The music of Bob Dylan is reaching a new generation in the latest string of jukebox musicals.
It seems the jukebox musical hasn’t quite unplugged yet, with new productions involving the music of Bob Marley (Get Up, Stand Up!), Tom Jones (What’s New Pussycat?) and Britney Spears (Once Upon a One More Time). And while most would consider Bob Dylan the unlikeliest to let his back catalogue get the stage treatment – although David Bowie did give us Lazarus – the resulting Girl From The North Country has indeed found its success, even earning two prestigious Laurence Olivier Awards.
The Australian cast of Girl From The North Country
Set during the Great Depression of the 1930’s in a rundown Minnesota guest house, an array of interesting characters includes Nick Laine, the proprietor and his eclectic family. While Nick is having an affair with widowed resident Mrs Neilsen, the establishment is also shared by the Burke family, still struggling from the Wall Street crash. Add to this the arrival of a bible salesman and a down-on-his-luck boxer, and there are enough character dynamics to rival Long Day’s Journey Into Night.
For Peter Kowitz, the role of Nick Laine felt like a culmination of other working-class characters he has portrayed in recent years. The case of Laine in particular required establishing a unique southern drawl.
“Girl From The North Country is being labelled ‘an instant classic’ and ‘masterpiece’.
“My research included the mid-west accent that my character speaks,” says Kowitz.
“It included an online course and a dialect coach to finesse my efforts, and I also did a lot of reading around the depression era in the United States. I’m the only character that doesn’t sing in the show, so my biggest challenge is keeping my damn mouth shut when our glorious cast are killing it!”
Peter Kowitz and Lisa McCune as Nick and Elizabeth Laine in Girl From The North Country
Up to twenty Dylan songs are included in the production, such as Like a Rolling Stone, Hurricane, Lay Lady Lay, Forever Young and the title track.
“I actually bought the Girl From The North Country album when I was a kid living in the country,” says Kowitz.
“I loved that album and of course when I knew the play was by Conor McPherson, I had to do it. About five years ago I was in a production of his play The Weir for the Melbourne Theatre Company, and it’s one of my fondest memories.”
Callum Francis as boxer Joe Scott
With musical direction from Andrew Ross, the cast includes Christina O’Neill, Greg Stone, Grant Piro, Lisa McCune, Zahra Newman, Terence Crawford, Helen Dallimore, Tony Black and Peter Carroll.
Callum Francis, well known to Australian audiences as Lola from Kinky Boots, takes up the role of troubled boxer Joe Scott.
“It’s always nice to play someone who is completely opposite to yourself,” says Francis.
“It always feels like the fit is better because you can leave yourself at the door. I think the challenge with this one is to make sure my story telling is respectful to the people who lived through those times. Though they aren’t based on real people it’s a story from a very real time in history, and the challenge is being mindful of that.”
Zahra Newman and Callum Francis in Girl From The North Country
To research his role, Francis watched various boxing documentaries and even took classes to get an understanding of the sport.
“It’s fascinating looking into the lives and careers of boxers like Joe Louis and heavyweight world champion Jack Johnson,” says Francis.
“Ironically, Johnson made history by winning that title here in Sydney in 1908. But I also did research into what it meant to be a person of colour in those times and how living everyday life was a struggle in itself.”
“The challenge is to make sure my story telling is respectful to the people who lived through those times.”
Girl From The North Country has earned critical praise, being labelled ‘an instant classic’ and ‘masterpiece’. Given our current climate and universal appreciation for Dylan, it’s understandable that Australians will take this musical to heart.
“In a time where we haven’t had theatre for so long, I hope people leave feeling a sense of community and connection,” says Francis.
“Theatre is wonderful and will always survive because of people’s need to escape for a few hours into someone else’s story, and North Country will do that for you.”
Callum Francis
Kowitz agrees, drawing a parallel to the show’s themes and our current world situation stemming from the pandemic.
“This production speaks of a time of despair,” he says.
“Yet it ultimately resonates with hope, and I think audiences will feel that metaphor with the journey we’ve all made in these last few years. I for one, hold these precious moments on stage with my fellow cast members more dearly than I ever have before.”
Girl From The North Country is currently playing at the Comedy Theatre Melbourne, before heading to Canberra and Brisbane. For more: northcountry.com.au
