It's 8pm on a rainy winter night in Sydney. Do you know where your children are? Hopefully they're at the Cleveland Street Theatre watching Reefer Madness because, to put it simply, it's hilarious and highly entertaining.
   
This musical is based on an American propaganda movie from 1936, which warned parents about the evils of Marijuana. The movie became a cult hit to the very people who it set out to condemn - dope-smoking college students. It was later turned into a tongue-in-cheek off-broadway musical by Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy.

Australian icon Barry Crocker as the narrator recounts the ridiculous story of 'when good kids turn bad'. Wholesome goody-two-shoes Jimmy Harper (Brad Facey) is lured from a life of milkshakes and closed-lipped kisses to the lair of evil 'drug dealer' Jack (Richard Lovegrove), where he falls prey to the addictive weed. Jimmy, despite being preached at through song (the hilariously catchy 'listen to Jesus, Jimmy') finds himself being sexually promiscuous, stealing a car from his sweetheart, going on the 'lam' and holding the gun the middle of a bizarre murder. All the while, message boards are held up stating the evils of smoking cannibis (e.g 'Reefer makes you sell your baby for drug money', 'Reefer gets you raped and you wont care').

Reefer Madness, directed by Jay James-Moody (who also plays to perfection the giggly Ralph, and aforementioned baby sold for drug money) keeps the tongue firmly in the cheek and stays true to the ridiculousness of the 70s musical parody. The songs are catchy and clever, and the music impeccable, musically directed by Chris King, and featuring a particularly emotive saxaphone. The cast perform exceptionally well, whether they be dressed in angel costumes or merely flesh coloured underpants and strategically placed leaves. Belinda Morris deserves acclaim for her complex performance as Mae, while co-producer Jessica Burns has a beautiful singing voice and performs brilliantly as Jimmy's too sweet to be true girlfriend Mary Lane.

Richard Lovegrove is by far the most charismatic actor I have seen in a long while - to play both the villain and Jesus Christ himself is no mean feat. Barry Crocker added to the surrealness of the whole performance by appearing as the owner of the five and dime, and also American president Theodore Roosevelt. The script is clever and funny, the songs tight and full of unexpected rhymes. The set consisted of cardboard cut outs of cars, pews, houses, but although the set may have been wooden, the acting was anything but.

Reefer Madness was everything I would expect from a musical - well-acted, upbeat, and made me burst out laughing on many occasions. If only I had some of that evil Reefer to 'enhance' my viewing!