Becoming John Farnham is, by any measure, a near-impossible assignment. You’re not just stepping into a role – you’re stepping into a national memory, a record collection, a thousand karaoke nights and at least one emotional wedding dance. Which makes Michael Paynter’s new job both brave and slightly bonkers.
The songwriter, producer and breakout theatre star has been cast as the Voice himself in Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical, a Sydney Theatre Company production inspired by the rags-to-riches comeback story behind Farnham’s biggest-selling album. It premieres in November, and tickets are on sale now – cue the collective sharp intake of breath from Farnham devotees everywhere!
Paynter, a self-confessed No.1 Farnham fanboy, knows exactly what he’s walking into.
“I’m never gonna be Farnham. No one is; he is the greatest,” he said, cheerfully cutting off the most predictable comment-section complaint at the knees. “So, if you’re looking for someone that’s exactly John Farnham, chuck on his records.”
Instead, Paynter is offering respect, admiration and whatever gifts he can bring to the table. Which, judging by his recent run as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, is quite a lot. His performance in the reboot earned mid-show standing ovations, not to mention the attention of Whispering Jack director Michael Butel, who saw Paynter’s jaw-dropping rendition of Gethsemane during the show’s national tour.
That performance proved to be the turning point.
After wrapping his Great Australian Songbook tour (which, naturally, includes at least one Farnham classic – usually That’s Freedom), Paynter will throw himself into becoming the master’s apprentice.
“If it was opening next week, I’d be pinging,” he laughed. “But because it’s in eight months, I’ve got time to really study the role, the person, and hopefully find the way that I can do it.”
Helping shepherd Farnham’s story to the stage is Gaynor Wheatley, who has helped caretake the singer’s legacy with his family since the death of her husband Glenn – Farnham’s longtime manager and best mate. She said the search for the right performer was meticulous, but the decision became clear the moment Paynter sang.
“There was an immediate sense of recognition in the room,” Wheatley said. “Not just of his remarkable vocal ability, but of the respect, understanding and care he brings to John’s story.”
The timing feels fitting. Whispering Jack celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, with You’re The Voice long cemented as an unofficial national anthem. Farnham’s legacy has taken on deeper resonance in recent years following the 2023 documentary Finding the Voice and his 2024 memoir The Voice Within, both released after his 2022 mouth cancer diagnosis. Coldplay and Robbie Williams have paid tribute during Australian tours, underlining just how far that voice still carries.
For Paynter, the role is about more than nailing the big notes, though there will be plenty of those. It’s also about connection. “Hopefully I’m a bit of a bridge between Farnham and the new kids,” he said. “Just to help keep his music alive.”
It’s a huge honour, he admits, and likely an emotional one. “I’ve seen how people respond to his legacy and his music,” he said. “I think it’s going to be pretty emotional for everybody.”
Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical plays Sydney Theatre Company’s Roslyn Packer Theatre from November 15. Tickets are on sale now at sydneytheatre.com.au.
Images: Sydney Theatre Company, Instagram
