Reviews
Stars out of five
The Circle Players
Aldridge Youth Theatre
* * * *
TO tell the truth, Alex Howell gave a remarkable performance as serial fibber Billy Fisher in this amusing tale by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall directed by Helen Gilfoyle.
Alex almost had the audience believing his string of 'porkies' about amputations, a friend's mother being pregnant then having an abortion, a bereavement, and the reason for missing petty cash at work in the northern industrial town of Stradhoughton.
It was all so frustrating for Billy's long-suffering parents Geoffrey (Stan Hubbard) and Alice (Liz Daly) and grandma Florence (Freda Simpson) who addressed many of her sharp comments to the sideboard.
Undertaker's clerk Billy even managed to have three girlfriends on the go and got engaged to a couple of them, the action really hotting up when leggy blonde Rita (Vicki Troman) burst in to demand her engagement ring back (from repair) while the other finacee, meek Barbara (Rebecca Lucas) looked on in amazement with the ring on her finger..
A strong performance, too, from Thom Handley as Billy's work colleague Arthur Crabtree. To 27-02-10.
*Alex Howell proposed on stage to his real life fiancee Beth in 2008 and they will marry in April. Now that's the truth.
Paul Marston
The Gondoliers
Walsall Gilbert & Sullivan Society
Brownhhills Community College
* * *
THIS production by Pamela Robinson and Karen Lyon is Brian Hirst's last one as musical director after many years - and it includes his wife Judith, daughters Kathryn James and Vicki Hardy, and grandchildren Daniel and Megan Hardy.
Steve Parrish and Ian Allen are gondoliers Marco and Giuseppe, with Letty Cheadle and Gillian Linwood Allen as Gianetta and Tessa.
Karen Lyon is in good voice as Casilda, with Bryan Till and Liz Ellison finding the laughs as the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro.
To 20.2.20.
Paul Marston
Youngsters serve up a treat
The
gang in their red scarves who promise to do their best, do their duty
and . . .
Handsworth 2010 Gang Show
Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
***
IT is not necessarily only the people in a show who are put through the mill. As she made her way down the auditorium steps on the first night of this bubbling production, a young woman was overheard to voice her anxiety. “How do you think I feel? It's my boyfriend who's going to be dressed up as a woman!”
Well, yes, and I'm sure we sympathise – but one of the younger members of this splendid company had his problems, too, because his shorts, weighed down by the microphone that was clipped onto his waistband, were intent on trying to fall round his ankles in one of the energetic early production numbers. Frequent and possibly frantic tugs on the waistband just about managed to maintain equilibrium while he continued hopping about – presumably dismayed but clearly undeterred.
Otherwise, apart from one unexpected pause between scenes and less lighting at times than would have been ideal, everything moved efficiently and slickly, though there were problems with the sound at first, with even the full-blooded chorus of an incalculable number failing to make an impression above the band. I am not the most technical of men, but could this have been what prompted a second appeal to people to keep mobile phones switched off because some had been spotted in use before the interval and were interfering with the technical equipment?
JOYOUS MOMENTS
This is a show that brings credit to everyone involved. Its highlight is the series of extracts from Les Misérables, presented with power and feeling, but there are some joyous, if less ambitious moments, such as the Old Men Still Scouting sketch, the amusing line-up that proffers If I were not upon this stage and the raucously tearful drama of I want my Mommy, centring on a solid-looking citizen in a pale blue teddy bear suit.
Between times, two senior members of the company in overalls, one labelled Health and the other Safety, make an amusing show of trying to keep things tidy.
The tribute to musicals which begins the second half does impressive justice to a series of numbers from popular shows. Among them are All That Jazz and the dramatic confrontational scene from 42nd Street, and the juniors chip in lustily with Consider Yourself from Oliver!
Throughout, the musical accent is on chorus, rather than individual work, and it is accomplished with vigour, often with choreography that somehow accommodates a company that is 100-strong. It is a pleasure to see the happiness that it radiates– and I am sure I spotted at least two youngsters with a particularly promising future, whether they make the stage a profession or a hobby. To 20.2.10.
