THE SECRET SINGER

The ideology that singing can transform lives is resonated in this stage play based on a true story which stars award-winning Genevieve Lemon (The Piano, The Dressmaker) and Kate Mannix (The Biograph Girl – on the West End).

The play centres on the relationship which builds when Jenny (Mannix) a 70-something woman receives singing lessons from Emjay (Lemon), a disillusioned singing teacher who had a moment of commercial success as a pop star in the 1980s.

“The character it’s based on was badly affected by relationship abuse and she had a perfectly normal speaking voice, but when it came to singing she still suffered from the thoughts that the man in her life had taken away any joy and the physical ability to sing,” explained Lemon. ”The singing teacher unties the terrible constraints that have been placed on her singing student, letting her experience the joys of music once again – and in a way saving her life.”

In the course of the play Emjay learns much about herself, life, humanity and she is also reminded of the power of music.

Lemon believes that music is very powerful and that singing a few times a day can be very therapeutic. “It’s so endemic to people. It’s like breathing – it’s a life saver. I honestly believe that the idea of music therapy is something which we’ve only just scratched the surface of and it’s so necessary like food and the air we breathe. Singing is good for anxiety, it’s good for depression, it’s good for everything.”

Audiences should be mesmerised by the world premiere season of this funny and life-affirming ‘play with song’.

“It’s such an interesting show that it should appeal to everybody, particularly those who don’t sing enough – and that’s a lot of people.” (MMo)

Aug 28 – Sep 9. The Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton Street, Darlinghurst. $25-$54+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.darlinghursttheatre.com