September 2006 - Region 1 - John Flay
Holiday Snap
Worsley Intimate Theatre
Double bookings of a time-share, two couples not with their respective partners, a friend turning up out of the blue and a mother in law, not forgetting a bumbling drunken letting agent Chitto (Nick Dawson)? Sounds like a Brian Rix farce! There was only the trouser dropping missing.
Comedy must be the hardest aspect of theatre to put over; pace and timing has to be the rule. From the lights going up the energy of the performers never faltered.
The first of our couples, Eve, played by Rachael Humphreys and Leslie, portrayed by David Griffiths, delivered the lines with attack. The other couple were Henry and Mary, characterised by Simon and Barbara Griffiths, who are very capable stage performers. Richard Griffiths as the friend Perky was effective and Ivy Griffiths was Celia the mother-in-law with the extra-sensory perception. They all created an evening of well drawn characters and made the most of the comedy moments.
This play by Michael Pertwee and John Chapman isn't in the same league as Ray Cooney but it tickled the audience's funny bone.
My Fair Lady
South Manchester Amateur Operatic Society
Director Juliet Bowers
Musical; Director Ian Christienson
Dance Director Michelle Whewell
The Royal Northern College of Music was the venue for this production and to transform that stage Prosceneium's splendid set was used along with Perception costumes bringing the year 1912 alive. Frederick Loewe's score was well read and the orchestra was well balanced with good singing from the company.
My Fair Lady is one of the big shows of the golden age of American musicals. The production needs a great understanding of Shaw and the social history of the times plus all aspects of staging. I think this director was very brave to take the challenge in making her debut with this heavyweight musical. A director needs input from all areas and a little more creative choreography would have aided the direction giving this production more colour.
The enthusiasm that came across from the entire cast spread right through the whole evening. The SM and crew changed each scene without delay keeping the action going. There was clearly team effort from everyone involved in this evening of musical theatre and it was readily appreciated by the, sadly, small audience.
Jesus Christ Superstar
Sale Nomads Theatre Club
Director; Diane Hatton
Musical Director; Peter England
Dance Director; Charlotte Smith
The stage at the Robert Bolt Theatre was set with skeletal scaffolding making two levels with the band underneath at the back of the stage.
This rock opera telling Judas' story began in earnest with the band's first chords. The audience had to work hard at the beginning working out who was who. There was a screen on stage which could of given more information than it did.
Enter Judas, sung and acted with passion by Tony Rostron, who took us through the whole emotional journey. Jesus was portrayed by Jeff Harpin who we saw in the musical Robin and can more than cope with rock style singing. Unfortunately owing to technical problems with his body mic' Jeff's singing was lost under the volume of the band which was a great pity.
Sarah Taylor gave a particularly notable performance showing all the facets of Mary Magdalene. Liam Sammon as Pilate, Dave Mallen as Herod, Mark Watkins as Peter and Simon Cashmore, Stuart Davies, and Ross Douglas as Zealots, Caiaphas and Annas took us through their character's journey. The ensemble was in splendid form. The production team must have been pleased with everyone's hard work.
Finally to have a curtain call for this musical seemed to take away the drama of the crucifixion.
The Pajama Game
PADOS Theatre Group
Director: Geoffrey Holmes
Musical Director: Sarah Dey
Dance Director: Helen Halstead
Unfortunately this show is falling into the category of great score but the book and lib are now showing age. It will be interesting to see after the Harry Connick, Jr., Broadway revival if we get a revised script.
The director had quite a job on to give the show merit and to stage it on the Met Bury stage with all its limitations. Past productions have successfully overcome the challenges but not this time. This resulted in the ebb and flow of the production being sluggish.
Musically the score couldn't have been in safer hands and there was a top-notch orchestra. Kathryn Gorton brought all her experience to part of Babe but at times didn't seem one hundred percent happy in the role. Adam Brown as Sid had good phrasing and was at ease with all the music. I felt the director needed to have got him equally at ease with the dialogue. Simon Fletcher had a fun time as Hines making the part his own. His long suffering affair with Gladys (Amanda Crump) and his Sleep-Tite headache with his boss Hasler, played solidly by Keith Lomax, came over well. Tim Harrison as Prez and Fred Plant as Pop along with the other support characters were engaging.
A special mention to the loyal PADOS chorus who always contribute greatly to any production in which they are involved.
