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 Imitation is WAYNE SCOTT KERMOND’s sincerest form of flattery in CANDY MAN, a musical tribute to the life and songs of Sammy Davis Jr., as reviewed by SEANNA VAN HELTEN.
Wayne Scott Kermond’s Candy Man, directed and produced by Katie Kermond, has had a dream run, playing across Australia to enthusiastic, sweet-toothed crowds. Escapist, fun and carefree, Candy Man basks in the traditions of the vaudeville or variety show. And, as seen at the show’s first night at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the audiences love it. Perhaps celebrity ballroom dance shows and Idol-type karaoke shows have revived some public interest in the old school of live entertainment? Or maybe it is just that Kermond’s energy and enthusiasm are so infectious? Either way, Candy Man is a crowd pleaser.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please step into the time machine," Kermond announces and, true to his word, the pocket-rocket performer transports us through the golden ages of American entertainment, paralleled with the career of Sammy Davis Jr.’s. Best remembered as a member of the Rat Pack along with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford during the 1950s and 60s, Davis Jr. is revered by many as the consummate all-round entertainer. He could sing, he could dance, he could act and he had perfect comic timing – qualities clearly admired by Kermond as well as ones the two performers share.
Davis Jr.’s career took him everywhere from dusty music halls to the sets of Hollywood. Slapstick, swing, soul, vaudeville and Vegas all make an appearance in this vibrant two-hour show, illustrated through song choice, costumes, and Kermond’s jackets – each heralds a new era of entertainment, from classic dinner jacket to casino-sparkly shoulder-pads to a loose, undone tux and tie.
Versatile support dancers (on preview night) Veronica Beattie, Zoë Trilsbach, Kaylie Yee, Ashley Evans and Antony Ginandjar sing, spin, swirl and twirl throughout the big numbers, such as Candy Man, Make ‘Em Laugh, and Sing, Sing, Sing – the latter’s lively swing beat sparks a fabulous tap routine. In fact, the vivacious choreography is one of the show’s highlights, adding colour and sparkle to the up-tempo tunes. And the show would be nothing without the live jazz band on stage.
Interspersed between sets are Kermond’s show-biz homilies and biographical snippets about Davis Jr., Kermond’s energy driving what would otherwise be a fairly limiting through-line. There are no momentous parallels between Davis Jr.’s career and that of Kermond and, obviously, no physical similarities (aside from height). Not that it really matters, because Kermond’s admiration for Davis Jr. is self-evident. It’s a bit like watching someone talk about his PhD topic – it may seem obscure, or self-indulgent, but one cannot help but get swept up in the candidate’s enthusiasm. Kermond’s sense of humour may be cheesy at times, but his good nature inevitably trumps any misgivings about a show so hopelessly devoted to one’s idol.
And Kermond invites his audience to be part of the fun, too, engaging in cheeky repartee with his saxophonist and musical director and inviting a blushing spectator up on stage for a duet ("Look, Trish, we’re a double act!"). By the final set, the front row are joining in with the arm-waving and hallelujahs in Davis Jr.’s gospel hit Gonna Build A Mountain and it is clear that Kermond has the audience enchanted.
Magic, after all, is the key ingredient in this style of entertainment – it’s something Sammy Davis Jr. would not have dispensed with and neither does Kermond in this slick and sparkly song-and-dance show.
CANDY MAN plays at the Playhouse, QPAC, until February 15. Tickets available through Qtix 136 246 or www.qtix.com.au
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