It’s been half a century since The Seekers charmed the world with their unique Aussie brand of squeaky-clean, perfectly harmonised folk-pop, and in the five decades since, this surprising climb to international stardom has seldom been matched by any other Australian group. Their place within the pantheon of all time greats, not just of Australian music but on a global level, makes the concept of a new musical about their extraordinary journey an entirely reasonable notion. The result, however, falls a long way short of its inspiration’s irrepressible success.

This new biopic, Georgy Girl, offers a potted history of The Seekers’ meteoric rise from unassuming Melbourne folk quartet to internationally adored super-group, peppered of course with their treasured hits. As with any jukebox musical, the formula banks on the music tapping into a rarely obtainable level of nostalgia, but getting the jukebox format just right can be a difficult tightrope to walk. Done well, as with the fiercely successful Jersey Boys, it can be an ideal vehicle for introducing the hits of yesteryear to a new generation. Get it wrong however, as was the case with the ham-fisted Dusty, and it can be an embarrassing assault...