September 2001 - Region 4 - Gordon Hall
HELLO, DOLLY!
Chester Operatic Society
Director: Shaun McGowan
Choreography: Bethany D'Avincourt, Graham Pike
Hello, Dolly! is an exuberant, tuneful show which has served as a star vehicle for some of the great names of the American musical theatre and I am sorry I did not enjoy the Chester production more.
This was not because of principals, many of whom gave good performances, but because many of the anticipated highlights of the show did not register on the evening I saw it.
Jane Johnson as Dolly had taken over the role at a relatively late time and after making a striking entrance through the audience, dispensing her cards to various people, gave a good performance of the part throughout.
I am not sure, however, whether it is wise to sing the original key which is rather high to get over the essential Dolly character, excellently though Jane sang. I was suprised to see the full chorus brought on to support the number written for Horace Vandergelder and the men particulary as they then did nothing - it is unusual to see a Hay and Feed store patronised by so many well dressed ladies!
I'm afraid that Tom Mawhiney's decision not to lose his strong Northern Ireland accent for the part of Horace detracted from his performance as far as I was concerned and he was not helped by a poor costume plot - his suit for Harmonia Gardens seemed borrowed from Ali Hakim and his final costume of tails with black tie and a grey topper was strange in the extreme.
Cornelius was nicely played by Peter Bailey and young Paul Williamson showed great promise as Barnaby. They were well matched by Gwen Cowan as Irene Molloy and Hayley Birks as Minnie Fay, though I was unsure of the change of Minnie's character from the usual timid young lady to a far more street-wise seeming New Yorker.
The backcloth and actions for "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" seemed to suggest that they had already arrived in New York rather than looking forward to entraining from Yonkers, while on arrival the big number of the Fourteenth Street Parade was a total non event.
Simple things were irksome - no numbers for the polka dancers, no food on the waiters trays in the Gallop, a full bottomed wig for a New York night judge?? This was all unfortunate as the principals, chorus and dancers gave their all, ably supported as always by Graham Pike and his excellent (though rather over-amplified band.
Despite my reservations, as always at the Chester an excellent house enjoyed the evening.
CHESS
Ellesmere Port Light Opera Company
Director: Leigh Stanley
Choreographer: Lynn McKenzie
Musical Director: Jane Lennie
Perhaps it was not the fact that Liverpool were in the Cup Final next day and the game of chess was not calculated to raise similar passions or perhaps it is the fact that the Cold War and its machinations now seem to belong to the past but I found it difficult to warm to Chess. This is not due to detract from a competent performance by all concerned though the high tessitura and style of the score made understanding the words - and therefore following the nuances of the storyline - difficult. Addititionally as a show I find the characters themselves not easy to sympathise with so that their ultimate dilemmas are relatively uninteresting.
Nevertheless the players all gave good performances, particularly Robert Orford as Fredrick, the American Grandmaster, and Nathan Rogers as Anatoly his Russian counterpart. As the Russian "minder" Molokov Roy Davison was suitably dour and was well matched by his devious U.S. opponent, De Courcy, played by Peter Reed. Florence, first the American's second and later the Russian's lover was well sung and characterised by Michelle Russell and Sharon Hitchmough as Svetlena, Anatoly's wife, joined for the best known number in the score, "I Know Him So Well". Ian Grey was Arbiter and the minor roles were well taken.
The chorus made the most of their limited opportunities and the dancers illustrated the cut and thrust of the chess matches well.
As ever, Jane Lennie marshalled her small orchestral forces well.
WEST SIDE STORY
Hoylake and West Kirby Theatre Group
Director: Lynne Williams
Choreographer: Joan Carr
Musical Director: Greg Williams
Leonard Bernstein's marvellous musical burst on to the stage at the Gladstone Theatre with tremendous verve and athleticism.
