When Verity Hunt-Ballard was cast in Vivid White, Eddie Perfect’s new show – billed by Melbourne Theatre Company as a “pitch-black musical comedy” – she had no idea she and the rest of the cast would end up being the band as well.

Verity Hunt-Ballard and Brent Hill. Photograph © Justin Ridler

“It’s all systems go and all skill sets required,” she tells Limelight during through the rehearsal period.  “A little while ago they decided that we would be the band – I was hired before this was the case – but they’ve got all these incredible actors who happen to play instruments as well. Eddie has written 14 songs for the piece and we’re the band, which is kind of like putting your mind in a hundred different places at once, in terms of [working on a] new text, scenes changing all the time, new music, music changing all the time, singing, moving – it’s kind of epic on so many levels, but it’s good and the cast is incredible.”

Hunt-Ballard is playing keys and tambourine. “Gillian Cosgriff is an incredible pianist so she plays keyboard one and I’m filling in with strings...