Review – The Girl Who Won’t Grow Up

Megan Doherty isn’t naive, and she’s not delusional. She knows that a Disney prince isn’t going to sweep her off her feet, that Hugh Jackman won’t leave his wife for her, and that a producer from “Cats” isn’t just going to offer her a role in the hit musical because, while out on a walk one day, he over-hears her singing from her bedroom. But that doesn’t mean she can’t entertain the thought.

In Girl Who Won’t Grow Up, Megan sings of dreams, both old and new, and the self-confidence it takes to seize them. Her voice is fluid, resonant and profound, and is possessed of that quality which will send shivers down your spine. Some of her song choices, like “Coin-Operated Boy” and “Creep”, perhaps didn’t fit perfectly with her theme, and I couldn’t have cared less. She nails them, making them her own and having a whole lot of fun with them at the same time. The central irony of the show is that Megan has grown up, she has taken responsibility and put in all the mileage to develop her performance, and it shows.

Megan is well-complimented by Daniel Brunner on piano, whose playing is lively and fun (he also gets a cheeky little singing part). And La Bohème is, as usual, a great little venue which offers respite from both the heat and the underwhelming, over-priced drinks range that seems to plague the Fringe. Girl Who Won’t Grow Up is surprisingly quirky and refreshingly unique; a top-notch show from an emerging local talent. Go along, sit yourself in a darkened corner, and check out this performance. You will not be disappointed.