September 2001 - Region 7 - Tony Adler
WEST SIDE STORY
Middleton AO & DS
Director: Melvyn Bates
Choreographer: Jean Ashworth
Musical Director: Jeremy Sleith
This is one of my favourite shows due to the fact that I am a Leonard Berstein addict with a book by Arthur Laurents and lyrics by the unusually versatile Stephen Sondheim. One of the problems my affection for it causes is that I have to realise that every amateur West Side Story which I see may be a very good show even if it has its limitations which may well only be apparent to someone who is perhaps asking too much.
This was indeed a very good show and in a sense, the very warm night just set the mood for the action and volume of performance. Middleton had assembled a very talented company of amateur performers from the surrounding area with plenty of experience and with the help of talent, hard work and enthusiasm of the Production Team listed above, I would have been very disappointed if the show had not been of a high standard.
I felt that Maria and Tony matched each other extremely well. Their ages and appearances were right and indeed, I was delighted by Victoria Schofield who was probably as appropriate a Leading Lady for this part that I have seen - young, innocent and totally lacking in the experience of life and looking very attractive. Both she and Michael Mills as Tony sang well and gave an excellent portrayal of the young lovers. I could not completely make up my mind about the very talented Sam Bates as Anita and it may well be that I am more accustomed to seeing someone who appears older, larger and more mature and worldly in the part. She almost seemed a bit too youthful to be an experienced Anita, which is not bad for a mother of two children and her performance had her customary energy, polish and experience.
Simon Peters looked and played the part of Bernado very well and Nigel Griffiths was highly competent as Riff.
Of the two groups of males, the Jets had more chance to impress and they certainly kept us in the mood as indeed, to a lesser extent, so did the Sharks. Both teams of girls looked lovely and well up to scratch. The supporting principals, led by the experienced John Hankin as Doc, were fine and I think that I had probably returned home before my ear drums stopped vibrating.
The Musical accompaniment also has to be good and Jeremy Sleith and his band worked hard to accomplish this.
West Side Story took a long time in gestation and changed character at its birth but really is a musical monument which will ever have a model in real life.
GUYS AND DOLLS
North Manchester AO & DS
Producer: Joan Littlefair
Musical Director: Simon Pickup
Choreographer: Jim McIntosh
Costume Design: Margaret McEwen
This is an absolutely super show provided it is an absolutely first-class performance with absolutely first-class performers but it does seem to fall away unless it is thus outstanding. This particular show did not quite reach that standard despite a steady and good production by Joan Littlefair and in many aspects, it was better than some productions I have seen in recent years.
I doubt, for example, if David Conreen had ever imagined himself as Sky but he gave it his best shot and certainly did not let the side down, and Alison Green had her moments as Sister Sarah. It was good to see Kathryn Quimby play with another society and in many respects she appeared to have responded to change of direction. She seemed to relate to the audience in a manner I have been hoping to see for a number of years and I think it was the best performance I have seen form her.
Martin Williams was certainly not a natural choice as Nathan but his experience pulled him through and he worked throughout. Similarly Stuart Booth does not quite have a voice for Arvide's difficult number but he is another who never says, "No" or lets the side down and he will always have a go to help out and his dialogue and general amiable disposition always pull him through.
Paul Allcock as Nicely-Nicely and his sidekicks Keith McEvoy and John Saxon put everything into their parts and the other non-singing roles were competently played.
The Hot Box Girls had their moments and the whole company seemed to enjoy it. All in all, they all did quite well with the help of Jill McIntosh as Choreographer and Simon Pickup as Musical Director. I always feel it would help an audience to better appreciate this show if Damon Runyon's short stories were compulsory reading before they attended.
WHEN WE ARE MARRIED
North Manchester A.O.& D.S.
Producer: Paul Allcock
I do not see many plays as part of my duties as very few of my Societies have an active dramatic section. I was therefore pleased to be able to go and see this traditional offering by J.B.Priestley which I had not seen for many years. Perhaps it seemed a little dated but it has the competent touch of a craftsman writer which will probably never completely date. Plays also give members of an Operatic Society, who may not have strong singing voices, a chance to show their acting talents and also gain stage experience.
