January 2001 - Region 2 - Keith Painter
SHOWSTOPPERS 2000
Blackpool & Fylde Light Opera Company
Another wonderful evening of songs from the Light Opera Company. From the Tavern scene to Vienna, Shakespeare to Showtime and finishing with an ABBA selection - the songs flowed. A well thought out selection and staging and sound just right. Thank you all.
TRIAL BY JURY & HMS PINAFORE
Marton Operatic Society
Trial was the first show and what a wonderful job they made of it on a set just right for the stage area. From the usher who ruled the court to the judge who gave the verdict, with a pretty plaintiff escorted by her bridesmaids to the not so pretty defendant and the commanding voice of the counsel - everybody played their parts splendidly.
HMS Pinafore was a very different show. I think everyone had put all their effort into Trial and forgotten Pinafore. That said, there was some nice singing from Captain Corcoran and Ralph with Josephine blending in nicely. Sir Joseph kept the whole show moving and I must mention that the backcloth was one of the best I have seen.
Thank you also to all the other principals.
SAND CASTLES
St Bernadette's Players
This was a good choice of a play for this society as they had just the right people for the parts. Set on the seashore the play tells the story of three holiday chalets and the people staying in them. The first one has a middle aged couple there to have a good time. The second is a family with young children and the third a young gentleman with two female companions. And of course there is Mother who is with the family and is there to cause trouble. The rest of the characters, including the women who think they can sit anywhere on the beach, all played their parts well. A good story and a nice set. Thank you all.
LETTICE AND LOVAGE
Blackpool Theatre Company
The set looked good and was well planned out with swift scene changes. A very entertaining and amusing story of an unlikely friendship between two ladies. One is working as a guide in a stately home and tries to brighten a boring job by making up stories. Her boss eventually catches her and she is given the sack. The two then get together and form a bond. Good characterisation by both the ladies and a lively script made another good evening out.
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
Arnold School
A simple set with props just right. The lighting worked as planned and was ample for the stage. A well-balanced cast with Petey just right in his part popping in and out of the story as required. Meg did a wonderful job as his wife, mother and landlady looking after Stanley and the two visitors. It was a handful for her throughout the play but she came out on top in the end. The two visitors were great characters and played their parts well. Thank you all.
THE WIZARD OF OZ
Preston Musical Comedy Society
This is a society that is trying to pull itself back together and what a good start this was: a show with the older members taking parts and the youngsters doing the chorus and dancing and taking some of the smaller parts. Dorothy was very pretty and put her character across nicely and sang well. She was of course well supported by the tin man, the scarecrow and the lion. The youngsters did a good job in Munchkin land and thank you to all who took part.
WE SAID WE'D NEVER LOOK BACK 50 YEARS
Thornton Cleveleys Youth Theatre
How nice it was to look back over the last 50 years. The first half was mainly Gilbert & Sullivan with the younger members backing the soloists who came back to repeat their former parts. Tina Bywater 1962 -1970 Helen Maire 1965 - 1978 Peter Hughes 1967 -1981 John Darrell 1977 -1985 Richard Harrison 1981-1985 David Chard 1964-1972 Tom Brown 1968-1978. The second part looked at the last 15 years and to the future. Lovely singing from all concerned. Thank you to all who helped in any way.
MACK AND MABEL
Arnold School
A very good try at a most difficult show. Despite some cuts it all ran quite smoothly. The overall show was good but I felt it could have been better if the sound problems and staging hiccups could have been sorted out. Curtains that don't close properly should be put right before the show goes on, not during it.
The cast all did a good job and there was some excellent chorus movement and tap dancing. The orchestra at times went a little mad but on the whole did very well
Thank you all.