Review: BECOMING BILL at Brisbane Powerhouse

Written by Brisbane playwright Bradley McCaw (who also stars as the titular character), Becoming Bill is a lovely, often a bit too cliche, musical that explores the everyday life of a modern family.

Niel Gooding really effectively used the three intricately connected rooms in Raymond Milner's set design, especially when transitioning from one characters perspective to the other. The lighting design while colourful at times fell short, leaving the characters faces covered in shadows and we lost crucial expressions in their power ballads.

The individual performances of the cast members were strong and believable. Rachael Beck had such charisma as the mother and Oliver Samson and McCaw complimented each other perfectly as brothers. Stephanie Long shone as Kim, with her breathtaking vocals and her deep-rooted connection to her character. From a dramaturgical perspective, I appreciated that, unlike a lot of other narratives, that Kim wasn't a far-fetched stereotypical whiny girlfriend but was empathetic. You could feel Long's internal struggle through her songs, bringing her inferiority complex to life, especially how she often out of place in Bill's life. I also admired that the protagonist wasn't your steretypical hero, but had a serious of fatal flaws; his difficultly in letting go, in his perception of relationship looks and feels like and his pathetic nature, so to speak.

It's a lovely script, which may not leave you thinking about the world around, but will leave you entertained. It has relatable characters who just like you and me, are lonely, hopeful and looking for meaning.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best New Musical - Top 3

1. The Lost Boys

31.7% of votes

2. Schmigadoon!

24.6% of votes

3. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

22.1% of votes

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