Year

January 2005 - Region 5 - Glyn Neary

Fish out of Water

St Paul's (Astley Bridge) AODS

An amusing story of Brits abroad and particularly Agatha Hepworths single minded determination that everyone will have their days suitable organised — whether they want to or not.
Christine Catherall was very good as the aforementioned Agatha Hepworth dominating not only the other hotel residents but also the stage and the attention of the audience. Agatha's sister, her of the doleful countenance, was equally well played by Carol Gannon. Her body language was exactly right for this part giving everyone the impression that she would much prefer a wet weekend in Blackpool to a sunshine holiday on the Italian Riviera.
Ian Duckworths characterisation of the much bewhiskered Brigadier Hubbard absolutely right as he tried to evade the invasive Agatha whilst Eileen Powell was equally successful as the rather snooty Mrs Hubbard. Emma Powell also made an excellent job of the shy, lovelorn clippie Dora Cowley who falls for Len Barrett played by Brendan Higgins.
The cast was completed by Ian Collinson as the abandoned and rather tedious Mr Mallett, Leonard T Powell as the harassed holiday rep Julian Whittle and Linda Howarth as the Italian maid Marisa.
Accents, where necessary, were generally well maintained and there was attention to detail with make up which is sometimes overlooked.
Director Cecelia Keefe should be well pleased with the end result — a highly amusing and satisfying evenings entertainment.

My Fair Lady

St Catherine's AMS ( Farnworth)

This is one of those shows which, time wise, is rather overlong. However when one is presented with such an excellent production the late evening seemed somewhat irrelevant.

This company has improved, year on year, and it is eminently satisfying to me that one of the smaller companies can produce shows, and leads, of this quality. Both adopted the persona of the characters they were portraying and wore them like a second skin throughout. Before I go too far and wax lyrical about the leads I have to say that the facilities the company play in are less than adequate. Recent improvements (and more in the pipeline I understand) have helped to consider staging the show. However the working area negates major chorus numbers. This was evident throughout. However, choreography was kept simple, and whilst the stage area looked cluttered, it did not detract too much from the overall production. A smaller number of dancers, with the remainder of the chorus acting as "the crowd", would have improved matters.

Secondary roles were well play by Colin Dean (Colonel Pickering) as the modifying influence over Higgins; Barbara Meehan (Mrs Pearce) who effectively busied herself with household duties and Brenda Dixon (Mrs Higgins) who seemed to relish the idea of putting the spoke into her errant son's affairs.

Despite the lack of performance space in his major numbers Stan Porter was excellent as the rumbustious Alfred P. Doolittle. To my mind Freddy Eynesford-Hill is a difficult and complicated character to portray and one which I have rarely seen tackled satisfactorily. Besotted he may be by the charms of Eliza; however, he is the archetypal "man about town" and should act as such. Whilst Anthony Meehan sang well enough the characterisation was not fully resolved.

The orchestra, due to the efforts of musical director, Allen Christey, is another area of improvement, as was the scenery which was changed with alacrity.

Finally I return to the principal characters. If ever two people actually "lived" the parts better than these I have yet to see them. Every nuance of each situation was fully developed by both and they were vocally up to the mark as well. Tim Shorten played Professor Higgins with Joanne Hornby playing a delightful Eliza.
Much credit must also go to director Paul Cohen for such an enjoyable production.

Scrooge the Musical

Whitefield AODS

This is a show with an exceedingly large cast and one in which they all have their own characters and are not just bystanders in the storyline. This was much in evidence throughout this production.

The chorus were vocally strong from the opening series of complicated arrangements and harmonies to the lively "Thank You Very Much", led with enthusiasm, and no small measure of skill, by Keith McEvoy (Tom Jenkins), and "December the Twenty-fifth" with Neil Coe as an exceedingly jolly Fezziwig. The major problem for choreographer Shirley Ann Hill was the restricted stage area and the huge cast which negated against complicated dance movements.