Paul Allcock also showed talent as a producer and some of the individual performances were very convincing. Indeed, there was not a bad performance on show in a reasonably sized cast with good set. It seemed a little slow to begin with but this may have been due to the writer or even your regional rep taking time to "tune in". It was well supported in the Hall which I think gave this society its original name and I was delighted by the team work on show by members of the society.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing performers who I had previously only seen take "bit" parts in musicals, now taking on principal roles and I thoroughly enjoyed it and in addition I rather enjoyed the clever programme. It was indeed a very pleasant way to spend an evening, even in July, as a Finale to the season.
OLIVER!
Oldham Metropolitan AOS
Director: Terry Mills
Musical Director: Ron Davis
Choreographer: Dawn Leigh
Not another Oliver! on which I must prepare a report (I'm thinking). I could almost shut my eyes and let the pen do the work on its own, bearing in mind, I have seen about four or five productions in just over 12 months and when I was closely involved in the show some years ago, I had enough to last a lifetime.
Nevertheless it is a good show and it certainly always brings people in. There are so many good parts of almost equal importance amongst which Fagin has the greatest opportunity to excel. This needs a combination of astute production, great natural ability and stagecraft. Perhaps Stuart Booth did not quite reach the superb standard I have sometimes seen but he had obviously worked hard to get into character and all in all it was a performance with which he will probably be very happy.
Liam R. Mills (not a member of Oldham Met's Mills' family) was a delightful little Oliver with quite the most beautiful voice I have heard in this part and Anthony J. Quimby (a member of the Mills' family) was an enthusiastic and confident Dodger who might be suffering a little by growing up too fast. I always like the Sowerberrys and Kathryn Quimby towered above the diminutive Mark Rosenthal who was almost a frightening and sinister five-foot or thereabouts and looked like a throw-back from the Adams Family. They were both excellent.
Rosemary Wood is a good performer who is coming to the fore later than she should have and was a delightful Widow Corney and Terry Mills used his experience to get through the part of Mr Bumble although I felt he might not have been in the most robust of health. Paul Rigney was quite villainous as Bill Sykes and looked and acted the part very well and, as anticipated Dawn Liegh gobbled up Nancy with her sensuous figure and excellent voice. She was just a natural for it.
All supporting roles were adequately played and the "Who Will Buy" number was very well done and I often think that this is something that can make or break the show.
The orchestra under the direction of Ron Davies struggled at first with the children in the opening number but got it together better as the show progressed. I admire any director of this show and always feel he or she must have the patience of Job! but I am sure Terry Mills will have been quite satisfied with this production.
LA BELLE HÉLÈNE
Rochdale Phoenix Opera Society
Musical Director: Susan Morris
Producer: Anne Dobell
Any Offenbach show usually needs a good number of outstanding principal singers and Phoenix struggled a little to fill all the parts but no-one let them down.
I must congratulate my old friend, Tony Jackson, as Paris. Not only was his singing fine but I was very envious as to how youthful he looked and he always injects an element of warmth into his performance. Anne Butterworth did well as a rather over-sexed Helen who it was impossible to resist and was quite at home singing and acting, most ably assisted particularly by Janet Millner as Nesta who has an excellent voice.
Frank Hindle is a godsend to any society, a real jack-of-all-trades, and he was as ever sound as Memelaus whilst all the other kings, namely Duncan Routledge, Fred Sutcliffe and David Quarmby, joined in the fun and did quite well. Tony Joy, another regular, was quite at home in the part of Calchas whilst all the other minor principals and the company sang and supported well as I always find at Phoenix.
The orchestra is also always very good at this Society particularly under Susan Morris' careful control and Anne Dobell is an experienced and able producer who always tries to find that little bit extra. She seems to work very well with a company such as this and she puts together a competent and enjoyable show.
