Four of Australia’s most cherished and experienced musical theatre stars deliver a generous program of sentimental stage favourites in the national concert tour OVATION. 

Sharing a whopping 175 combined  years of theatre experience, Michael Cormick, David Hobson, Silvie Paladino, and Marina Prior are in their element as they celebrate their biggest hits and dabble in the songs that got away. For musical theatre fans of a certain age, the songs from these musicals are the soundtracks of our lives, as sung by these very artists.

Songs are chosen from a wide range of composers and time periods, all blended into a seamless journey by musical director Andrew Ross. Ross accompanies the performance on grand piano, also surreptitiously conducting the highly accomplished string quartet. 

With this Melbourne concert coming approximately a quarter of the way through the extensive national tour, OVATION is in sleek form. Repartee is engaging and well judged, and musical performances are in peak condition. Production elements for the staging are very simple, with the full focus wisely being upon the stellar artists on show.

Given that the performance of leading roles most often involves solo singing, it is a special pleasure to hear these performers sing in harmony together. From the opening West Side Story medley, to act two opener “Love Changes Everything” (Aspects of Love) to the encore arrangement of “Tomorrow” (Annie), lovely harmonies ring forth in splendid style. 

Further harmonic highlights are heard when Paladino and Prior turn “Memory” (Cats) into a duet, later delighting with the classic “I Know Him So Well” (Chess). The men are not to be upstaged, with Cormick and Hobson joining forces in grand style for “Lily’s Eyes” (The Secret Garden). 

Mixed duets are just as wonderful, from Cormick and Paladino with “Beauty and the Beast” to Cormick and Prior invoking lashings of romanticism with “All I Ask of You” (The Phantom of The Opera). 

In solo work, Hobson’s act one opera bracket is somewhat ill-judged for the overall style of the concert, and his comic summary of La Bohème is a real misfire. More positively, Hobson gives a jaunty rendition of “Oh, better far to live and die” (The Pirates of Penzance), a charming rendition of “I’ve Grown Accustomed to her Face” (My Fair Lady), and a stirring performance of “Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)”.

Paladino saves a reprise of her glorious ‘With One Look” (Sunset Boulevard) for act two, beginning with a lustrous singing of “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” (Evita) and an artful performance of “The Winner Takes it All” (Mamma Mia!). 

In rich voice, Cormick croons a compelling rendition of “The Music of the Night” (The Phantom of The Opera), later following a cheeky “Sweet Transvestite” (The Rocky Horror Show) with a highly stirring “I Am What I Am” (La Cage aux Folles). 

Evergreen Leading Lady Prior revisits Mary Poppins with a soaring performance of “Feed the Birds.” Prior also takes on the delightful “I Have Confidence” (The Sound of Music) and gives a lush, soulful performance of “Send in the Clowns” (A Little Night Music). 

The concert concludes with an emotional sequence of songs from Les Misérables. Prior begins in moving stye with “I Dreamed a Dream,” followed by Paladino returning to her breakout role of Eponine, soaring through “On My Own.” Hobson amuses as Thénardier in “Master of the House” joined by Prior in her recent West End role as Madame Thénardier. Finally, Cormick beautifully sings the prayer “Bring Him Home,” which segues perfectly into “Valjean’s Death” and the finale reprise of “Do You Hear the People Sing?”. I’m not crying, you’re crying!

A boon for musical theatre fans across Australia, OVATION is very highly recommended. 

OVATION was reviewed at Hamer Hall, Melbourne, 1pm Sunday 8 March 2026. For a full list of tour venues and dates, click here. 

Footnote: set some money aside after ticket purchases for the OVATION CD, which can be signed by the stars after each performance.