Howard Carter took on the mammoth task of portraying the parsimonious Ebenezer Scrooge and gave one of the finest performances I have seen in a very long time.

The Cratchit family, headed by Martin Ogden (Bob Cratchit) and Hilary Eastwood (Mrs Cratchit), gave good performances. However the sympathy vote went to Travis Yates as Tiny Tim who had a surprisingly strong voice for one so young.

Mige Donohue played the wild-eyed, dramatic Jacob Marley to great effect; Una Evans-O'Connell was the Ghost of Christmas Past whilst Mike Sammon made an imposing Ghost of Christmas Present. The cameo roles of Isabel/Helen and Nephew/Young Scrooge were played by Emma Savage and Jason Cain who both provided convincing performances.

Seldom does a stage crew have so much to do in a show but under the direction of stage manager Ian Legate the crew managed very well in difficult circumstances. Musical Director Sarah Day kept the orchestra under good control and the whole of this enjoyable production was directed by Carol McCormack.

The Love Match

St Vincent"s ADS

A Lancashire comedy, beloved by older audiences, which first saw light of day in 1953 with the likes of Thora Hird and Arthur Askey. Its references to coal fires, steam trains and National Service still reverberate across the years and this production was treated with a deft touch by director Mary Riley.

The head of the Brown family, the cantankerous Bill, was played to perfection by Bert Halliday. His wife Sal was played well enough by Maureen Clare. However, the dialogue could have done with a little more light and shade.
Their next door neighbours, Wally and Emma Binns, were played by Howard Clan and Maureen McManus. Both played their parts very well and I was pleased that Howard did not overdo the stammering which has sometimes blighted previous performances I have seen.

The romantic element was in the capable hands of Julie Nappin as Rose Brown and Patrick Maloney as the terminally shy Alf Hall. Domiciled (as a lodger) in the Brown household, and recipient of a well directed meat pie from Bill over a disputed penalty decision, was Giuseppe Ruotolo as football referee Arthur Ford who played the part with relish.

The cast was completed by newcomer, Ben Kilburn, with a confident performance as Percy Brown. The set provided an excellent backdrop as did the props, including the ubiquitous flying ducks and pot dogs, to complete the overall effect.

The company worked well together and this was a nicely crafted play which still resonates with current audiences.

Oklahoma!

Bolton Catholic MCS

First, may I welcome the society to the Association and congratulate it on an excellent array of talented young principals, some of whom are products of the society's youth theatre. It is encouraging to see a society putting such trust in its youth and being rewarded for their efforts.

Nick Larkin was good as Curly, perhaps a touch immature to portray the depth of the character completely, however, a nice easy style and an excellent voice added much to the performance. He was more than matched in every department by Louisa Unsworth who gave a great performance as Laurey.

Charlotte Unsworth gave, what is best described as, a fizzing performance as the highly animated Ado Annie. Regrettably some of the lib was lost in the enthusiastic portrayal. However, the overall effect left a lasting impression. James Eccleshare made a convincing Will Parker, featuring well in the energetic dance routines, Scott Unswoth repeated a recent excellent performance as the morose, menacing Jud Fry whilst Jenny Bowling possessed a laugh that any hyena would have been proud of!

Tony Avino gave a good performance as the garrulous, Ali Hakim, as did Joy Plowes playing Aunt Eller although a little more make up would have been appropriate as she much too young for the character.

Minor parts were well played by Graham Stamford (Andrew Carnes), Paul Stanley (Ike Skidmore) and Martin Taylor (Cord Elam).

Chorus settings were attractive whilst choreography by Barbara Grant was inventive and well executed by the participants. With Musical Director David Wilson and conductor Craig Smith the music was carried along at an exhilarating pace by an excellent orchestra. This was a very enjoyable production under the direction of Robert Margolis.

Hot Mikado

Walmsley Church AODS

A vibrant, glitzy production from director Nora Howcroft with excellent choreography from Catherine Pilkington and an orchestra which handled the complex mixture of styles, and took the music at pace, under the direction of Adrienne Wormald. The staging was simple but effective and good use was made of the various levels.

