NED
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NED

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Built within the walls of the old Sandhurst Gaol, the Ulumbarra Theatre provides a profound and eerie setting for this production about one of Australia’s most notorious and celebrated criminals. As you pass the iron cell doors and still visible gallows and into the performance hall – to be honest – it’s hard to imagine a more perfect venue.

 

NED tells the story of a boy, born into poverty in country Victoria growing up in an ordinary Irish immigrant family, who plays witness to the abuse laid down upon such folk by men in uniform. The son of a convict, Ned sees how hard his mother must work and struggle to keep their family together in the face of such adversity.

Fortunes sour further after the death of his father, as Ned is forced to take charge of the house as a boy aged 12. Spiraling from his first arrest to serving time in Pentridge at 16, Ned finds himself on the run with his gang from the police when his mother is falsely accused of attempting to murder a police officer, and begins plotting vengeance.

 

NED masterfully explores how this man was made – his family, friends, the society and events that shaped both Ned and his legend. Through its hauntingly beautiful melodies, raucous humour and a driving orchestral score, the production shows us why we should care about a criminal from a century long past, and why we celebrate him even now.

The production itself is very much grounded in central Victorian earth, with many of the creative team behind production having grown up locally before launching into successful careers.

The show’s star, Nelson Gardner, certainly provides one such stellar example. A Bendigo boy and graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts Bachelor of Music Theatre course, Gardner has long been a part of NED’s developmental process along with the production’s book writers Anne Lyon and Marc McIntyre. Drawing on past experience working with the Australian Shakespeare Company, Gardner’s powerful performance gives life to a complex and morally ambiguous Ned.

The detailed costumes from award winning Emily Barrie will transport you back in time – including Ned’s iconic suit of armor – and the Broadway-inspired choreography of rising star Michael Ralph are sure to captivate and immerse you in this formative period of Victoria’s history while the music carries you along for the ride.

It’s also the music that grabs you with this production. Adam Lyon masterfully uses orchestra scores to draw you in to Ned’s world. A graduate from the VCA Bachelor of Music, Lyon trades in recent onstage success starring in the 2013 King Kong the Musical to collaborate with music-director Loclan MacKenzie-Spencer. A Bendigo local, MacKenzie-Spencer has had his compositions performed as far away as Poland, Denmark and Portugal, with assistant-director credits on the recent Australian production of Wicked.

Finally, it takes a formidable director to bring such talent together, and Young has more than stepped up to the task. With recent directing credits including the acclaimed jubilee production of Mouse Trap, Gary Young brings a deft and experienced hand to NED, along with a vibrant history in musical theatre – from the 2010 production of Mamma Mia to Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. NED is also the first foray of Young’s production company Groaning Dam into theatre production, and certainly delivers on its commitment to create and produce fresh and uniquely Australian musical theatre.

NED is a must see for fans of Australian musical theatre, and there could be no more perfect place to see it than surrounded by history in the Ulumbarra Theatre.

BY MATT CAMERON-ROGERS