John Slim.
to entertain . . . riding along on the crest of a wave in the latest Handsworth Gang Show
Plenty
of paws for thought
Puss in Boots
Circle Light Opera Company
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall
***
A SIZEABLE and
spirited company meets its challenges head-on, but it is hard to convey
a spirit of fizz and fun when all those acreages of black curtain keep
taking the place of scenery.
Nevertheless, there is fun,
mainly from the hard-working Claire Harrison (Rose) and the partnership
of Lee Walker and Graham Halliday as Dick and Harry. And on the first
night there was an unexpected gale of laughter when the pillow that was
making Gormless (Callum Reynolds) the most misshapen character onstage
suddenly slipped down his back and onto the boards as he was making an
exit.
There is, moreover, not one
Puss but two. One of them is the loveable conventional cat on all-fours
(Jo Gardiner), apt to produce a piercing mew; the other a classy, sassy,
thigh-slapping miss (Zinia Leedham) who can talk as well as anybody and
is the closest ally of Tom (Kelly Fox), the hero of the proceedings –
whom, incidentally, we don't get to see until we are 40 minutes into the
show.
There is also a sort of
hint of Puss-by-proxy in the form of Fairy Feline (Debbie Bloxham) –
whom I would have like to see waving her furry cat's tail in a more
substantial confrontation with the evil Demon Voltaire (Bill Swaine).
Stephen Higgins is an
amiable Oddjob who on the first night struck up an unexpected
partnership with audience member Louise, sitting a few rows back and
generally receiving a special mention every time Oddjob came on the
scene. John Biddell's Dame Doris often lacked the brash pushiness we
expect of panto dames, but this did emerge effectively when he was part
of a singing line-up – and, indeed, when, in splendid defiance of
strange health-and-safety anxieties, he was involved late-on in the
energetic toffee-hurling routine.
Mention of singing leads
naturally to Karl Eyre-Smith. We have to wait a long time to hear it,
but his King Desmond eventually reveals the finest voice on stage in his
partnership with Pat Plant's Queen Desdemona. These are a splendid few
moments. Rachel Richards (Princess Pearl) can also sing pleasingly – but
she is a puzzle. In her first number, she defied convention in these
matters by not turning American – but later on there was just a touch of
the transatlantic in her tone.
Peter Osborne's mincing
Major Domo, pink-garbed and armed with a tinkling bell, flits knowingly
in and out of the proceedings, and the chorus of villagers and goblins
comes pleasingly to the fore when summoned.
A lot of thought and effort has gone into Teresa Swaine's production, and the saga of John Terry does not escape its notice. It's just a shame about the scenery – and I hated that nose-picking-then-eat-it double act at the curtain-call. To 13.2.10.
John Slim
Puss in Boots
Fradley Players
Fradley Village Hall
****
A hugely enjoyable production written by local author and playwright Brian Asbury, who also plays villain “The Ogre” who terrorises his hapless sidekick, Igor, played by Jan Green.
Comedy duo Jack and Jock, husband and wife team Kevin and Sue Royal, provide good knockabout fun, and clearly enjoy themselves in the musical highlight, the “Ghostbusters” parody, “Toastbusters!”. An enthusiastic troupe of young dancers, including Matilda Makantonakis, Laura Heywood, Emily Keane, Bethany Wright and the angelic Maria Puchala – Verney, show their talents as townspeople, goblins ,and most memorably as cats, in the well staged, “Stray Cat Strut”, with lead cat, Tamara O' Sullivan ,a delight as Puss.
The key figure in any Panto is the Principal Boy and Tina Skews shines as Harry ably supported by her love interest, Princess Rose, played by Anna Parry.
Jon Williams is an engagingly ebullient Dame, and Ruth Hawkins the perennially downtrodden Fairy Good.
The production is directed by Mary Bennett and Choreographed by Tina Skews.To 13-02-10
J King
Fellowship
Fellowship Players
Grange Playhouse,
NEIL Simon wrote
Plaza Suite
in 1968 and
California Suite
in 1976. By the time he came up with
London Suite
in 1994, he knew he was on perfectly safe ground in following
the same formula: place a succession of different couples in the same
hotel and make each couple the subject of a separate story.
