Tuck Everlasting - Marloo Theatre

Reviewed by Kate O'Sullivan

Marloo’s production of Tuck Everlasting was a charming night out, carried by a cast that delivered solid performances across the board. This is a show that leans into whimsy and heart, and the team managed to capture that tone well.

Standouts included Oliver Temby, who was clearly loving every minute as The Man in the Yellow Suit. His strong character choices and energy lifted every scene he was in. Jemima Lee as Winnie Foster was a delight—her vocals were clear, and she made thoughtful emotive choices that grounded the show. She paired nicely with Blair Price-Morgan’s Jesse, who brought a cheeky, boyish charm that worked perfectly for the role.

The costumes gave a good period feel overall, though some consistency in details—like skirt lengths—would have sharpened the overall look. In particular, the ballet at the end could have used more attention to the purple tones connecting the various “Winnies.” Similarly, the fair scene would have popped more if the colours were as vibrant as The Man in the Yellow Suit’s palette; his brightness made some of the surrounding colours feel a bit flat by comparison.

The set was visually impressive but at times a little too present. The tree with its working spring was a lovely constant, but always having the Water Tower and Foster House visible (especially in light colours) became distracting in scenes where the focus needed to shift. It also blurred the line between ‘indoors’ and ‘outdoors,’ which took away from some scene changes. A less crowded stage might have allowed big moments, like the fair, to feel larger and more dynamic.

Lighting had some effective colour choices that added depth and mood to key moments. Where colour was used, it really enhanced the scene—it would have been great to see this used even more boldly throughout. A small note for performers: be mindful when stepping into smaller light pools, as there were a few moments where actors found themselves half-lit or just outside the intended spot.

Musically, the band did a strong job, handling the score well. There were, however, some mic balance issues on the night. At times, the band overpowered the singers, particularly in ensemble numbers, making it hard to catch some of the lyrics. A bit more balance here would allow the vocals to shine as they should.

Blocking-wise, there were a few moments where it felt like performers defaulted to the classic “come to centre and sing” position, particularly in numbers that weren’t choreographed. Songs like Top of the World could have benefited from being more rooted in stillness to let the emotion breathe. On the flip side, a high-energy number like You Can’t Trust a Man in Yellow would have been even more fun with extra movement and choreography—it didn’t quite hit the dynamic high it could have.

All in all, Tuck Everlasting is a light, fluffy musical, and this production delivered a fun, feel-good night out with plenty of heart.

Image Credit: Sean Breadsell

Reviewer note: Kate has previously worked with a number of members of this cast and crew. Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.