A delicious, nightmarish hoot, Mackenzie asks what price child fame? This is a dark, camp and satirical reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, featuring four original songs – bangers all – from creator Yve Blake. She says the idea for the show came to her like a fever dream. It is about the dark side of child stardom, led to the well by a ruthlessly ambitious stage mum.
The year is 2006. A timid 13-year-old named Mackenzie (Kimberley Hodgson), complete with a hideous bowl cut hairdo, is the only one to master the correct dance moves on a highly popular children’s television show. She has been practising she was only three. The program has just lost the sidekick to the headliner, Dahlia (Anusha Thomas), and the network head (Billie Palin) is ropable.
While Mackenzie and her closest friend on set, Beau (Ryan González), swap admiration for one another, the boss leans heavily on the show’s severely stressed producer (Jane Watt) to find a solution. It is then that Mackenzie and Beau encounter a weird, but visionary fill-in hair and make-up artist, Pickle (Jane Watt). She predicts that Mackenzie is destined to become the number one pop girl of the world.
Mackenzie’s mother, Ruth (Nikki Britton) conspires to see that prediction realised with an act of extreme wickedness that Mackenzie is all but forced to buy into. Five years later, Mackenzie has transformed into a bona fide star, with a series of brand partnerships, her own beauty line and callous disregard for everyone else, including her mother. In fact, her mum’s outbursts now all but pale into insignificance next to hers.
Among those whom she treats poorly is the chef at the TV station, Gayle (Billie Palin), who goes out of her way to ensure she caters to Mackenzie’s requirements. The young prima donna’s comeuppance is surely just a matter of time. But when it does come, she is blindsided, ensuring all she has worked for comes tumbling down.
Writer and composer Yve Blake and director Virginia Gay have fitted a whole lot of story into 90 minutes, with umpteen twists of fate and new characters introduced. They have done a masterful job. One liners come thick and fast. It is a show that thrives on energy and surprises. Much of the humour is off the wall.
Four of the six performers – Ryan González, Billie Palin, Anusha Thomas and Jane Watts – fill multiple roles. The entire sextet is outstanding. Kimberley Hodgson transitions beautifully from respectable to reprehensible. Anusha Thomas is equally at home playing bombastic and subjugated. Billie Palin is positively fearsome as the network head and conciliatory as the chef. Highly strung describes Jane Watts’ intense characterisations. Nikki Britton revels as the pushy mother from hell. Ryan González brings warmth and, later, arrogance to Beau.
Before the show starts, there is little to see other than a set of stairs, but set and costume designer Keerthi Subramanyam introduces a series of props that pop. Subramanyam also makes some bold and memorable costuming choices. From the get go, sound – natural and musical – plays a critically important role in the production. Sound designer Tom Lowndes choices are transformative. Kelsey Lee’s lighting design is suitably evocative. I also appreciated Elle Evangelista’s dynamic choreography.
Designed to tickle the funny bone, Mackenzie delivers big laughs with punch. As with Macbeth, there is undoubted bite. Bell Shakespeare Company’s Mackenzie is on at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne until 9th August, 2026.
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Re-Member Me (ACM) – theatre review
- Share House: The Musical (Arts Centre Melbourne) – musical theatre review
- Dog Man: The Musical (Arts Centre Melbourne) – musical theatre review
Alex First is the editor of The Blurb. Alex is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He also contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.