Here, with deft direction by Dawn Vigurs
and delightfully measured contributions from her successive companies,
the four playlets stand excellently on their own, each of them offering
a glimpse of ongoing relationships and one of them –
Diana and Sidney – surprising
us by turning out not to be by any means as unmitigatedly hilarious as
its early exchanges have led us to expect. Neil Simon is good at packing
surprises.
The programme begins with
Settling Accounts, a meeting
between a writer, Brian, and Billy, the man to whom he owes money. Chris
Gardner and Chris Pomlett steer us with aplomb through an apparently
sticky situation, despite the early presence of a handgun.
Then there is
Going Home, featuring Sheila
Grew and Abi Quiney as mother and daughter – Mother being the
characterful one who is full of facial expressions to which her daughter
is prone to play a straight bat. Again, the relationship is beautifully
brought out – and on the first night, Mother also managed to come into
the room without apparently needing a key.
Diana and Sidney finds Sue Richardson and Gerry Joyce meeting for the first time after a
now-distant divorce – he picking his way carefully through the story he
felt obliged to tell and she the television star reacting with what he
must have found to be frightening firmness. Jill Simkin, as her
assistant, shares with her the deceptive froth of the early moments.
The
Man on the Floor brings the biggest cast – five – of the production and the biggest
laughs. Abi Quiney is here again, this time remarkably sparky as the
wife who is blaming her husband for losing their
The title of the piece is explained when
Mark is suddenly incapacitated by intense back pain – his yells leave us
in no doubt of his suffering – and is deftly rolled onto a blanket and
carried to a resting-place elsewhere on the carpet. The situation gets
further out of hand with the arrival of the Bellman (Colin Mears), whose
search for the tickets finds him wildly unpacking luggage in the bedroom
while mayhem continues in the sitting room. Dr McMerlin – who has
necessitated the very amusing reincarnation of the versatile Chris
Pomlett from Settling Accounts – arrives, full of matter-of-fact Irishness as he
takes charge of developments. Anne Chamberlain (Mrs Sitgood) further
gees up the action as a splendid evening gallops to its rib-tickling
climax.
All praise, too, to three members of the
company – Anne Chamberlain, Colin Mears and Jill Simkin – who have taken
charge of the props and particularly ensure that successive guests are
not greeted by the same unchanging flowers. To 13.2.10.
Train on the right track
Just good strangers: Ara Sotoudeh (Guy) and Oliver Harvey-Vallender (Bruno) build the tension along the rails
Strangers on a Train
Hall Green Little Theatre
****
CRAIG Warner's version of the Patricia Highsmith novel makes compulsive watching in this production by Edward James Stokes. It is episodic, with lots of short scenes, but it benefits from the director's clever set, which divides the stage into two and has an upper level as well as a high-rise staircase that invites us to imagine where it goes to.
It is referred to more than once early on as having 16 steps, although there are in fact just 13, with a need for another bit of imagination on the part of the audience. It is hard to see how another three could have been fitted in, and altering the script is a game that is never worth the candle – which means that a rather impressive construction becomes something of a distraction.
And this is a play in which you can't afford to be distracted. The strangers of its title meet on a train and we rapidly discover that one of them hates his father and the other is not exactly enamoured of his wife. A double murder is more or less instantly on the cards, with each man assuming responsibility for despatching the blot on the other one's domestic horizon – thus ensuring two perfect alibis and two apparently motiveless crimes.
It highly improbable and compulsively clever, with Ara Sotoudeh (Guy) and Oliver Harvey-Vallender (Bruno) putting not a foot wrong at the centre of the action. These are two excellent performances.
STRONG COMPANY
They are well supported by a strong company, although Edward Coley, as the undemonstrative detective, does rather leave the audience with detective work of its own in order to handle his very quiet unravelling of the dirty work he has been investigating.
Jean Wilde is in purposeful form as Bruno's mother and Kate Campbell has her emotions put through the mincer as the newly-wed wife of Guy. Both meet their challenges head-on.
Tony O'Hagan and Sami Moghraby add effective weight to the cast in a production that is superbly supported by its choice of music and Patrick Ryan's lighting design. To 6.2.10.