I had initially wondered whether this relatively small society could do such a show justice but my doubts were immediately put to rest. Lynne Williams had drilled her young cast to perfection and by taking the basic elements of the Jerome Robbins choreography - why try to improve on perfection! - they made a great impact. The girls' chorus line was equally effective, all creating their individual characterisations while staying within the overall discipline.
In Gina Davies they had as good an amateur Maria as one is ever likely to see, her excellent singing voice allied to a performance where she moved from breathless innocence, through newly awakened love to ultimate tragedy flawlessly. In Claire Cooper as Anita HAWKS have discovered a young star who is certain to make her mark on the musical stage and I was suprised to find she was still at school. From her initial assured entrance she gave an excellent performance throughout.
Mark Ellis as Tony gave a sensitive performance and the gang leaders, Riff (Carl Wharton) and Bernardo (Peter Turner), while perhaps being slightly mature for the parts, nevertheless acted and danced ideally in these most macho of parts. Another to take the eye was Gareth Earl as Action, though all played their parts well in this exhilarating production.
Of course much of the excitement of West Side Story is generated by that marvellous score and it was given full measure by the excellent orchestra under Greg Williams.
This production, following upon her enjoyable Little Shop of Horrors last year, has put Lynne into the forefront of Wirral Directors.
THE JUNGLE BOOK
Lifeline Productions
This was a nice bright show, adapted by Neil Duffield and with music and lyrics by Rick Jukes, conveying the essence of Rudyard Kipling's timeless stories of Mowgli and the creatures of the jungle in which he grew up.
As always, Lifeline, have intergrated their junior actors well with their more seasoned performers and pride of place must be given to 13 year old Richard Anderson who played Mowgli with assured style. Costumes and scenery added excellent colour to the performances of the principals. George Jones with his imposing height was excellent as the villainous tiger Shere Khan, with Mark Cumming providing the humour as Baloo the Bear. Katie Peers as Bagheera the Panther, Lesley Selby in an excellent costume as the cobra and Diane Smith as Mowgli's mother, Messua, were others to impress.
With Monkeys, Wolves, Eagles adding to the fun, this was a thoroughly enjoyable evening for mainly young audience many of whom were probably being introduced to the theatre for the first time.
The production was a joint effort though no doubt Diane made her usual major contribution. There were times when the projection of minor characters left something to be desired and for me the interpolated songs did not add a great deal to the enjoyment of the evening but nonetheless a good time was had by all.
'ALLO! 'ALLO!
Port Sunlight Players
Director: Brian Dunn
I have only a fleeting knowledge of the original highly popular TV show but the audience who gave delighted recognition to the characters and set obviously were aficionados.
As "entendres" were "doubled" with panache and every bit of corn was harvested to roars of laughter it was easier to give in and enjoy an entertaining and undemanding evening. After all who could fail to enjoy an evening which ended with four Adolf Hitler impersonations (together with one punctured blow up Hitler doll) and three Herman Goerings!
As to the various gags which could be worked with a large German sausage - well, enough said! Although many of the players were good look-alikes to the original TV players this was not achieved at the expense of their acting ability.
In particular, Alan Williams who narrates and takes centre stage throughout gave an excellent performance as René as did Marj Lunt as Edith, his wife, complete with excruciating singing.
The competition for the portrait of "The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies" (no, I'm not making this up!) between Herr Flick of the Gestapo (well characterised by Stuart Raphael) and the bewigletted Colonel (Alan Davies) aided and abetted by the self styled Italian War Hero, Capt Bertorelli (Chris Farrelly), led to all sorts of hilarious complications. The situation was further complicated by the arrival of another contender for the picture, Von Schmelling (Tony Penny).
Colin McCarthy, a stalwart of the company, got every laugh from his portrayal of Lieutenant Grüber and his "admiration" for René. Phil Williams mangled his vowels well as Crabtree, British Agent masquerading as a Gendarme and Mary Dene every inch the Aryan blonde, Helga. The smalle parts were also well taken.
