Beetlejuice → Regent Theatre Melbourne

 I stepped into the Netherworld for the first time on Sunday night in Melbourne and was transported into a hellfire Broadway extravaganza. This show is absolute chaos, and the biggest spectacle of a production I have ever seen whereby the technical capabilities of theatre are pushed to the extreme. Yet underlying all this, are the human themes of grief and loss, and what better way to explore them than through humour and satire. 

On Sunday night I saw Karis Oka as Lydia Deetz and Daniel Raso as Beetlejuice, and oh my goodness they are incredible! I’m not saying anything groundbreaking -  everyone else has already confirmed that Karis was made for this role, and I absolutely agree after finally seeing her live! She grasps the goth teen archetype, one who is sarcastic and intelligent, yet beneath is a vulnerable child who just wants to be seen as she authentically navigates her grief. Her scene in the Netherworld singing ‘Home’ had me shedding tears!!


What a wild, hilarious and demonic ride it was to finally see the character of Beetlejuice brought to life. Daniel had me in stitches, BJ is crude, chaotic and obnoxious in the best possible ways. What a mammoth role to uphold for the duration of the show, he’s the clever gateway to the fourth wall, and the audience just goes along for the ride.  


Barbara and Adam Maitland played by Elise Mccann and Rob Jonson are the adorable dorky couple who are trying to find their (ghost) feet in haunting their house. They act as the perfect straight-laced contrast to Beetlejuice’s unhinged chaos, and you can’t help loving them wholeheartedly to the end.

The production value of this show alone is also insane, there is so much to gawk at that keeps your eyes darting from one detail to the next. Sitting quite close to the front, I was so transfixed that the whole show just flew by. Particularly holding my attention were the incredible ensemble, whose comical facials and movements were turned up to the max in each number, honestly what fun it must be to play these roles! 


Laughter is the best medicine: confirmed. Honestly this show is an unmissable one for 2025 (and hopefully beyond).



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