John Slim
An Enemy of the People
***
THIS Ibsen play, set in the 1880s, is the
story of a brave man's campaign to reveal the truth when the authorities
arrange a cover-up of the contamination of the water supply.
David Stonehouse gives an outstanding
performance as Dr Stockman in Chris Stanley's studio production –
particularly when he launches an emotional attack on the people who are
accusing him of exaggerating the situation.
The schemers even include his pompous
brother Peter, the town's Mayor (Ian Parkes), and Mr Hovstad (John
Phillips), the local newspaper editor. An impressive contribution, too,
from Jenna James as the doctor's daughter,
Paul Marston
Cash is right on the money
Notwhat it seems?:
Duncan McLaurie (left),
Alison Broadley and Richard Rice-Grubb keep the
laughs rolling along in Highbury Theatre Centre's Cash on Delivery..
Cash on Delivery
Highbury Theatre Centre, Sutton Coldfield
****
HERE is a Michael Cooney farce that starts well and gets better. Neil Weedon's production sets blithely about the business of ensuring that the complications become impossible to keep up with. They come forth and multiply. As time passes, they become saucier. They are a joy.
Eric Swan has been defrauding the benefits system for some time. His conscience comes into play – but so do a host of broad-brushed improbabilities, splendidly rushed into our awareness by a company that never falters.
So we become aware of a pseudo Tourettes Syndrome citizen who is apt to be naughty and of an offstage bedroom that has been fumigated against lassa fever; of people alleged to have fallen out of trees; of fictitious relationships, fictitious gout and false identities.
It is all packed in at a pace that is a credit to an unflagging cast. Richard Irons is Mr Jenkins, drawn into the maelstrom and finding refuge in a bottle of sherry, with foreseeable consequences – and doing extraordinarily well in his efforts to explain the situation to Ms Cowper (Alison Cahill), the formidable official who, like him, is from the Department of Social Security. Peter Molloy is Uncle George, who spends much of his time in his underpinnings, being taken for a corpse before being hidden in a window seat with echoes of Arsenic and Old Lace.
SPLENDIDLY LUGUBRIOUS
There is a splendidly lugubrious undertaker in John Glasgow, a doctor (Dave Douglas) who has a lovely line in bemused bafflement and responds without question every time he is told to sit down, a desperate blonde (Kirsten Farrell) who has surely cornered the market in entering with a scream, and Louise Mills, as another DSS official, who combines efficiency with desperation as the situation deteriorates.
And these are just the supporting cast, although just in no way does justice to their utterly committed involvement. At the heart of the matter is Duncan McLaurie as Eric Swan, the man who has been the bad boy of the benefits world. This is a sustained account of clever confrontation with the ever-present threat of exposure and the wrath of a wife (Alison Broadley) whose home has become full of the artful, the affronted and the allegedly dead. Hers is at times a firecracker of a performance as a character who is noisily and stroppily at a loss to understand what is going on.
Richard Rice-Grubb is a vital part of the central triumvirate as the lodger of Eric and Linda Swan. His high-spot is his entrance in a dress and a tempestuous blonde wig, but he brings an irresistible vigour at all times.
This is a bundle of fun. Go and find it. To 13.2.10.
John Slim
Simple tale of simple pleasures
Good-time girl finds a fan: Louise Fulwell and Bob
Graham get acquainted in
Rattle of a Simple Man.
Rattle of a Simple Man
The Nonentities,
****
HE is a middle-aged loner from
Northern England, short of confidence and seemingly likely to
lose £50 in a bet with the friend who was with him at the
football match in London if he does not manage to have sex
with the beautiful young woman he has met in a drinking club
She is cool, sophisticated, speaking of an
upbringing in a stately home in Hampshire; so cool, in fact,
that he reckons she could walk into Marks and Spencer and
shout Woolworths.
They are the unlikely pairing brought
together with very amusing, very touching, persuasiveness by
Charles Dyer in his 1962 play and beautifully achieved by Bob
Graham and Louise Fulwell in Martin Copland-Gray's studio
production.
