Photo (c) Michelle Grace Hunter

Beetlejuice the Musical opened on Friday night at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre to an audience of dedicated fans. Usually, the energy of an audience waiting for the show is about 3/10. They chat quietly. Not this audience. Energy before the show was 7/10 with recognition spanning rows, costumes attracting delighted comments and seemingly half the production crew and people looking like the cast sitting in the stalls.  Then the show began.

Energy immediately cranked up to 10 and stayed there for the rest of the show. And no wonder.

If you haven’t seen the 1988 movie “Beetlejuice”, by Tim Burton, didn’t see the show in Melbourne and aren’t into goth-rock horror, google it now. Look what you’ll find: https://youtu.be/kYgr7r6fevU

The Michael Cassel Group and Eddie Perfect brought this highly acclaimed Broadway and West End musical to Australia. Eddie wrote the script and the music for the show, so it belongs here. In Brisbane, it’s playing at the Lyric Theatre until 2nd August. So book quickly at QTIX.

While Eddie played Beetlegeus in the Melbourne show, Andy Karl plays the character in Brisbane. Both are brilliant. Andy made it his own, cranking up from the first flash into an outrageous, evil, sophisticated, contemptuous and funny ghost who wants to be seen. Poor man. He’s really a nice guy, NOT.

It’s all about death, from woe to go. So if you are sensitive, self-righteous and religious, I suggest you stay away. You’ll be appalled. However, if you can fit in a little “appal” into your life, book a ticket or three.

Karis Oka plays Lydia Deetz, a girl whose mum has died, and she isn’t coping. But she can cope. Beetlejuice doesn’t faze her. She’s a teenager, so she’s weird herself. She relates to weirdness and joins in the fun. Dad, Charles Deetz, played by Tom Wren, has taken up with a life coach, Delia, played by Erin Clare. Fairly normal so far. Oh, and the cute house that is the set was the family home of “planning to be parents” Barbara and Adam Mailtland, played by Jenni Little and Rob Johnson. Then they die. But, they won’t leave the house. The ghosts torment the humans who, except for Lydia, serve as a perfect foil to the demented intentions of Beetlejuice and his cronies. Oh there are others as well.

Best to see this and then go clubbing. You’ll have a night to remember.

Andy is unbelievably malevolent. Lydia is grounded and focused. Barbara and Adam are sweet. Yep.

Then, throw in lots of music (thanks, Eddie) and dancing, minor characters and a cast of thousands supporting this show, and it’s one not to miss. Andy Kane’s voice had to scale mountains and dive deeply into valleys. It did. Karis Oka kept up with him, and her voice was strong to the last note.

You’ll know some of the tunes. You’ll love the puppetry that, with the costumes, are straight out of the eighties film.

Outrageous isn’t a strong enough word.

Just book a ticket or three at: https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/2026/beetlejuice-the-musical

 

Kerry McGovern