Finding Her Voice: Kala Gare on “My Brilliant Career” and Enduring Inequality
Kala Gare, a dynamic 28-year-old performer, understands the courage it takes to speak out. This sentiment resonates deeply with her as she embodies Sybylla Melvyn, the fiercely independent protagonist of the stage musical adaptation of My Brilliant Career. Currently gracing the grassy stage of Sydney’s Roslyn Packer Theatre, Gare, with a playfully defiant “manspread” and her sturdy worker’s boots contrasting with a frilly provincial dress, reflects on the parallels between her character’s struggle and the ongoing fight for equality.
Sybylla Melvyn, the central figure in Miles Franklin’s seminal 1901 novel, navigates the harsh realities of 1890s outback Australia. Faced with drought, poverty, and societal expectations, she steadfastly refuses to marry, a decision that defies the limited options available to women of her era. Gare elaborates on Sybylla’s plight: “[Sybylla’s] life is mapped out to be either work as a governess, a cook, or to marry and have children, and she has a deep passion for creativity,” Gare explains. “Her whole struggle, the whole show, is being like, ‘Why are there no other options? Why is that all I’m allowed, and why do my brothers get a different life experience?’”
The enduring power of My Brilliant Career, Gare asserts, lies in its ability to connect with modern audiences through themes of gender inequality that continue to resonate. “As females in the industry and women working, [we are] pushing through places where we don’t have the same freedoms, and that is something that is changing,” she notes. “But beautifully, we are living on the backs of women who have shouted about it.”
The stage musical, which premiered in Sydney on Wednesday, is a testament to this enduring legacy. Directed by Anne-Louise Sarks, with a book by Sheridan Harbridge and Dean Bryant, and music by Mathew Frank, the production unfolds on a visually captivating stage adorned with brown grass and vibrant yellow flowers, all beneath the glow of a sparkling chandelier.
A Symphony of the Outback and a Kaleidoscope of Sound
The performers in My Brilliant Career are not just actors; they are dubbed “quadruple threats” for their multifaceted talents, which include playing musical instruments live on stage. Their colourful provincial costumes add to the visual tapestry of the production. The soundtrack itself is a unique creation, drawing inspiration from the very sounds of the Australian bush, as experienced by Sheridan Harbridge during her childhood.
Harbridge shares her personal connection to the score: “I grew up on a farm. I know that a violin-like squeaking sound of a squeaky gate or barbed wire with wind whistling through it, or the magpies that you hear when you wake up, is all of those things at once,” she says. This evocative sonic landscape translates into a rich and diverse musical palette for the show.
“The musical palette of this show is like a big old mixtape … we run from hard rock to full MT [musical theatre] ballad to beautiful, intimate moments with just Sybylla alone on the piano, to soul music to raucous pop – like, there are so many different genres that we traverse through the journey of the show,” Harbridge explains, highlighting the show’s eclectic and dynamic musical approach.
From Struggle to Joy: An Empowering Theatrical Experience
Despite the challenging truths that Gare shares with her character – the persistent inequalities faced by women – the musical is imbued with an undeniable sense of joy. “There’s a beautiful difficulty of sitting in the thing that it is still happening,” Gare reflects. “This show translates that into something so joyous, and that is the colour that actually encourages and empowers, and that is something I’m so proud that we do here.”
My Brilliant Career continues its run at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney until May 3rd, offering audiences a powerful and uplifting theatrical experience that celebrates resilience, creativity, and the ongoing pursuit of equality. It’s a production that not only tells a compelling story but also inspires reflection and empowers its audience through its vibrant artistic expression.