Percy is the wysiwyg: what you see is what
you get – a mill worker from Manchester who does a lot of
talking but loses his way because he says all his sentences
seem to end in dots; the simple soul who, we are told, has
come up the Thames on a pogo stick and who is embarrassed to
admit that he is a scoutmaster.
Cyrenne talks of family life with a butler
and a chauffeur, of a nodding acquaintance with the Queen Mary
and of a grandmother who was a French marchioness. She says
she gained an MA in three languages at
We see a developing warmth between them.
We see a falling-out that neither can bear. It is totally
engaging.
This is an encounter in which simple
honesty meets a lively, attractive imagination. In its
intimate setting, plentifully adorned with the landmarks of
its era, it works quite splendidly. There is a brief interlude
when Percy keeps getting to the door to leave the flat and
then turning round to make another point in a manner
reminiscent of Columbo, the down-at-heel television gumshoe of
almost the same era.
Stefan Austin arrives after the interval
and gives a good account as Cyrenne's brother – but this is
essentially a tale of two people and it is a winner.
On the second night, there was an unscheduled moment when what purported to be a cut-glass jewellery bowl received unintentionally robust treatment and spent the rest of the evening with a broken lid. And its destruction was followed, quite remarkably, about a line about promising not to break anything. To 23.1.09.
John Slim
Aldridge Youth Theatre
* * *
THIS lively pantomime serves up plenty of magic and a big surprise when Bertha Blenkinsop from Brownhills turns up in the young cast!
Having hopped on the wrong ship she lands in Peking instead of the Isle of Wight, just in time to join Aladdin and his pals in conflict with the villainous Abanazar (Alexander Fisher).
Phebe Jackson is a real hoot as Bertha, particularly with her Black Country expressions like 'ger-off', and quickly strikes up a happy partnership with Aladdin's brother, Wishee Washee, played with a true sense of fun by Joseph Cryan.
The panto, specially written for the youth theatre by Neville Ellis, includes enjoyable music - played by Guy Rowlands (piano) and Raymond Vale (percussion) - good choreography created by Kate Rock, and colourful home made costumes.
Savannah Cook is an impressive Aladdin, with plenty of comedy provided by George Cook (Widow Twankey), George Caulton (Sgt Ping Lo), Tom Jaggar (Pong Hi), not forgetting David Caulton (Bonzo the dog).
Directed by Dexter Whitehead, the panto has further performances on January 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23. It would benefit from a little trimming because a 10.25pm finish is much too late for some of the youngsters in the audience.
Paul Marston
Spotlight Youth Productions
Brownhills Community College Theatre
****
IT may seem late - or is it early - to be staging a pantomime, but the 70-strong cast of youngsters deliver a show that is as bright as a button and bursting with new ideas.
This version of Aladdin was written by company member Andy Cox, and it is an all-singing, all-dancing panto with dazzling costumes made by parents and other Spotlight supporters
If there's a criticism it's the rather late finish, but the young cast - ages ranging from eight to 18 years old - are still going full blast at the final curtain, and their enthusiasm is infectious.
In line with tradition the panto is set in China, with the slight deviation that the characters all live in a village called Brownhills, with a gay Genie of the lamp played with a lovely sense of fun by Aarron Craddock.
Fallon Dyer warms to the role of Aladdin, forming an ideal partnership with Emma Clover (Yum Yum), and there is lively comedy from David Anderson (Wong Kee), while Andy Cox excels as Abanaza, the nasty who evenutally transforms into a goodie.
A terrific performance, too, from Mike Groves, playing the dame, Widow Twanky.
Directed by Sonia Cameron and Colin Coleman with Ian Windsor's musical direction and Karen Lyon's choreography, Aladdin runs to 23.01.10
Paul Marston
Mum's the word - and don't you forget it!
A toast to a terror: Mum (Mary Whitehouse) is
saluted by her three sons and the ladies in their lives. The cast of the
Grange Players' production of
The Anniversary
are
(left to right)
Becki Jay, Tomos Frater, Dale Roberts, Chris Waters and
Stephanie Quance.
Grange Players
Grange Playhouse, Walsall
****
ANYONE watching this excellent production
by Martin Groves cannot help seeing red.
