Bosom Buddies
The Joan, April 17
★★★★

Want a definition of star power? It's the ability to make Bosom Buddies work (despite its name). It's the quality without which the whole conception of this show would have fallen as flat as a cow-pat​. Happily Nancye​ Hayes and Todd McKenney​ have galaxies of the stuff.

Devised by Jason Langley and directed by Peter J Adams, Bosom Buddies is a backstage pass to the showbiz memories of two of Australia's most significant musical theatre figures.

Between them Hayes and McKenney​ have clocked up 90 years on the boards, and are not done yet – despite Hayes already having a theatre named after her.

The anecdotes are iced with songs, dance routines and magical on-screen footage from their pasts. Apart from an informal Act Two segment where the pair respond to audience questions, their stories and banter appeared scripted, and yet not only was that writing sufficiently supple, but Hayes and McKenney's​ skill, ease, warmth and rapport made it seem spontaneous.