World comes calling for our Hayden
It’s a long way from a late-night gig at the Stables Theatre in Kings Cross – in more ways than one.
It’s a long way from a late-night gig at the Stables Theatre in Kings Cross – in more ways than one.
Sydney’s cabaret scene may have been where Hayden Tee cut his teeth – in fact, during the early part of the last decade he helped keep it afloat – but now he is continuing to make a name for himself internationally.
Tee is currently playing King Arthur in the respected Pittsburgh Public Theatre’s production of Camelot, which is earning strong acclaim.
But whilst Tee might be another world away from the sports-mad Australia, he had a taste of home last week when the Sunday night performance of the show was cancelled due to the Super Bowl – it seems not everything changes with a big move.
That said, the last month or so has been an exciting time to be in Pittsburgh, where their team, the Steelers, qualified for world sport’s greatest stage. They eventually lost, but the city has had a fresh buzz around it.
Tee’s long-time agent and AussieTheatre.com columnist, Les Solomon, saw Tee in action on the Pittsburgh stage.
“This production directed by Ted Pappas could well transfer anywhere to great acclaim,” Solomon said.
“An elaborate single set used effectively in a beautifully designed theatre, a powerful and passionate and surprisingly intimate reading of the play. A fine cast lead by Hayden, a young actor whose career has had an enormous boost since moving to America and being offered roles that would never have come his way in Australia.”
Tee has played international roles to great acclaim in the past – including Marius in the West End production of Les Miserables – but this is the kind of role that actors dream of.
But it was in Australia where he first made his name. He starred in a range of solo cabaret shows last decade, in a time where the cabaret genre was undergoing a considerable shift, with venues coming and going and the famed Sydney Cabaret Convention being shut down.
It was The Muf-Tee Show where he really made his name. A late night live ‘chat show’ concept, there was a plethora of reasons as to why it wouldn’t work but it turned into a cult hit, running over two years and establishing Tee as a quality host, singer and actor.
In a review on Talkin’ Broadway, Ann Miner said of Tee: “Hayden Tee gives a tremendously moving performance as the King. From young and idealistic to betrayed and broken (but not defeated), Tee sweeps the audience up in Arthur’s journey. His singing is exemplary, bringing joy to ‘I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight’, pride to ‘Camelot’, and humor to ‘How to Handle a Woman’ and his second acThe duet with Guenevere, ‘What Do the Simple Folk Do?’ It’s a very rich performance, making the production one that is not to be missed, in spite of other performances that aren’t at the same level.”
The show runs in Pittsburgh until February 20.