Mum's
sitting room has a red carpet, red walls, red picture frames and red
shelving. Moreover, the shelves and the picture frames are at
unpredictable angles. You don't know what to expect of them – and Mum,
the mother who reigns so appallingly in her own crimson hell, also
defies any attempt at forecasting what she will do next.
Bill
MacIlwraith's remarkable look at domestic disaster gives Mary Whitehouse
the opportunity, in a splendidly-reined performance, to present a
fearful harridan who lurks beneath a wheedling, smiling, purring
persona. Any woman who enters the life of any of her three sons becomes
an instant rival and is an immediate target for her venom.
Karen
(Stephanie Quance) is already well-established with Terry (Chris
Waters). She knows Mum only too well. She fights back and she gives as
good as she gets – but now she and Terry plan to make their escape to
Canada, and Mum is not remotely delighted at the prospect of losing a
son. But while Karen lets the sparks fly, Mum gives no extravagant sign
of hurt. She remains as impassive as Karen is impressive.
Then there
is Henry (Dale Roberts). He does not have a lady in his life – just an
embarrassing secret to which everyone around him is privy. This is a
fine, shambling account of one of life's misfits.
Tom (Tomos
Frater) is in many ways like his mother, except that where she simply
murmurs malevolently he spits his disenchantment at a rate of knots. And
he is in trouble because he has just brought home the feisty Shirley (Becki
Jay), who is clearly not going to stand nonsense from an outrageous and
possessive prospective mother-in-law any more than Karen does.
It's quite a household and its story gets off to a wonderfully edgy start because – even before we meet its turbulent members – strobe lighting is used to supplement the all-round redness of the setting. It was a shame that the weather reduced the size of the first-night audience – because this is a production that deserves to be cheered from the rafters. To 16.1.10
John Slim
Ho ho ho and a bottle of fun
Aah Aarh Jim lad!! All aboard the good ship Hispanola, with Peter Cooley's Long John Silver inadvertently putting a sock in it - the green one he's sitting on, on the leg he hasn't got.
Treasure Island
Highbury Theatre Centre, Sutton Coldfield
***
I DON'T know how many ways there are to strap one leg out of sight if you are playing a one-legged man, but Peter Cooley had clearly been required to be unnecessarily heroic on the first night.
His Long John Silver, complete with crutch and the occasional parrot, had his right leg kept out of the action by a belt which emerged from somewhere unspecified under his coat in the region of his waist, clamped itself tightly to his tummy and disappeared with equal purpose into his groin, presumably to make contact with the right ankle that was somewhere behind him.
He
gave no sign of suffering – but surely the belt could have taken an
optional route, starting at the ankle, going up in front of each
shoulder, then over them to meet itself at the back of his neck. It
would have kept it completely out of sight, left his groin entirely out
of the equation and would have let me observe him while doing rather
less wincing on his behalf.
And while we're about it, Long John should forget his masculine prejudices and keep his knees together when he sits down. Then we would not be able to see the long green sock that comes up to his knee on the leg that is not tucked sufficiently underneath him to make us forget that he does in fact have twice the leg quota that he is popularly allotted.
GNARLED PRESENTATION
This said, and it's said entirely in a helpful spirit, it is a fine, gnarled presentation of the wicked old sea-dog, in a production that finds a largely youthful company pitching purposefully into Phil Willmott's version of the classic story.
Danni Bentley particularly takes the eye as Lady Trelawney. She's happy, she's vigorous, she has an agreeable singing voice and she has a wonderful jolly-hockey-sticks accent. Alongside her, Jess Ingram is delightfully daffy as Miss Livesey, the butterfly fancier, and Niko Adilypour is an earnest Jim Hawkins.
Also scoring particularly well in the large cast are Aimée Edwards (Meg), John Brenan (Captain Smollet) and Heather Johnson (Cheng), with Oliver Leonard coming wide-eyed and splendidly into his own after the interval as the cheese-addicted Ben Gunn. It is in the second half that most of the music comes, with the company singing and moving well – although, interestingly, the programme gives nobody any credit for the choreography in Tony Rogers' production.
Just one point: there is so much (understandable) noise going on in the storm scene that the voice from the heavens was largely wasting its time on the opening night. To 2.1.10.
