A particular stand out is Brooke Cherie, a very polished performer who noticeably shines at the beginning of Act Two and also in her cameos as Alexi Darling. The ensemble here is small and heavily recycled with some fast costume changes. Rounding out the principal cast is Daniel Simpson in the unpopular role of Benjamin Coffin III. Rachel Amanda Thomas, in the role of Joanne, holds her own against this energy and the power struggle between them feels very even.

She’s sassy and sexy and it’s hard to take your eyes off her. When Jess Hoggard enters we get the impression that Maureen is going to be a real firecracker. She sings up a storm and her character arc covers everything from seduction and frivolity to genuine despair and calm serenity.

Mimi is played by Natasha Tsafis and this girl gives a mighty performance that belies her diminutive size. Barry Backhouse breathes life into the atypical Angel and his transformation from the enthusiastic transvestite to the deathly ill patient is shockingly powerful. Haji Myrteza gives Tom Collins some real humanity coupled with very smooth vocals. Roger Davis is portrayed by Tyler Hoggard who is taller, looks like a jaded rock star and can conveniently accompany himself on the guitar. Mark Cohen is brought to life by Sam Anderson, who has consistent vocals, stayed in character and is well cast as the sensitive film maker and narrator of the show. The eclectic Christmas Tree is both artistically pleasing and tragic, as it highlights the ad-hoc way that the residents ‘make do’ the best they can, all in the name of survival. The colours changing in the skyline to suggest different times of day or to reflect the mood of a particular song was simple but also perfect for the warehouse setting. The scenery is appropriately industrial looking, with scaffolding, graffiti and dirty windows. Luckily this wasn’t the case with Miranda Musical Theatre Company (formerly Miranda Musical Society), who opened their season of RENT on Wednesday night at the Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland. Throw in a shorter-than-usual rehearsal period and a Wednesday night opening and a lot of groups might run in the opposite direction. There’s a lot of pressure associated with being the first company to stage a full-scale musical in a recently renovated venue. Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland.

Pleasing Tree by Brooke Larson