It's a show I've loved from that point and have been impatiently awaiting the Australian Premiere (originally planned to be shared between the Melbourne Theatre company and Sydney Theatre company last year, but in a post-COVID world moved to just being an STC production thus far, though allegedly a Melbourne run is planned for next year). It's examination of two different generations of homosexuals, living in one family - about Alison and her emergent understanding of her own desires, both as a young girl experiencing the way the world expects her to be and finding it uncomfortable, and as a college student finally having her first big romance and giving way to lust; and also about her father Bruce, deeply closeted and always on the verge of losing everything that matters to him by his actions when he gives ways to his desires - and frequently imposing his sense of the order he's incapable of maintaining for himself on the rest of the family.
The STC production brings this to its biggest venue and comes up with a few interesting reconceptions - a basic design of the Bechdel house, spread across the floor and with an upper study, revolving to reveal a garden area and two spaces on the side to represent areas like Alison's college dorm room and dad's cadaver slab for when he's working in the family funeral home (abbreviated to"Fun home" by the kids, hence the title). The structure of the show sees the adult Alison constantly observing and illustrating moments of her past, seeing both the 9 year old version of herself and the 18 as they find themselves at odds with their family and the rest of the world as they come to realise their true natures, and contrasting her discovering her freedom with the increasing restrictions her father puts on himself, the way that he tries to impose the image of perfection on his family in ways that constantly backfire.
This is a wonderfully cast show, top to bottom - starting with the three Alisons - Lucy Maunder as the inquisitive, engaging adult Alison, Margie McKenna as the gauchely teenage middle Alison (her giggle in the middle of the line "Who needs dignity" during "Changing My Major to Joan" instantly endears her to me), and Karalina Clarke as the 9 year old realising that she doesn't really want to wear the pretty party dresses her dad tries to squeeze her into. Similar strength comes from Adam Murphy, playing Bruce on the razors edge of being truly monstorous in how he treats the rest of his family, but ultimately a victim of his own internalised prejudices and self-hatred. Marina Prior is one of those actresses who's often been written off as a gorgeous singing voice, but this time paired to a role that gives that voice something to sorrow for, something to regret, something to long for. Emily Halvea is a perfect Joan, the college first-love simultaneously amused by and adoring of Alison.
Musical Director Carmel Dean gets a gorgeous sound out of both the cast and the 7 piece orchestra, moving from the 70's pastiche of "Come to the Fun Home" (Jackson 5) or "Raincoat of Love" (Partridge Family) to the yearning balladry of "Ring of Keys", the sorrow of "Days and Days" or.... oh, look, this is a show that is all high points so just go see the damn thing and experience the wonder, pain, love and immense humanity on display. It's a musical that plays things real and true, that is all about matters of the heart, about chasing truth over escapism and about discovering yourself . It's superlative work, superlatively done, and is absolutely recommended to anybody
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