Created, written and co-directed by David Atkins and Ignatius Jones.

Starring: Martin Crewes, Georgie Parker, Steve Bisley, Charles `Bud’ Tingwell, Lee Kernaghan.

Story

Everyone knows the story of A.B. `Banjo’ Paterson’s well-known Australian poem:

Young, unknown mountain horseman (played by Martin Crewes) joins in a ride to reclaim the colt from `Old Regret’ from the brumby mob for the reward offered by the horse’s owner. However, this time the owner is named Conroy (not Harrison) and is played by `Bud’ Tingwell. The stage play (as did the original movie) also tells of a love story between `the Man”, and horse-owner’s daughter Kate (not Jessica), played by Georgie Parker. A.B. Paterson (played by Steve Bisley) also makes an appearance as narrator to help the story along, accompanied by balladeer, Lee Kernaghan.

But if you think this will be just a cut-down version of the original movie to fit a stageshow, then forget it. This story is converted into a musical and stunt SHOW similar to that of a travelling circus! The love story rarely rates at all. In fact, the acting rarely rates at all. The most impressive part of the SHOW is the choreography of the trained horses - they steal the show, especially the one playing the `lead’ as the `colt from Old Regret’ (real name “Drummer”).

In amongst the main story are some little time-filler performances on buckjumpers, stunt horses, stagecoaches and draughthorses. There is also an impressive whip cracking and lassoing demonstration.

And thanks to the talent of Lee Kernaghan, he brings his own special flavour of Americanised-Australian Country & Western music. He even takes poetic licence to one of his own tunes - “Goondiwindi Moon”, changing it to “Kosciuszko Moon” to suit the scene. You will also recognise some of the tunes from the original movie are sprinkled in there throughout.

The ultimate climax of the final ride down the steep mountainside done single-handedly by `the Man’ is somewhat of a let-down, with the filmed performance actually resorting to some slow-motion to add “extra effect”. And once the story is all told, there is a lot of seemingly unrelated dancing carried out by many extras that smacks of the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Overall

The huge effort that went into converting this into a stage production could not be totally appreciated, especially when watching it on DVD. The task would have been enormous just on the setting up of the stage (as shown in the special features), but somehow all is not conveyed in the overall performance. After all, it really is a live performance. The atmosphere of `being there’ is missing.

The camera shots were as good as could be, with plenty of variety of camera angles. The actors went through their lines flawlessly and the singing was tolerable - even Georgie Parker held a tune quite well.

However after approximately 101 minutes of viewing, you are lining up to get out of the stadium! It might make a great memento for someone who actually went and saw it live, but the overall feeling is - you had to be there!

Special Features:

 Outside the Arena - Behind the scenes - a short documentary from concept to reality.

 Opening the Stable Door - gives credit to the real stars, the horses (and there were lots!)

 Wood Chopping - a competition of cross-cut sawing and tree-lopping with an uncertain winner.

 Cast and Crew Biographies