What a special show: the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at its glorious best and four popular and talented singers in fine voice showcasing the incomparable Billy Joel. The sound is magnificent. The experience unforgettable. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s catalogue is remarkable.
Thirty-three top 40 hits in the US. Record sales exceeding 160 million worldwide. Six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. So, it becomes a question of how you can pare it back to fit into a couple of hours. The MSO has done an excellent job, giving us more than 20 numbers, including a couple of medleys.
Many of the hits are covered. These include Vienna, My Life, Just The Way You Are, Honesty and New York State of Mind in Act I. There is also Turn The Lights Back On, which Joel released last year, being his first new pop single in three decades.
Then, after interval, the song list incorporates The Longest Time, Tell Her About It, A Matter of Trust and You’re Only Human. One of the most moving pieces is Goodnight Saigon, which Joel wrote to honour Vietnam War veterans. That is before the big finish with We Didn’t Start The Fire and Piano Man, ahead of the encore featuring The River of Dreams and Uptown Girl.
Resplendent in evening attire, including striking gowns and sharp jackets, are Alinta Chidzey, Jess Hitchcock, Josh Piterman and Phil Burton, songbirds extraordinaire. Chidzey is a leading lady of musical theatre. Indigenous singer/songwriter Hitchcock is a force across pop, country, folk music and opera. Immediately after the break, she tickles the ivories and sings And So It Goes.
Like Chidzey, Piterman has made his mark in musical theatre, in his case in Australia and on the West End. Burton is the co-founder and a member of pop group Human Nature. Each is vocally masterful and musically dextrous, whether crooning ballads or reaching for the heavens with up tempo numbers. In fact, what stood out for me was the depth of feeling they injected into the repertoire. And when they sang in unison, it was the stuff of goosebumps. The harmonies appeared so polished.
There is a flamboyance about conductor Leonard Weiss, who also plays the harmonica in Piano Man. It is magical simply to listen to the diversity of sound produced by the MSO. The staging, including piano-like coloured lighting, liberally spread around the stage, spotlighting and sound undoubtedly elevate the spectacle.
Director Mark Sutcliffe has done the MSO proud with another brilliant production. Piano Man: Celebrating the Music of Billy Joel is on at Hamer Hall for three shows only, finishing on 15th November, 2025.
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Chicago – theatre review
- Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Regent Theatre) – musical theatre review
- Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Global Creatures) – 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.