John Slim
Malvolio shines among the laughs
Stage 2
Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
THIS is surely Twelfth Night as never seen before. It has a cast of about 100, a bubbling double act involving Fabian and Feste, and a highly-drilled, very funny Malvolio-and-the-letter scene.
But although it majors on the
comedy, Liz Light's superb production reveals that her youth group has
in Alex Butler a Malvolio who can handle both the preening that makes
him so amusing and the distraught realisation that the heartless Maria
has led Sir Toby and Sir Andrew into making a complete fool of him.
A highlight is his reading of
the letter, both because of his reactions to it and because scores of
villagers and urchins have joined the two knights of the realm in hiding
behind very small standard trees while they listen to him –
supplementing their camouflage with evergreen foliage which they hold
over their heads and wave in splendid unison while they produce several
short shrieks at intervals when they are in danger of being spotted by
their victim. The trees themselves are also pretty mobile, conjuring
thoughts of Dunsinane on its way to Burnham Wood for anyone who finds
time to think between the laughs.
Sir Andrew (Ethan Hudson) is
a harmless, barmy beanpole who sprawls his way up a flight of steps,
making furtiveness his aim as he tries to listen while Orsino and Viola
are conversing at the top. He is a delight in his duel. Sam Hotchin
brings Sir Toby – who has his own gang of ten supporters revelling with
him in the inn – to a consistently high-decibel and gravelly
conversational level that made me worry about his voice for the final
night's performance.
Orsino (Adrian
Richards) has the best voice onstage – booming, authoritative,
beautifully clear. Ellie Allum-Marshall brings both authority and
tenderness to Olivia, and two pairs of dark-framed spectacles help Viola
(Océane LiLeDantec) and Sebastian (Abel Graham) as they try to make us
believe that nobody can tell the difference between the shipwrecked
twins in their adventures with misplaced love.
Neil Gardner is a strong,
clear-spoken Antonio and Charlie Reilly is a likeable and spirited Maria
– but she should slow down her delivery somewhat in the cause of
clarity.
And so to
Feste and Fabian (Jonni Dowsett and the diminutive Luca Hoffman). They
are an unpredictable, sprightly pairing, right on top of their job, with
the engagingly confident Luca earning lots of laughs and sharing
show-stealing honours with Alex Butler (Malvolio).
Full marks, also, to the
young carol singers who – like the whole production – came from the
Victorian era. They gave wings to the interval as well as taking up
their tuneful positions outside the theatre both before and after the
show.
Slice the production where you like, Stage 2 has done it again. To 19.12.09.
Wishing you a manic Christmas
Ed Coley (Neville, left)
and Adam Foyston (Clive) consider unforeseen festivities in the Crescent
Theatre's Season's Greetings.
Sarah Wassall (Belinda) ponders problems in the background.
Crescent Theatre,
****
THIS is the play that can possibly be seen as a
hint of the darker things that were still to come from Alan
Ayckbourn's prolific pen when he wrote it in 1980. Although it's
very amusing, it is in fact largely peopled by failures who have
gathered for their annual Christmas celebrations.
Harvey is the eccentric absorbed by violence and
incapable of a reasonable relationship with his fellows. Rachel and
Clive, thrown together, both take the blame for the disaster that
they achieve. Phyllis is the amiable drunk who should never have
been allowed in somebody else's kitchen. Bernard fails both as a
doctor and a puppeteer.
Fortunately, in the hands of the master, their inadequacies form a fun-filled foundation of which Jaz Davison's splendid production takes full advantage.
Coming to the role of Harvey for the third time,
Geoff Poole is a tunnel-visioned authoritarian joy, never in danger
of tolerating fools at all, let alone gladly. It was a first-night
surprise to realise that his stentorian tones were in fact being
overwhelmed late on by the lamentations of Philip Astle's Bernard –
another gem of characterisation.
Sarah Wassall (Belinda) is a flutter of
desperation as the hostess who receives minimal support from her
husband Neville (Edward Coley) but who achieves a satisfying
exchange of appreciation under the Christmas tree in the early hours
of the morning with Clive, a visiting writer (Adam Foyston). Wanda
Raven has a fine first entrance when Phyllis emerges from the
kitchen from which we have been apprised of various stages of
accelerating havoc.
