Illusion (musical)

Musical

Illusion

Music| Martin Armiger
Lyrics| Peter Carey and Martin Armiger
Book| Peter Carey and Mike Mullins
Productions| 1986 Adelaide

Illusion is an Australian rock musical by Peter Carey and Mike Mullins with songs by Carey and Martin Armiger, first performed at the Adelaide Festival of the Arts in 1986.

## Plot

[edit]

Setting: Sydney, Australia

The story, a critique of American influences on Australian life through a 'surrealistic pantomime', concerns Travis the Private Eye. Carboni, the Common Man, a newspaper seller, tries to persuade Travis to track down the Glowing Man. Along the way Travis encounters politicians, the Church, the judiciary, the media, big business, police, criminals, junkies and others.[1]

## Production history

[edit]

Mullins had conceived the concept for Illusion in the early 1980 as the third part of a trilogy of experimental performance.[2]

The musical was first performed for the Adelaide Festival of the Arts from 7 to 22 March 1986 at the Regent Theatre, Adelaide, directed by Mullins.[3] The premiere production, one of the major works of the festival, experienced substantial difficulties. Carey withdrew his name as author of the book and retained only a credit for co-writing the lyrics.[4] Following the first performance, three performances were cancelled during which the musical was reworked.[5]

## Recording

[edit]

A studio cast recording was released by ABC Records in 1986, featuring Wendy Matthews, Mark Williams, Peter Blakeley, Sherlie Matthews and Armiger.[6] It was nominated for an ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack or Cast Recording in 1987. The songs "Must Be Chemical" and "When I Was a Little Boy" from the album performed by Peter Blakeley were released as a single.[7][8]

### Track listing

[edit]

Side A

1. "Must Be Chemical" (vocals by Peter Blakeley)
2. "Yellowcake" (vocals by Sherlie Matthews)
3. "When I Was a Little Boy" (vocals by Peter Blakeley)
4. "Nice Warm Anger" (vocals by Mark Williams)
5. "There's Going to Be a Future" (vocals by Mark Williams & Sherlie Matthews)

Side B

1. "Metaphorically Speaking" (vocals by Wendy Matthews)
2. "No Interest" (vocals by Martin Armiger)
3. "The Glowing Man" (by Ulpia Erdos)
4. "The Defense" (vocals by Mark Williams)
5. "The Beat Begins" (vocals by Sherlie Matthews & Wendy Matthews)
6. "Only Half a Life" (vocals by Mark Williams & Wendy Matthews)

## References

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1. ^ Hawley, Janet (24 February 1986). "In search of the truth and an entrepreneur". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2015 - via Google News Archive.
2. ^ Gallasch, Keith (February–March 2010). "Mike Mullins, the politics of change". RealTime. No. 95\. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
3. ^ Illusion at AusStage
4. ^ Steel, Anthony (2009). Painful in Daily Doses: An Anecdotal Memoir. Adelaide: Wakefield Press. p. 269\. ISBN 978-1-86254-875-6.
5. ^ Shmith, Michael (14 March 1986). "La Blande Illusion". The Age. Retrieved 8 August 2015 - via Google News Archive.
6. ^ "Illusion – 1986 Studio Cast".
7. ^ "Peter Blakeley – "Must Be Chemical"".
8. ^ "Singles Reviews". The Age. 9 May 1986. Retrieved 8 August 2015.

* v
* t
* e

Mark Williams

Studio albums|

* Mark Williams
* Sweet Trials
* Taking It All In Stride
* Life After Dark
* Mark Williams ZNZ
* Mind over Matter

Soundtracks|

* Dancing Daze
* Illusion

Compilations|

* Greatest Hits
* The Very Best of

Singles|

* "Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life"
* "Sweet Wine"
* "If It Rains"
* "Taking It All in Stride"
* "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
* "A House for Sale"
* "Home and Away"
* "Show No Mercy
* "Fix of Love
* "Time After Time"

Related articles|

* Dragon

* v
* t
* e

Wendy Matthews

* Discography

Albums|

* Émigré (1990)
* The Way It Has to Be (1991)
* Lily (1992)
* The Witness Tree (1994)
* Ghosts (1997)
* Beautiful View (2001)
* Café Naturale (2004)
* She (2008)
* The Welcome Fire (2013)

Soundtracks|

* Dancing Daze (1986)
* Illusion (1986)
* You've Always Got The Blues (1988)

Compilations|

* Stepping Stones: The Best of Wendy Matthews (1999)

Notable singles|

* "Dancing Daze"
* "I Don't Want to Be with Nobody but You" (with Absent Friends)
* "Token Angels"
* "Woman's Gotta Have It"
* "Let's Kiss (Like Angels Do)"
* "The Day You Went Away"
* "Friday's Child"
* "If Only I Could"
* "Standing Strong"
* "Love Will Keep Me Alive"
* "Then I Walked Away"
* "Beloved"
* "I've Got to Have You"
* "Day by Day"

Related articles|

* Models (Out of Mind, Out of Sight)
* Absent Friends (Here's Looking Up Your Address)

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