An American in Paris: A timely tale of how to re-emerge
An American in Paris is a timeless tale of love in and discovery in a new world which is likely to draw some parallels for audiences in a pandemic.
An American in Paris is a timeless tale of love and discovery in a new world that is likely to draw some parallels for audiences in a pandemic when it makes its Australian debut in Brisbane this weekend.
Based on the classic 1951 Vincente Minnelli film of the same name starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, the award-winning musical follows the story of a young American soldier and a beautiful French dancer, set against the iconic backdrop of the most romantic city in the world.
The striking and highly technical dance numbers within the show require world-class ballet dancers to pull off, with The Australian Ballet teaming up with local theatre producers GWB Entertainment to tour around the country.
An American in Paris will open at Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre at QPAC on Saturday before moving to Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney later this year.
The lead characters of war veteran Jerry Mulligan and Parisian Lise Dassin will be shared between Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope, who are reprising their role as the lovers for the fourth time, and up-and-coming local performers Cameron Holmes and Dimity Azoury.
Fairchild and Cope have been a part of the production since its Paris premiere in 2014 and have starred in both the Broadway run in New York in 2015 and London’s 2017 West End season.
Now bringing the northern hemisphere season to Australia, the pair hope the pandemic experience of the past two years will help audiences relate to the themes.
“Whenever we do this show, it always feels so timely,” Fairchild said.
“It’s a show about re-emerging and having gone through tough times and what is really worth fighting for and celebrating Paris being liberated after the Second World War.
“We haven’t been experiencing bombs but man we’ve been experiencing crazy times.”
Cope added: “My character Lise, she spent the war in hiding in isolation and it’s her kind of re-emerging and discovering the world. You can’t compare Covid to World War II, but you can relate in some way.”
The pair’s Australian counterparts are no less skilled to share the role. Azoury is one of the country’s prima ballerinas and performs leading roles regularly for The Australian Ballet as its principal artist.
Her partner Holmes is no stranger to the stage, having starred as young Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical when he was just eight years old.
The New York-based stage adaptor of An American in Paris, Christopher Wheldon, has been in touch with Cope through production of the latest iteration and she believes he is feeling as though he is missing out on the fun.
The musical has won a slew of awards, including four Tony Awards, four Drama Desk Awards, four Outer Critics Circle Awards and the Drama League Award for Best Musical, among others.
An American in Paris premieres on Saturday at Brisbane’s QPAC and will run until January 30. Tickets are on sale now.
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