A Cowboy Christmas on the horizon for Hamilton theatre

Go West

Cowboys Christmas is a comedy musical set in the Wild West of America. It is written by a local Hamilton writer Michael Switzer, who has also written ‘Zoot Suit Christmas’.  The show is a pantomime-esque piece set in a town full of quirky characters.

There is the evil money-hungry Colonel and his sidekick Buckoff, who constantly steals from the townsfolk by increasing the prices at the local saloon.

The heroine of this tale, Alice invents a hero-vigilante ‘Bullseye’ in order to restore the money to the town, with the help of Big-Nose Kate and Slim Shady ‘Hisself’.

The music that is incorporated into the show is various popular hit songs from famous well-known artists like Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Mariah Carey and more.

The cast involved within this show is committed and open to diving into new movements and experiences that each of the characters brings out of them.

Each person has their own personal twists to their roles making for a hilarious dynamic and a constant revolving door of energy. This makes the show more engaging for the audience.

Takz Southan takes on the role of ‘El Panuelo’ who is the leader of the fearsome Banditos whose aim is to cause mischief. Takz’s onstage presence is captivating. He has a beautiful voice that fills the walls of the theatre, making his performance fantastic.

Ruby Brett portrays ‘Alice’ taking on her first leading role in a musical, she is ‘nervous’ however incredibly talented. She is ready to give the audience the performance of a lifetime.

Watching the cast members slowly come out of their comfort zones and perform certain choreography, or scenes that push their own personal boundaries that challenge the person is what makes amateur theatre spectacular.

When these moments occur,  the rehearsal studio is filled with joy and encouragement where we all work as one coherent unit with one goal in mind; achieving the perfect show.

Ben Wilson dives into the drag role of Tallulah, which he says he hadn’t originally seen himself doing. However, from his research and respect of Queens, he was able to build his own persona for the role of Tallulah, as opposed to copying a Queen that already exists.

It is not just the cast that makes a show work. It is also the people that are not seen; working hard behind the scenes. From the theatre manager to the techies plotting the lights and building the sets.

The beautiful wardrobe team sewing the costumes,  to the lovely hair and makeup stylists designing the hair. There is a talented group of people working hard to bring this show together.

On a typical night for the average person, they would find themselves resting with a lovely Vino watching Netflix, but for the lucky few, they are working tirelessly to produce a quirky piece of theatre.

As soon as you enter the stage door. You leave who you are outside of those doors behind. You become that character.

It begins to feel more like clockwork, you know where you need to be, what you must do, what you have to say and how you have to do it. That character you embody becomes a part of who you are.

Cowboys Christmas is a guaranteed good time, with laughter and light-hearted moments; accompanied by bopping tunes that will leave with no choice but to clap along and sing.

It’s the best way to send off the end of the working year. The bar and kitchen are at your service, providing you with the fuel you will need to last in the Wild West.

The show opens on the 16 of November and runs till the 14 of December.