‘American Psycho’ is Blood Splattering Good Fun

American Psycho, just started its popular second Sydney season and is already enjoying whispers about strong ticket sales for its return this time at the Sydney Opera House. 

If you saw the initial award-winning run of American Psycho in 2019 at The Hayes theatre, you’ll no doubt be interested to see how it has been translated from that rather intimate stage to the Playhouse at the Sydney Opera House and you won’t be disappointed with the creative team’s efforts. 

American Psycho seems a bit of a contradiction with its timely and recurring message about excess and toxic masculinity but its lack of any great songs (besides a teasing smattering of recognisable 80’s hooks) leaves the audience wanting… something. 

Maybe a Panadol?

Just because of the stage behaviour, which continually forces your pupils to readjust due to the interesting design aspects of the set – no spoilers here but suffice to say that smoke and mirrors will keep your eyes working to take it all in. 

The lighting on this show is almost like a character of its own! 

The clever use of plastic curtain panels enclosing the stage gives the impression of being in a cold space, with the way the stage behaves forcing lighting to reflect off various surfaces, creating interesting effects which add to the general frenzied and murderous tone of the piece. 

‘American Psycho’ has a strong cast

The cast is strong on acting and accents, and comic timing is spot on for everyone, including the Mr Psycho himself, played by Ben Gerrard. 

Gerrard, who had sat down with the Star Observer   to explain how he prepared for the role, gave a stirring performance with a lot of light and shade – that shade quickly led us to some dark places. 

The way he tackled tricky aspects of his portrayal sometimes had audience members squirming, a fitting reaction to some of the character’s questionable actions. 

Despite the brutality of the subject matter, its pithy commentary elicits quite a few laughs from the audience, with the majority being gobbled up by Erin Clare, playing the psycho’s girlfriend’s best friend – Clare’s talent to garner laughs from a one-word line and a curl of her lip follows her from show to show. 

It wasn’t until listening to the original cast recording the day after seeing the show and recognising jokes that didn’t quite land on opening night that it dawns that some of the dialogue wasn’t as crisp as it could have been – some of the clarity perhaps being lost in what was probably opening night nerves. 

American Psycho’s poor secretary

The vocal standout for this show is definitely Angelique Cassimatis – her character of the put upon secretary and her desperate need of attention from the boss leads this performer to some heartfelt and beautifully poignant moments, though even with this accomplished talent,  there were just no songs that make you want to go home and play the cast recording to, well death. 

Definitely catch American Psycho for some good and splattery fun at The Playhouse at the Sydney Opera House. Tickets from $45 plus booking fees until the end of June and can be booked here.