Bugsy Malone
Urmston Musical Theatre Junior Section
Director: Matthew Darsley
Musical Director: Debbie Holmes
Dance Director: Emma Darsley
This youth company has a continuous supply of talent and this production was packed with young people bringing Alan Parker and Paul Williams' 1920s musical alive. The society's backup from technical crew to front of house was excellent. Musically the cast was well rehearsed and attacked each number with vigour and verve. Choreography was at times unimaginative until Faye Etherington as Loretta presented her solo which was executed with great aplomb.
It was Mollie Melia-Redgrave as Tallulah and Kayleigh Smith as Blousey who set the tone of performance for the whole of the production. The story unfolded and each scene was delivered with credibility. Pie — flinging concluding with a pint-size pinstripe — wearing 'Death March' violin playing mobster — great fun. Both Fat Sam (Richard Gaffney) and his gang and Dandy Dan (James Williamson) and his gang all contributed to the success of the production. Supporting ensemble was strongly cast, this show is fun from start to finish and this company enjoyed every minute of it.
Our Little Night Music
All Saints Musical Productions
Director: Christine Meadows
Musical Director: Chris Hobson
This evening at the musicals was held in The Lowry studio theatre with a very enthusiastic cast and the director used the space to the full.
The song selection from shows like Rent and Aida were a little obscure out of context for the audience. In saying that Chris Hobson's musical arrangement carried the evening and he got a great sound from the company and his band. Among the hard working soloist and ensemble Matthew Judd, Helen Wooller and Natalie Burke had voices that stood out, together with Petra Leashon, David Leathlean, Beth Hughes and new comer Gabby McCoy who gave great support.
The audience was very appreciative of the effort put into the evening and they were forgiving for the inconsistencies in the sound. This group has to be applauded for taking the change of venue and material chosen and the committee must be very pleased with all their efforts - congratulations.
Hot Mikado
South Trafford Operatic Society
Director: Jean Molnar
Musical Director: Simon Murray
Dance Director: Vickie Smith
South Trafford always seems to get the "grave yard slot" for its productions and the company struggled to get an audience. This Hot Mikado should have been seen by all as the production had pace, it swung and it was HOT! The MD got hold of the score by the throat and did not let go until the final curtain. Slick choreography was devised so everyone could cope and the principal dancers were sexy and gave the show that extra sizzle. The director had a great feeling for this musical comedy and gave it style.
Robert Harts set design, costumes by Costume House and a good technical crew added the extra sultry layers to this musical extravaganza. All the characters were very stylised: Michael Daws was in excellent form as Nanki-Poo and Laura Bryant created a very entertaining Yum-Yum. The other maids from school Peep-Bo, played by Kathleen Moreton, and Rachelle Pantoja as Pitti-Sing both gave great support. Their guardian Ko-Ko was very highly charged by Justin Morley who needed to pull back and let the dialogue do the work. Ric Hazlewood was the coolest of Pooh-Bahs - he was entirely convincing.
The tap dancing Mikado was in the safe feet of step-ball-change Roger Nuttall. It was the vocal delights of Maria Gooch as Katisha with her scorching torch song that stood out making this revival the hottest of Hot Mikados around.
Chess
The East Cheshire's Musical Theatre Company
Director: Anthony Williams
Musical Director: Mark Goggins
This is a musical without a libretto and there is the lack of a strong plot - just the idea that chess is a symbol for East/West power games of the '80s. In the original production there were screens that showed newsreels and news flashes which helped to give some dramatic shape. The audiences for this production were only given the location of the scenes. The rest of the information had to come from the lyrics which were almost drowned out by the orchestra. This MD needs to remember "an audience doesn't come to listen to the orchestra, it comes to hear the performers and appreciate the orchestra". Direction was clean and precise like the movement of chess pieces. The set was simple anything else would have confused the audience and Matthew Brown's lighting design was atmospheric but at times excluded the cast.
All the players achieved a nice sense of ensemble playing. Vicki Stott as Florence Vassey and Anne Birchenough as Svetlana Sergievskaya both delivered well drawn characters. Their singing of the shows biggest hit, "I Know Him So Well" came over as a fresh offering. Adam Whittle and Garry Davies as the rival players, Trumper and Sergievsky, gave razor sharp attention to the best of the rest of Andersen and Ulvaeus score. David Gill as Alexander Molokov and Guy Loveday as the Arbiter, along with the rest of the company, acquitted themselves well in this stylish production.