Sydney Reviews

A kind of ukulele karaoke, Uked! is a sing along, string along, immersive jukebox musical, that's more folksy balladeering than an all out, all that jazz razzmatazz.

Penned by Jane Cafarella, Uked! follows the fallout of fifty year old Karla after her boyfriend suddenly and unceremoniously dumps her. What's a girl to do but take to the internet where she finds solace in a dating app and YouTube tutorials in the art of playing the ukulele.

The online romance kindled in her sorry state of rebound has the distinct odour of catfish yet Karla's heartstrings are plucked by a charlatan charmer, while the YouTube tutorials instigate a genuine connection to a community of string strumming chums.

Josephine Birch plays Karla with a comfy vulnerability, straight talking to the point of reminding herself that this is supposed to be a family friendly show. Audiences might just want to give her a cuddle.

Ian Stenlake has a palpable ball taking on the myriad minstrels dedicated to educating ukulele acolytes, a cavalcade of eccentric figures from around the globe, as well as filling the role of the loathsome on-line Lothario with the unspeakably caddish name.

Birch and Stenlake are joined on stage by two musicians, musical director, Kirstin Harris, and Jamie Burgess, where string jam sessions of songs that fondle the nostalgia zone, ranging from Mr Sandman, Happy Together, Cabaret and These Boots are Made for Walking, are augmented by audience members who have opted to borrow a ukulele from the front of house.

Non instrumentalists are encouraged to sing the lyrics projected on a screen. Audience participation is not a hard and fast requirement but the music muscle memory of those nostalgic beats pretty much mandate moving your feet.

On Ali Bendall and Tom Fahy's set of pink trimmed cosy couch potato lounge room dishevelment flanked by a faux YouTube screen that serves as a jack in the box frame for Stenlake's cavalcade of uke kooks, Uked! builds from Karla’s pithy sofa storytelling to joyous musical jamboree, with a finale befitting this life affirming fable.