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It was a thrilling opening night for the cast of Anastasia the Musical that ended with a standing ovation after two hours of non-stop entertainment, fantastic music and electrifying performances on Thursday at Crown Theatre.
Although not one of the theatre world’s most high-profile musicals, Anastasia was a hit on Broadway when it ran there for two years between 2017 and 2019.
It then toured the US before making it’s way overseas and opened for the first time in Australia, in Melbourne, late last year.
Inspired by the Oscar-nominated 1997 film, the show is an adaptation of the Anastasia myth set in post-imperial Russia, directed by Darko Tresnjak and written by five-time Tony winner Terrence McNally.
The show sees Anastasia both as a child and then an orphaned adult in Russia, living on the streets and then travelling across Europe to Paris to find her beloved grandmother.
While it must have been a creative nightmare taking an audience through different countries and timelines on stage, the result was seamless and the imagination that was put into the set was spell bounding with the clever use of 3D projections showing opulent imperial palaces, fast-moving trains and the moody scenes of soldiers plotting Anastasia’s demise.
Couple that with amazing performances, in particular from Queensland actress Georgina Hopson as Anya and the stunning costumes of Russian royalty and Paris’ fashionistas and the show was hard to turn away from.
The story follows the aftermath of the Russian Revolution where a young woman named Anya, who has no memory of her past, meet two conmen who convince her to join their scheme to pose as royalty and claim a reward from the Dowager Empress in Paris.
Hoping the journey might reveal something about who she really is, Anya agrees. As they travel across Europe, unexpected truths begin to surface.
Anastasia is on stage at Crown Theatre in Perth until March 28.
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