Anyone who witnessed the raw edge and electric authenticity of Chrissy Amphlett during her time as lead singer of the Divinyls will understand the desire to keep her memory alive. Amplified: The Exquisite Rock and Rage of Chrissy Amphlett does exactly that. It recognises an artist whose power, defiance and originality deserve nothing less than immortality.
Starring and written by Sheridan Harbridge and directed by Sarah Goodes, Amplified doesn’t attempt to impersonate Amphlett and openly acknowledges that she was too unique to ever be replicated. Instead, the show honours her through music and stories, drawn from Amphlett herself and from those who knew her.
Amplified review – quick links
Voicing women’s rage
Harbridge acts as the narrator, playing a version of herself shaped by Amphlett’s influence while growing up in a sexually repressive religious family. It is through this lens that she tells Amphlett’s story. At times Harbridge attempts to channel Amphlett’s voice and mannerisms to convey specific anecdotes; while this can feel slightly off, it does not significantly detract from the production.
Dressed in a school tunic and garters, Amphlett cast a spell on her audience. She presented herself as a disobedient, rebellious monster who embodied sexuality and rage at a time when few women had a voice.
So unpredictable and intimidating was her presence that audiences never knew whether they should desire or fear her. Harbridge clearly communicates Amphlett’s persona in her narration and, at times, engages unpredictably with the audience herself – but in a much more comical and unthreatening way: straddling them, abducting handbags and using audience members’ lipstick to draw on her face.
Amplified: a substantial catalogue of Divinyls hits
Throughout the production, Harbridge balances humour, music and sentiment to convey Amphlett’s life. At times the story unfolds sequentially, while at others it deliberately swerves off course to follow a theme or emotional thread.
A substantial catalogue of Divinyls’ songs is used to illuminate these moments, placed where they best serve the narrative rather than obeying a strict chronological order. The way these songs are used to illustrate crucial points in the narrative, and the way they are expressed, provides a fresh and deeper appreciation of lyrics.
The stage is set for a small concert, with Harbridge lit mostly by simple spotlights surrounded by a band. During the 80-minute production, Harbridge performs a substantial selection of Divinyls tracks including I’ll Make You Happy, Back to the Wall, Pleasure and Pain, Boys in Town, Science Fiction, Good Die Young and I Touch Myself.
During this cabaret-style production, Harbridge demonstrates she is a diverse performer – a gifted singer, actor and comedian. While no one can capture Amphlett’s tone, rhythm, emotion and unique vocal inflections, Harbridge demonstrates her own vocal flavour, and in doing so, materialises as a charismatic artist. Her rendition of St. James Infirmary Blues is a standout.
A hard act to follow
When Amphlett performed she physically dominated and covered the stage: energetic, erratic and animated. There was never a point when the audience was not captivated by her presence. While replicating this level of physical energy would be difficult for any performer, the use of the stage in this production feels sedate and safe in comparison. A more visually dynamic and physically evolving space might have better reflected Amphlett’s wild edge.
Amphlett was the focal point of the Divinyls, but the band’s collective energy was always vital. During Amphlett’s performances, the band was anything but passive – as she performed, they were busily kicking out the songs themselves.
In this production, the communication between Harbridge and lead guitarist Glenn Moorhouse is effective, but it could have been stronger. Boys in Town is the most energised performance of the night, yet even this falls short. The other band members appeared to fade into the background, and this creates a lack of passion and a flatness that undermines the raw authenticity that the Divinyls worked hard to achieve.
While Amplified offers compelling snippets and vivid snapshots of Amphlett’s life, the scarcity of a sustained storyline is a limitation. The production unfolds as a series of anecdotes, observations, comments and reflections – many of which are familiar and accessible in the public domain. The audience is rarely taken beyond what is already known of Amphlett’s public persona.
Overall, Amplified is a brave production that takes on the challenge of reconnecting audiences with a cultural icon who reshaped Australian rock and expanded the space for women within it. It leaves the audience grieving Amphlett’s loss – and wishing they had known her more deeply.
