‘Fresno’ // J.M Harland and J.R Connell

‘Fresno’ was lost.

What does it say about a work of musical theatre if the program doesn’t credit the writers? It’s only a digital program, and two of the writers, Jeremy Harland and Josh Connell, who were also the producers, got a credit as Co-Director. The third writer James Greaves doesn’t rate a mention at all. It could be nothing more than an oversight, but one could ask how much of a priority the writing was to this production.

‘Fresno’ the title of this production, is also a city in California. In this production, it includes a bar called Flannigan’s, which could have been in any city in the world. The decision of these Australian writers to set it in ‘Fresno’ is a mystery. The bar could have even been in Prahran, where this original book musical is playing in The Loft at Chapel Off Chapel. Only one joke about an Aussie in a Bunnings shirt would have to go, and it would not be a great loss.

The story revolves around one of two bartenders there. JJ (Jackson Cross) has been getting over a breakup. Or maybe he hasn’t, but he’s been trying to. His boss and best friend Sam (Douglas Rintoul) has nothing in his life except his late Father’s bar, which is finding itself in a difficult competitive environment. Before long, JJ meets Amy (Naomi Leigh), a talented singer-songwriter who lacks the confidence to send her songs into the world.

All up there are 11 in the cast, which represents the most diverse range of body types I’ve ever seen. In the style of great animation, each performer could be distinguished by their silhouette, even when they come on as one-shot characters in very different costumes. The ensemble performers in this show are much more likely to be recognised for this than they will be for most of their credits.

Flannigan’s Bar is well represented on stage by the set design of Lachlan Edis, who also joined the cast as Frankie. The pool cues on the wall told us that there was a pool table we couldn’t see. We could see the dartboard, though nobody ever played. The stand-out missed opportunity was the bar itself (the literal bar that you lean on), which looked like it had just been wheeled out of the prop store moments earlier, untouched since the last time it was used as six different pieces of furniture in the same show. It needed to do that in this show too, but the simplest fake façade could have made us believe it had a place in a self-respecting Irish pub. The bar rotated to turn into a competing establishment, and a coffee shop, aided by fluorescent signs on the wall. Why anyone would open a rollerskating coffee shop is a mystery. It’s hard to say whether the falls were scripted.

Other mysteries that are aided by a suspension of disbelief: How does a start-up business called “We Move Shit” get air time for their ads, and why does Sam always want to leave early when his life entirely revolves around the bar?

Perri Hobbs took charge of the costumes, a highlight of which was the hoodies that allowed JJ and Amy to sing to other versions of themselves, at a time when it was perfectly appropriate for them to be hiding from the world in Walmart attire. An opening number introduces the bar with a promising energy. Choreographer Sophie Graham-Jones does amazing things with a limited space and the talents of performers that I’m guessing are not all primarily dancers. The high energy and comedic numbers continue to hit the mark throughout the show, possibly because they are the least impacted by the fact that there’s not much to sing about. Not a great deal is happening in JJ’s life. Sam and Amy have a lot more going on, but the decision to focus on JJ results in Sam being rather one-dimensional and Amy’s main storyline, her hopes and dreams, ending in a momentary punchline.

In places where the writing team are credited, such as on the Chapel Off Chapel website, the credit does not distinguish between Music, Lyrics and Book, yet it is evident this team are mostly songwriters. With a more skilled hand allocated to the book, not only could the dialogue be much better, but there would be better opportunities to identify the dramatic need for the musical numbers. There is enough here to suggest that this team can take strong song concepts and write good songs with them, but often lack the strong concept. Notably, no dramaturg is credited either.

Performances are solid across the board, except when a joke is lacking and needs to be delivered extra loud to make up for it. Luckily, the three leads are protected from such lines and get to focus on their more dramatic moments. The four regulars at the bar (Henry Stephenson, Veronica Olesh, Lilly Betts & Edis) endear themselves throughout, but it is jarring when we find out in the second act that they must be much older than the actors portraying them.

There is a good time to be had at ‘Fresno’, with performers and songwriters who deserve to be supported, in creating original Australian musical theatre. Next time, there is something to be said for sticking to your strengths, especially in this, the best collaborative art form. I just wish they’d named the show after the bar.

‘Fresno’ performs until Sunday, 2 March 2025 at The Loft, Chapel Off Chapel. For more information visit their website.