cast are equally stellar. Jenni Little and Rob Johnson as Barbara and Adam Maitland have a great Brad and Janet (Rocky Horror) meets Book of Mormon vibe going on.
Tom Wren and Erin Clare (as the Deetzs) quickly establish their characters and, after that, they could make me laugh with a look or barely-there body movement.
The ensemble cast are energetic and enchanted with the quirky bug. Each of the dancing skeletons had a unique, kinda tragic, vibe going on – “I may be dead and bones, but, yes sir I can dance”.
I should also say that the quality of sets and scene transitions at QPAC are so good, it is almost distracting. I noticed the same thing at MJ The Musical a few weeks ago. That whole area is now such high art.
And credit to Aussie Eddie Perfect for a memorable score – in both senses of the word.
When I was a young journalist, a cranky old sub-editor said I should never write a review that only said good things.
That was probably crappy advice but, in a wonderful night of entertainment, the only thing that bugged me at Beetlejuice was the strobe lights being shined in my face, mostly in the non-show time.
That seems to be happening every time I go to any show lately. Maybe it is just me turning into a cranky older theatre-goer, but is it really necessary?
Oh, and the pie.
You could easily miss it. Such a simple thing. Beetlejuice (Andy Karl) takes the pie and throws it through the door at the back of the stage and the neighbour catches it.
They made it look so easy. But, like the pig, it was the moment when I knew that Beetlejuice was in a harmonious, confident equilibrium, complete with the little pieces of perfection that come with hard work and a commitment to the small things.
I strongly suggest you see Beetlejuice the Musical, if only to let a dancing pig remind you why you used to laugh.
Beetlejuice The Musical is playing at QPAC until August 2, 2026. To book, click here.
