A Raygun-inspired musical has been cancelled ahead of its Sydney premiere following legal intervention by breakdancer Rachael Gunn. The creator, comedian Steph Broadbridge, confirmed the cancellation on social media, stating that Gunn’s team was concerned about potential brand damage.
Gunn, a university lecturer and a PhD holder in cultural studies, shot to fame with her unconventional moves at the Paris Olympics. However, she failed to score a point from the judges and was eliminated at the round-robin stage. Gunn announced her retirement from breakdancing last month, citing the intense scrutiny that made competing difficult.
Despite the controversy in Paris, Gunn’s performance had its admirers. The singer Adele, during a concert in Munich, described Gunn’s act as her “favourite thing that has happened in the Olympics”.
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Broadbridge’s musical was a “parody exploration” of Gunn’s journey to the Olympics. Some of the musical numbers were titled You May Be a B-girl But You’ll Always Be an A-girl To Me, I’m Breaking Down and I Would Have Won But I Pulled a Muscle. The show was set to debut at Kinselas on Sydney’s Oxford Street on Saturday and planned to donate all its proceeds to the Women’s and Girl’s Emergency Centre.
However, with the legal intervention, all ticket holders will now receive a $10 refund. Broadbridge assured fans that the show would eventually go ahead at a later date. She also clarified that Gunn was not affiliated with the musical but was welcome to attend.
The comedian revealed that Gunn’s legal team had advised her against using the kangaroo dance, which is apparently owned by Gunn. Broadbridge expressed confusion at this advice but nonetheless agreed to change the character’s name from Raygun to “Raigun” with an “I” to avoid any legal implications.
Gunn’s legal and management team confirmed that they are committed to protecting her brand and intellectual property. They confirmed that a trademark application for “Raygun” is under examination and anticipated its official registration soon. They also expressed concern about potential public confusion over whether “Raygun The Musical” had Gunn’s endorsement or approval. They argued that such misuse of intellectual property could jeopardize Gunn’s other commercial ventures.
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