The society also paraded a line up of accomplished principals. A sound performance came from Don Fairclough (Pish-Tush) whilst Steve Benson put in a smooth, relaxed portrayal of the latter day spin-doctor, Pooh-Bah.
Simon Pickup made an excellent Nanki-Poo whilst Dave Reeves, appearing like a phoenix from amongst a bevy of be-feathered dancers, was a rather "affected" Mikado. Concentration on the plot slipped at this point due to the veritable forest of shapely limbs (Oh – what we put ourselves through for the sake of our art?)

The three little maids were played by Vicki Wilson (Yum-Yum). Alison Smith (Pitti-Sing) and Lindsay Farnworth (Peep-Bo). All three gave great performances and were vocally strong.

The jewels in the crown were David Wilson (Ko-Ko) and Kathy Turton (Katisha). David's timing was impeccable as the Sgt. Bilko styled Ko-Ko whilst Kathy's solo numbers were from the uppermost branches of the musical tree.

Dazzling costumes along with good chorus work and dancing rounded off what was an exceedingly enjoyable show.

In Concert

The Three Towns OS

Once again the society produced an absolutely wonderful evening's entertainment; the whole programme being nicely balanced between classical, shows and popular music. Solo number were scattered throughout the evening with Joan Ashcroft's, "Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine", the fine tenor voice of Jim Lancaster with "On With the Motley", an amusing "And Her Mother Came Too" from Colin Magenty and the excellent voice of Lisa Murphy with "The Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus.

Contributions from the full chorus ranged right across the musical spectrum from "Worthy is the Lamb" and "Amen" from the Messiah to "Make Believe" from Showboat, a Lloyd Webber selection and finally "The Sloop John B" amongst others.

Similarly, a smaller group sang numbers such as "Bourée for Bach" and a negro spiritual "Deep River" with the ladies adding "Cavatina" and the gentlemen with the "Hippopotamus Song".

The evening was drawn to a close with the Merry Widow Waltz which is the company's next production.

The whole performance was sung with the musicality and precision one expects from the society under the musical director, Rod Dakin, and the superb accompaniment of Margaret Dakin.

Jesus Christ Superstar

CATS Youth Theatre

A show of meaty content which will test the mettle of any adult society let alone the senior group of a youth theatre. The show was directed and choreographed by Louise Cohen and, with the assistance of a very talented cast, made a handsome job of it indeed. The set design by Alan Dodd was simple but multifunctional whilst the lighting and pyrotechnics provided that touch of drama at the right moments. The orchestra (used for the first time by the company) was situated on an elevated area at the rear of the stage. It performed superbly under the direction of a very young conductor, David Bamford - (just a touch loud at times which occasionally drowned out the chorus). Costumes, generally supplied by the company and associated parents, looked right even down to the footwear, or better still, the lack of it.

The story of those last few dark days of the life of Jesus puts a terrific burden on the three principal characters on which much else depends. Scott Unsworth was superb in conveying the mental and physical suffering of Jesus which culminated in an excellently worked crucifixion. Equally successful was James Eccleshare as the sceptical Judas. The sole female lead (Mary) was played by the serene Carolina Garcia-Cox. All three caught the essence of the characters they were playing and sang very well.

It is not easy for youngsters to display the depth of feelings one would expect from adults. However, here most acquitted themselves quite well. Gareth Cunliffe made an imposing High Priest, Caiaphas, and was ably supported by Robert Flitcroft (Aimas) and George Allcock as the Priest. Jonathan Cunliffe as Pilate displayed the anguish of the man with the final decision whilst Matthew Howard-Norman (Simon) and Matthew Gavin (Peter) carried their parts well enough. Danny Whitehead as the effeminate Herod looked a peach in pink and, supported by a troupe of tap dancers, justifiably brought the house down.

Chorus work was well done and everyone who had anything to do with this excellent production deserves full credit for their efforts.