Reviewed by Bianca Watkins
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever squeezes a love triangle into two bodies to encore a classic tale of timeless love, with music originally embodied for the 1965 Broadway musical of the same name. It must feel like you really can see forever when your paramour talks to you from a century earlier, and through someone else’s body. Melinda is already pushing daisies, but she can still push Daisy to host her romance with Dr Bruckner.
Supernaturally gifted wallflower David ‘Daisy’ Gamble (Director Jay James-Moody, Herringbone)solicits the effective hypnosis practice of Dr Mark Bruckner (Blake Bowden, The Book of Mormon) to address the raging nicotine addiction, at the request of his despicable fiance, Warren (James Haxby). The heterosexual psychotherapist finds himself falling in love with what he accidentally lures out of David. In David’s unconscious moments during the entranced regression therapy, his body is taken over by the 20th century feminist powerhouse, Melinda (Madeleine Jones, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child). David’s own entrancement with the curly-haired, charismatic Bruckner keeps him coming back for more, smitten with the person who seems to value him for his eccentricities, instead of trying to fit him into a shape he isn’t, until he finds out that Bruckner was engaged with a different shape in him all the while.
The original book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Burton Lane gained cult status with its 1970 film adaptation starring Barbra Streisand as Daisy. But Squabbalogic’s production of On A Clear Day snowballs inspiration from the 2011 Broadway revival, swapping female Daisy for male David. This queerer representation serves a more interesting predicament in the bodily duality between players. It also offers explanation in sexual orientation as to what Dr Bruckner was so averse to in David/Daisy that he seemed to find in Melinda (an English accent isn’t that exotic).
At times I felt more hypnotised by the chemistry between David and Melinda, than by Dr Bruckner with either of his two suitors. David’s voice mingled pleasantly with Melinda’s while Melinda was in possession of his body, achieving a great clarity in performing their phenomenal duality. Theirs became a standout dance number of the show, Dr Bruckner almost relegated to third wheel in my mind.
With choreography from Leslie Bell, the stage was gardened by an exceptional ensemble in Natalie Abbott, Lincoln Elliot, James Haxby and Billie Palin. Their cohesion and zaniness spoke of the strength of the cast as well as the style Squabbalogic keeps consistent in their productions.
The energy pelted out to us rarely drooped, even though the musical numbers were fewer and further apart than many other musicals. Set design by Michael Hankin was clever and transformable, almost Chicago-esque when paraded by the ensemble. The band above, directed by Natalya Aynsley, comments on the romantic calamity and David’s ESP with quirky and otherworldly noises, and soundtracks the adapted score beautifully. Lighting design from James Wallis was also integral in the story’s dimensionality; cold and warm colours keep centuries separate as Bruckner and Melinda fall in love. Disorienting floods of light to blackout recalls the flash photography of the early 20th century, not the only occasion the production envelops the audience’s space in this story, an experience Artistic Director Jay James-Moody exceeds at.
While it’s refreshing and intriguing to see this queer rendition, On A Clear Day generates overwhelming pity for near-flawless David, while the reality of his experience includes assault at the hands of his trusted doctor whilst under hypnotic influence. David gets tit for tat in the end, stealing a kiss back from his unrequited love, but this serious mistreatment from Bruckner is penalised with wildly little acknowledgement.
Here also lies the only slowness stirred in the trajectory of the story: poor, loveable David was so endearing that by intermission it was certain that this would end disastrously for our protagonist. Yet title song On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever) is reprised with the gleaming optimism that surpasses its story’s inevitable doom, with lilting duet from Bowden (Dr Mark Bruckner) and Jones (Melinda).
What’s delivered is a genuinely heartfelt, charming story with undeniably talented performers and creatives. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever runs until April 15 at Seymour Centre, and is truly a delight of characters, thankfully bringing back a loveable prize to the stage.