KISS ME, KATE
Rochdale AOS
Full Direction by Michael Cheesman
Musical Direction by Harry Butterworth
I always enjoy this show because I find it enjoyable, with a pretty lighthearted plot but super music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It has some very good parts, some reasonable ones and at least one awful one (I remember it well becauseit was the last one I played and I shudder when I think how bad I must have seemed but then everyone else who I have seen play it, including the highlycompetent Jack Sunderland, is not all that much betterand Sir Laurence Olivier would probably have struggled and thisis because it is about the worst part in the whole show).
Essentially, it needs above all two outstanding leads to set the scene and to keep the atmosphere throughout the show. Certainly, Rochdale had two very good performers in these parts. Gary Davis is a commanding figure with an excellent voice and what he might have lacked in natural charm, he made up for in a mischievous and likeable manner and in sub-plot, he was quite a delightful bully.
I wondered whether Anne Birchenough might be a little too nice for the part of Lilli but she was excellent. She sang well, acted well, looked right and complemented Gary ideally. I have seen some very bad casting for the part of Bill Calhoun but Don Munro was just right and at ease with it whilst Laura Meredith made a fair job of Lois if at times I felt she tried to be a little too sexy. I always enjoy the gangsters (apart from Lilli and Fred these are the best characters in the show) and although they were produced and dressed slightly different to the norm, nevertheless they almost stole the show as ever, but this is not surprising when the very experienced Mike Conroy was one of them. Indeed, Andy Scott made a very fair partner for him.
All the other parts and the Company were well played and once again, Harry Butterworth and his Orchestra made a very competent job of the excellent score.
Mike Cheesman was the Director and one knows with Mike that the show will always be a little different form the norm as his own touches tend to show through, but he has a great sense of theatre and knows what he wants and likes and usually, the audience respond to this and I have no doubt they enjoyed it.
THE MUSIC MAN
St. Dunstan's AO & DS
Producer: Pam Dyson
Musical Director: John Goggins
Choreographer: Marjorie Catlow
This is not a show I see too often. The title is probably more musical than the show but everyone seems to know "Seventy Six Trombones" and I particularly like "Till there was you". Most people like the leading man to be a kind of Hero, but what do you do when he is basically a con-man which leaves a show with a slightly unsatisfactory ending with the idea that his "conning" might in fact have created something worthwhile. In modern terms, he would probably have made a Political Spin Doctor or even a Chancellor who takes from you and then gives you back part of what he need not have taken in the first place.
However, enough of Politics and that was certainly not a Party Political comment. Even a very large Society which can choose its talent with plenty of room on stage would have some difficulty making this a very successful show, but when all these qualities and facilities are not available, it is not easy, particulary for a localised and loyal Company such as this one.
I give Pam Dyson full marks for her efforts and, the touches which seem to get better as the show progressed and I thought John Goggins and his music were excellent. Even the choreography was tight which it has to be on this stage and taking into account the performers. Indeed, this is a show which requires better stage facilities than this Society has although I must congratulate the hall for its tremendous outward improvements.
So what of the performers? Paul Hancock played the Music Man and perhaps he was still a bit too youthful and nice to appear to have natural power, maturity and authority to carry off the principal character with ease. Nevertheless, it is a big part and his personality was warm, his performance was very good, he led from the front and I enjoyed watching and listening to him.
In many ways, I thought this was one of the best roles that Sue Connelly has done. I felt that I saw an improvement in her acting and her voice (which will probably never be a big voice) was perfectly suitable for the part of Marian and I thoroughly enjoyed her singing of "Till there was you". Ralph Wilkinson as The Mayor, still amazes me with the authority he can command despite his mature years and Mararet Turkington as his wife extracted all the comedy out of her part which was available and this was, once again, a credit to her natural talents.
Of all the supporting roles, I particularly liked Stella O'Reilly as Mrs Paroo whilst Helen Turkington as Amaryllis and Sam King as Winthrop Paroo did well in the juvenile parts. All the Company participated well and the "Barbers' Shop Quartet" had their moments (and it could not have been easy) and so did the supporting principals.
