The musical that left Bob Dylan in tears
Save up to $92.50 with 2-for-1 tickets on selected performances until 27th February*
Let’s consider the reasons critics are swooning and standing ovations keep coming for Girl from the North Country, an evocative musical pairing 19 legendary Bob Dylan tunes with the brilliance of Irish writer Conor McPherson.
The show, set in 1930’s America, tells the tale of those living through the Great Depression in a rundown guesthouse in Minnesota. All have intriguing, complicated stories but the arrival of a bible salesman and a down-on-his-luck boxer changes everything.
Cast of Girl From The North Country. Photo by Daniel Boud.
McPherson had the freedom to choose from Dylan’s entire catalogue while writing the original work, so you hear such classics as Like a Rolling Stone and Hurricane. Opening on the West End in 2017, followed by a Broadway premiere three years later, it has made its way to Sydney before a national tour including Adelaide and Melbourne.
Lisa McCune as Elizabeth Laine. Photography by Daniel Boud.
Stellar casting is pivotal to a successful show, with the Australian cast a perfect case in point. The revered star of stage and small screen Lisa McCune (King and I, South Pacific) reveals her fervour for the show.
“It’s rich in heart and song, and it’s a privilege to be sharing this magical experience with audiences. It’s a tonic for the times.”
Callum Francis (Kinky Boots) is beyond thrilled to be part of the production.
“Singing the songs of Bob Dylan, with a completely re-imagined take, is a dream. And performing every night with this cast of Australian legends is pretty special.”
Zahra Newman and Callum Francis – photography by Daniel Boud.
Other performers include Greg Stone (Oklahoma!, Underbelly, Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries), Helen Dallimore (Muriel’s Wedding the Musical, Legally Blonde) and Zahra Newman (Wentworth, The Book of Mormon).
The clever set design keeps you enthralled, as furniture is rearranged to create different locations within the guesthouse. Then there’s the local bar, where the music and dancing happens. While the direction of Conor McPherson is flawless, guiding you to empathise with the characters, as their stories unfold.
Glowing reviews, encapsulating the energy, passion, brilliance and grit of the show, can’t be ignored. Variety said, “When people sing, it’s as if they pop the bonnets of their brains and let us look inside.” The Sunday Express called it a “tribute and a triumph”. And from the Evening Standard – “exquisitely heartbreaking, a very special piece of theatre.”
Even Dylan was moved by Girl from the North Country telling The New York Times he was brought to tears when he experienced it, feeling both “stunned and affected” by the musical.
And as people flock to theatres during these unprecedented times, to be entertained and transported to another time and place, producers have patrons’ safety at the forefront of their minds. Theatre Royal Sydney has compulsory check-in, mask wearing, compulsory double vaccination for patrons 12+, regular cleaning of the venue, contactless payment options only, no cloakroom and no crowding in foyers.
Tickets are now on sale via Theatre Royal Sydney for performances up to 19th March 2022.
* Offer only available for platinum and gold tickets, strictly subject to availability – for selected performances up to and including 30th January 2022. ^A Handling Fee of $8.95 per transaction applies.