January 2005 - Region 1 - John Flay
The Steamie
Sale Nomads Theatre Club
Director Brian Tickle
Tony Roper captures a day at the Steamie a communal laundry set in 1950's Glasgow. There is a good balance of pathos and comedy in this play about the lives of four working class women. For this production the director concentrated more on the comedy elements. Dolly played by Pam Snape showed good comic observations while Val Bacon as Mrs Culfeathers breathed life into the character. A standout scene between them was the mince and taffies story. The character of Margrit played by Diane Machin wasn't as three dimensional as the other characters her act two soliloquy lacked truth. Sam Johnson made the part of Doreen her own getting under the skin of the character. Unfortunately David McGuire worked very hard but struggled as Andy the Steamie maintenance man. The Glaswegian dialect did not come between the words and the performers allowing the audience to follow the dialogue and enjoy the humanity of the piece. The set was functional with running water and the costumes depicted the period (except for the Elvis cat suit). This version of the Steamie was warmhearted entertainment.
The Pajama Game
St Luke's Arts & Drama Society
Directors: Sonia Whittle & Kate Davison
Musical Director: Andrea Watson
Dance Directors: Sonia Whittle & Kate Davison
"The Show Must Go On". Rehearsals made impossible due to the hall floor, and the leading lady fracturing her elbow. There's nothing like opening night to focus the mind - and I was there. Energy was plentiful and a determination was the order of the night making some performances a little tense. Once again these two co-directors showed an understanding of the cast abilities and the working space. In her first lead Natalie Grundy didn't work in the shadow of her sister Nicky but showed that the society has a new, capable performer.
The comedy was in the safe hands of Jackie Beaumont (Gladys) and Paul Whittle (Hines): the knife throwing scene was well staged. All the other members of the cast played their parts with great conviction. A special mention must go to all the technical team who had to stage this musical with 18 scenes on a stage with limited facilities is no mean feat. Like the audience I was entertained and once the cast had bedded in I'm sure that for the rest of the run the company would have forgotten the mishaps that had gone before it.
Curtain Up (A SHOW IN 4 SECTIONS)
Altrincham Musical Society
Music Arranged by Paul Malcolm
This compilation of music and songs from the West End to the silver screen was a show-case for the society which introduced new soloists and directors.
Opening with the master of lyrics and music, Cole Porter, leading into Spectacular, Spectacular where the audience was stirred up with the Lady Marmalade routine choreographed by Val Jellyman. Stuart Davies director of Premium BOND presented a set of the classic 007 theme songs.
The staging was interesting with good colouring of Ian Fleming's famous characters. Choreographer Michele Bailey was inventive and her movement was well executed by all. Michele is a name to watch out for. A colourful Joseph ended this evening in which songsters and dancers gave their best. The four sections were presented on a composite set giving the directors the maximum amount of space. Lighting gave atmosphere but the sound was intrusive and let the production down. I don't know if the audience went "into the night singing and clapping' but those songs went round and round in my head, 'Diamonds Are For…' - 'On This Night of a …' — Any Dream Will Do'.
Harvey
Worsley Intimate Theatre Society
Director Michael Cooper
Set in the 1940s the stage dressings and costumes didn't predict the period but the actors acquitted themselves well. With clear direction and easily identified characters the audience, I am sure, went home having seen the invisible rabbit - and I'm confessing nothing.
Rachel Benson created the role of Myrtle Mae Simmons comfortably. Wendy Heydon as her mother Veta handled her lines well but more varied pitch would have given greater expression. Simon Griffiths brilliantly brought to life on this small stage Elwood P Dowd. The actor believed in Harvey giving such truth to the character making the world Elwood and his friend live in saner, scene by scene. There were some pleasing expressions from Laura Wigglesworth showing understanding of her character nurse, Ruth Kelly. Marvin Wilson Chumley Rests 'Mr Muscle' was played effectively by Ian Ralph; the constant playing of the whistle was a nice touch. Other strong performances came from David Griffiths (Lyman Sanderson) and Clive Banks (William Chumley). The rest of the cast gave excellent support.
La Cage aux Folles
South Manchester Amateur Operatic Society
Director Katherine Machin
Musical Director Ian Christensen
Dance Director Kathleen Moreton
"Good As You" or "I am what I am" doesn't have the same impact as it did in 1983 when Broadway was given its first homosexual musical: I felt the script came across as a little dated. Martin Hulme as George, sporting a Village People moustache, showed warmth and feeling for his partner and lover, Albin, played with confidence by Nigel Machin. Tom Chinney was over-the-top camp as Jacob, the maid. Jean-Michel, George's son from his closet days, was played sensitively by Oliver Putland while his bride to be, Anne (Vikki Murphy), and her parents, Edouard (Peter Bowers) and Mme Dindon (Lesley Bowers), supported well. The ensemble scene at Jacqueline's (Jacqueline was played by Juliet Bowers) and the Perry Como hit "The Best of Times" was sung with attack and was enjoyed by the audience.
Les Cagelles had fun and clearly enjoyed themselves; a lot of hard work and rehearsing had clearly gone into their performance. Scenery by Prosceneium and excellent costumes from Trish at The Costume House gave the production colour. The M.D. moved the score apace and the director and her cast worked well together on this not-so-easy piece of musical theatre.
Magic Musicals
Urmston Musical Theatre
Director: Christine Meadows
Musical Director: Chris Hobson
Dance Director: Christine Meadows
There's a new M.D. on the block and I predict we are going to hear his name a lot! He took this company to new heights. The direction and choreography stretched the cast giving ensemble playing we haven't seen before. This evening wasn't just an evening of songs from the shows; there was a story line of a theatre closing for refurbishment and the stage door man (John Walker) looking back at past production as he reminisces looking at old programmes and posters.
The different sections were depicted in decades. All this was underlined by costumes. The stage setting was that of scenery being struck. The company was in splendid form given new confidence from the production team.
I wish the programme had stated who the soloists were because they needed to be named.
The lighting enhanced the mood of the music but, once again, the sound let the production down coming on after the start of a song or too loud. I cannot understand why the sound technicians cannot follow a script thus letting down all the hard work of the cast. This was a very entertaining evening. The night was completed by the presentation of long service awards - congratulation to those members.