Well, sophisticated comedy it certainly wasn't but who cares when a good sized audience thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment - as, to his surprise, did your NODA Rep.
CANDIDE
West Kirby Light Opera Society
Director: Robert Bowness
Choreographer: Deborah Clark
Musical Director: Geoff Lavelle
After their Millie-winning production of Chess, West Kirby set themselves a mountain to climb in Bernstein's Candide but climb it they certainly did giving a polished and absorbing production.
This sprawling work based on Voltaire's novel shows the result of many hands to the libretto and the endless tinkering by the composer and ideally could do with even more pruning to make it a more manageable stage work.
The brilliance of the score, together with the themes of intolerance and violence in this "best of all possible worlds" subtly underlying the humour however give rise to a fascinating evening of musical theatre and we got full measure here.
The evening is introduced by Voltaire doubling as the philosophy tutor, Dr. Pangloss, strongly sung and even more strongly played by Eric Mates, just one of a number of fine performances throughout the evening. In fact the large cast was very well chosen with no weakest links at all.
As the eponymous hero, Michael Kennedy, who is on stage almost throughout, gives another excellent portrayal triumphing with incurable optimism the the various vicissitudes which fall upon him in his search for his lost love.
This is Cunegonde, well sung by Denise Milnes, (including the famously difficult "Glitter and be Gay") surviving rape, death, becoming a courtesan in Paris, slavery and marriage in South America, and prostitution in Venice before true love triumphs! Her brother, Maximilian, narcissistic figure who goes in for a little cross-dressing is again an excellent characterisation by Stewert Dennett.
I was particularly impressed by the portryal of the old lady (with one buttock - don't ask!!) by Jean Taylor, beautifully acted and sung. There was a fine comic performance by Paul Henderson as the South American servant, Cacambo, and another by Robert Poston as the Governor of Buenos Aires. The parts of Vanderdendur (John Phipps) and Martin (Phil Nelson) were well interpreted and sung. Paquette (Philippa Hipwell) who had the doubtful distinction of infecting Pangloss with a social disease was another excellent portrayal.
Add to all this a well drilled chorus who entered into the great variety of situations with gusto, smaller parts all well drawn and dancers who made a good contribution, all beautifully costumed and the success of the show was assured.
The score is, of course, one of Bernstein's best but with the complexities you would expect and M.D. Geoff Lavelle marshalled his first class orchestra (special mention of the solo violin) to give an excellent acount of this.
Congratulations once again West Kirby on giving us an unusual treat.
SPRING FEVER
Wirral Theatre Company
Director: Debbie Simnor
Choreographer: Allison Moffitt
When their plans for their annual musical fell through for a number of reasons Wirral Theatre Company linked up with the excellent Wirral School's Big Band under their Musical Director, Dave Semans, to provide a most enjoyable evening with a difference. This entertaining show was dedicated to the memory of their M.D. for 20 years, Carol Davies, who will be sadly missed on the Wirral Operatics scene. With all accompaniment provided by the band's great sounds or by the keyboard and rythm sections we had a succession of mainly solo items from old and new standards to show tunes.
The chorus numbers were well staged and again were enhanced by the band's contribution. The final Grease medley and the Rocky Horror "Time Warp" were particularly effective as was the fun of the cleaning lady version of "Big Spender".
With links provided by the smooth tones and even smoother singing voice of Graham Turner many of the company's members gave accounts of themselves, too many for all to be mentioned. Laura Davies, previously a singer with the band, had an excellent voice for the modern works she sang and Debbie Simnor also gave full value of her ballads. Keith Phillips was another soloist to impress. The band's items, with excellently taken solo breaks, were high spots throughout, energetically led by Dave and I was particularly impressed by the Gene Krupa-like talents of their young drummer, Tom McCabe. The dedication of Dave in bringing these young musicians to such expertise is to be applauded and Wirral Theatre Group is to be congratulated on enabling them to be heard by a more traditional audience.