Review: The Musical Adaptation of TOOTSIE Is The Latest Fun Filled Offering At Teatro At The Italian Forum

Friday 29th May 2026, 7:30pm, Teatro At The Italian Forum, Leichhardt NSW

Heartwarming and hilarious, the musical theatre adaption of TOOTSIE has its Australian Premiere at Teatro At The Italian Forum.  Director and choreographer Cameron Mitchell interprets David Yazbek (music and lyrics) and Robert Horn’s (book) musical for the intimate space of Teatro theatre with ingenuity to ensure the essence of a big Broadway show is not lost.

Based on the 1982 movie by Larry Gelbart, Murray Schisgal, and Don McGuire that starred Dustin Hoffman, TOOTSIE retains the underlying premise of out of work actor Michael Dorsey (Andrew Bevis) deciding to try a ruse of dressing up as the fabricated Dorothy Michaels to secure work.  For the musical, Dorsey is a stage actor trying to get work on Broadway but is currently waiting tables at a steakhouse with his flatmate, out of work writer Jeff (Tyran Stig) after he’s been fired from yet another production for being too difficult.  When he comes to the conclusion that he couldn’t do any worse than he already is if he auditioned for a female role he lands a role in the new musical being directed by Ron Carlisle (Lachlan O’Brien).  As Dorothy Michaels, an unassuming older woman, Dorsey is listened to by his castmates and the show’s writers and producer, though the director Ron Carlisle (Lachlan O’Brien) remains sceptical and suspicious but can’t quite place how he knows the newcomer, but the human element starts to play havoc with the web of lies that Dorsey is trying to maintain. 

With a cast of 17 that carry off some big Broadway numbers on the intimate stage, set designer Dan Potra has needed to create a space that is flexible enough to imply different locations, from rehearsal studios, restaurants and apartments.  Potra has connected the work to the Great White Way with the rear pivoting panels adorned with lightbulbs that also allow the impression of skylines of skyscrapers and the Brooklyn Bridge to be created or hidden when the space needs to be a sparse rehearsal studio.  With what is assumed to be limited backstage space to sufficiently store set pieces clear of stage legs the movable panel concept has been extended to the sides of the stage.  Peter Rubie’s lighting engages the wall of bulbs and artfully transforms the stage into different locations but the abstract LED strips adorning the proscenium seemed to be purely for distraction during scene changes.  Angel White’s costume design draws on the styles of the early 80’s as the work remains in the same era as its movie inspiration.  There are interpretations of the movie imagery and most significantly Dorothy’s red sequin dress has been recreated. 

As Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels, Andrew Bevis, who is also the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Teatro, is an absolute treat.  He creates a Michael that is balanced between cocky, relatable and comic as his scheme unravels, just as Jeff predicted.  His performance for both personas feels intuitive which helps garner the sympathy and land the laughs with perfect timing.  His energy is matched and contrasted by Tyran Stig’s portrayal of Jeff.  Stig similarly captures the full comedy of the role without making anything feel forced, often delivering lines in a deadpan that take the audience a moment to catch up with “did he really say that” moments.

As Sandy, Michael’s ex-girlfriend who has never gotten over him, Alana Tranter ensures that the similarly out of work actress is suitably neurotic and her delivery of the rapid fire What’s Gonna Happen which turns into her theme is reminiscent of Sondheim’s Not Getting Married Today.  She also brings some great physical comedy to the role as none of Sandy’s life seems together, not even her coordination to get out of a seat.  As Julia, the leading lady of the show Dorothy has landed, Elenoa Rokobara is a perfect fit for a character that also moonlights as a cabaret singer, allowing Rokobara gorgeous voice to really soar in the space and she gives Julia a balance of confidence while still exhibiting a need for reassurance that she’s chosen the right path for her life when she confides in Dorothy. 

Brendan Irving’s ability to deliver a dumb beefcake is hilarious and it is acknowledged that it takes skill for a trained actor to force themselves to revert with such conviction.  His delivery of Reality TV star bought in as ‘stunt casting’ for the reimagined Shakespeare, mangling well known lines and taking things too literally is perfectly pitched.  As the prickly director Ron, Lachlan O’Brien is suitably snotty while Donna Lee’s expression of the wealthy producer Rita is allowed to evolve from more formal to a confidence that, in holding the purse strings, she actually can make a few demands. 

While the premise of a heterosexual cis male appropriating a female persona purely to land a job and take a job away from a female does seem a bit fraught in the 21st century, this work still remains entertaining.  The work does touch on the ethics of the deceit and the point that despite the fact the cast of the production that Dorothy is upending believe it is a woman telling them to rise up and change the narrative, the truth that it’s a male yet again telling women what to do. Those concerns aside, TOOTSIE is a wonderful bit of escapism that holds enough connections to the movie for nostalgia while standing on its own so its not just a screen to stage transfer.  Another great night of theatre from Sydney’s newest smaller stage theatre company. 

Tootsie – Teatro At The Italian Forum

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