Not an easy show for this Society, but after various difficulties, it proved to be a credit to them all.
A SLICE OF SATURDAY NIGHT
Whitworth AM & DS
Director: Mal Fidler
Musical Director: Andrew Kearns
Choreographer: Maggie Lawrence
This is a repeat of the show Whitworth put on about four years ago with some of the same cast, albeit a trifle older, but wearing wigs, which on a rare very warm June night, must have been a great help for anyone on stage seeking to lose weight, but as a member of the audience I have never been closer to being dowsed in perspiration by those on stage.
It is a show (slightly naughty) which a young company with some talent and enthusiasm can put on with very little scenery and a backing group. All it really needs is four men, four women and four musicians. Whilst the music is not individually memorable, nevertheless, it is easy to listen to and the words are quite clever.
Basically the plot takes place in the early 60s in the local dance club where the link man (ie. the manager) is a teddy boy with an astute knowledge of his regular clientele which consists of youths of various sexual experience and bravado or just the contrary, i.e. shyness. [w]I suppose it is a bit like Grease but the show is never nasty. It reminds us that the youth 40 years ago were perhaps a little more unsure of themselves than they are today. It was an era that I remember well and so I was quite at home with what was happening on stage. It was in fact a very enjoyable and entertaining evening, one which did not require too much thought and merely asked the audience to relax and enter into the mood.
There were good performances form all the cast, namely - Don Munro, Susan L. Crabtree, Duncan Anderson, Chris Banham, Andrea Steele, Stephanie Anderson, Alexandra Parker and the teddy boy chief, Stuart Forbes, who looks for more the part of the dance club manager than he ever has as a solicitor.
The band (the Trends) was fine under Andrew Kearns and the choreography was in the capable hands of Maggie Lawrence. The director, Mal Fiddler, must be complimented on putting together an excellent show and pitching it to the right mood and level.
RUDDIGORE
Woodhouses Church A.O.S.
Producer: Christine Taylor
Musical Director: Patricia Jacques
Accompanists: Eva Haworth & Christine Grindrod
Perhaps this is not one of my favourite G & S shows (with some characterisations not too dissimilar from their last show) but nevertheless, Woodhouses under Christine Taylor's thoughtful and disciplined direction gave us a traditional quality G & S offering. Knowing the players performances rather well over the years, does not make it too easy for me to accept that the younger brother Bad Baronet was many years (no disrespect, Stan) older in fact and appearance than his older brother Bad Baronet but then this is G & S where these days particularly compromises sometimes have to be made to put the best voices and experienced players in parts where they are the best persons to play them.
The performances were all good and colourful even in the "portrait" scene and one must compliment the stage design and building team. The chorus and singing were excellent and as ever, a debt of gratitude is due to the MD, Pat Jacques.
No one could question the bright performances of Mike Nash as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd or Peter Crichton as Richard Dauntless whilst Stan Johnson, whose voice still has such quality, was a very dry and dignified Sir Despard. Austin Mckenna as Sir Roderic (the type of part which suits him well) gave his usual commanding performance whilst Frank Schofield as Old Adam played the role with some dignity and strength.
As for the ladies, Janet Marshall was an excellent Rose Maybud and sang very well and Carol Crichton was one of the excellent lists of Mad Margarets I have ever seen. (Why is it that the ladies always seem to excel at being slightly skillfully dotty? - (Be careful O you Regional Rep'!)
I enjoyed Sue Roughley (new to me) as Dame Hannah. She acted and sang very well.
None of the Woodhouse shows I have seen would ever have been complete without the special contribution of that most excellent G&S Pianist, Eva Haworth, but this year, due to ill health from which she was recovering, and in which recovery we all rejoice, Christine Grindrod played well. Eva in fact had to play on the first night because Christine was not available and that must have been a more nervous experience and time for her than she has probably ever had at Woodhouses, but what an achievement. However, I am sure she found it more nerve wracking to sit in the audience!
This is a warm, homely and friendly society and it shows throughout their performances.