Crush: The Musical @ Eliza Hall at City of Prospect – Payinthi, Prospect 8/3/2026
On International Women’s Day, watching Crush: The Musical feels quietly serendipitous.
Set in 1963 England within the hallways of Dame Dorothea Dossendale School for Girls, this fresh adaptation examines the turmoil of forbidden love and a unified quest to save the school from villainous hands.
Central to the storyline are students Camilla and Susan. They are navigating the complexities of their relationship in a school that sets draconian expectations for its pupils. Around them meander classmates and murmured gossip.
Presented by Gemini Creative Arts, the musical fuses retro flair and more than a dash of humour gasp.
A superb local cast brings vitality and undeniably talented performances. Key players, Lara Wilson (Susan), Cassidy Gaiter (Camilla), and Erica Jones (Daimler), afford grounded genuineness, nonchalant flamboyance, and quiet strength to their portrayals.
The ensemble successfully actualises a boarding school atmosphere. Eloise Morriss (Judith), Jazz Garcia (Lavinia), and Holly Fennell (Annabelle) are a treat to watch as they manoeuvre through loyalty and rivalry in their protection of Susan and Camilla’s relationship.
Emily Bell (Miss Givings/ Diana Dosserdale/ Susan’s mother) impressively navigates numerous roles with dexterity. She seamlessly slips between characters with sharp comedic timing. Similarly, Maggie Cooper comically brings delightful melodrama to school sneak Brenda. She leans into Brenda’s aptitude for rumour and exaggeration with hilarious results. Yet it is Robyn Brookes who leaves a memorable mark. As antagonist Miss Bleacher, Brookes proves a villainous scene-stealer, commanding the stage whenever she appears.
Collectively, the entire cast showcases formidable triple-threat capability, maintaining the show’s momentum from start to finish.
The production value is refreshingly minimal yet effective. Sarah Williams’s direction offers a balanced juxtaposition of humour and tenderness while maintaining pace. Choreography, also from Williams, instils spirited movement throughout, especially during the larger ensemble numbers. The tap number Hockey Sticks and Navy Knicks is an unexpectedly delightful highlight.
Billy St John’s musical direction taps into the essence of the 1960s. The addition of a live four-piece band brings a burst of the old-school musical theatre razzle-dazzle and elevates an already marvellous production.
Seen on a day committed to celebrating women’s voices, the musical holds greater meaning. Beneath the nostalgia lies a somewhat revolutionary perception for the era, that young women discovering their identities and understanding their desires warrant being centre stage. The result is a musical that is entertainingly warm and affirming.
Crush: The Musical is a queer-friendly and charming reminder that growing up is often awkward yet occasionally transformative. It is the must-see show of the Adelaide Fringe.
Fringe Review By Anita Kertes