Lisa Wakely is the pregnant, gentle Patti and
Danielle Spittle ensures that Rachel is far too nice a person to
have to endure such pangs from her incipient love life, which means
we are always on her side even though the hapless Clive can never be
accused of being a rotter or a cad.
Phil Leonard stepped in as Eddie in an emergency
and offers seamless support to the frantic festivities, which gain
much from the spacious set. Just one quibble: we can see the
sunshine through the windows but when the front door is open it
looks pretty dark outside.
To 10.12.09
John Slim
Murder most festively foul
Swan Theatre Amateur Company
Swan Theatre,
***
THE Swan has staged its murder evenings as a
run-up to Christmas for seven years. The setting is its
intimate studio theatre and the creator and director of the mayhem
and skulduggery is Angela Lanyon.
The pattern is well established. The first half
of the play is rife with red herrings while people are generally
unpleasant to each other. Just before the interval, there is murder
most foul. It is always off-stage and always insists that its
audiences spend the break working out who did what, how and to whom
– while enjoying a glass of wine and, this year, the choice of
salmon, turkey or vegetarian salad supper.
It is a highly civilized evening out, always
thoroughly enjoyable, even if there is a feeling that the ghost of
Sherlock Holmes is probably looking on with slightly curling lip and
barely-suppressed tut-tut. Well, we can't all be top-drawer
detectives. I was simply grateful to be able to rule out, both as
victim and murderer, the people who were onstage when we heard that
blood-curdling scream.
The company of seven work hard to offer more
motives than we can cope with: did death strike because of that
frisson over Sunday School? Was one of the women in love with
the vicar? Was it anything to do with the ongoing rows about
car-parking and the refuse bins? Was it. . . but you get the
picture. It could be anything, and the suspects are for the most
part a bunch of hard-bitten characters.
Indeed, one of them is quite remarkably rude to
the one who has just been precipitately bereaved – to the extent
that it is a bit unbelievable.
But that doesn't matter in Angela Lanyon's murder mystery evenings. What does matter is that the action flows, despite being incalculably cluttered up with clues.
Julia Blois scores as Evelyn, one of the group
who have turned up for a séance at the home of the gently-spoken
Alice (Anne Crowther). Carolyn Barnicoat is the feisty Lizzie and
Gillian Charles the church-centred wife of the noisome Keith (Ian
Mason).
Andrew Dunkley (Charles) and Jason Moseley
(Roger) add their busy presence to the mix without in any way
causing my pride in my detection skills to undergo a sudden rise.
Amateur criminologists will have a field day. To12.12.09.
Sutton Arts Theatre, Sutton Coldfield
***
ALL Fairy Liquid's magical powers could not help
her when nobody switched the lights on and she had to begin her
first speech in the dark – nor, indeed, when the lights went out
again before she had finished.
But Elena Serafinas coped without a noticeable
qualm in the face of what could have been a first-night fiasco. She
charmed her way out of trouble and came up with her couplets to the
manner born in a show that is strikingly – often beautifully –
dressed and which has an easy rapport with its audience.
Dick Kemp, as Squire Squander, who has some
amusing moments late on, needs rather more push with his delivery.
Frank fills breach for absent friend
Dudley Little Theatre
Netherton Arts Centre
****
THE title of Alan Ayckbourn's play became particularly poignant when the leading actor, Andy Rock, had to pull out of the opening night performance because his father was taken seriously ill.
With just 24 hours to find a replacement, chairman John Lucock contacted Frank Martino (pictured below right) who had been expecting to work in the box office, and he responded to the SOS in great style.
Frank, treasurer and an
acting member of the company for the past 40 years, attended one
rehearsal and for the first public performance the following night
appeared on stage reading most of his lines from a book, but with
considerable impact in the role of grieving Colin.
He was excellent, Pauses at just the right moment, expressions perfectly matching the situations which arose in the little get-together friends had arranged in a sympathetic move to help Colin recover from the shock of his fiancee drowning on holiday.
SYMPATHETIC PALS
While his sympathetic pals are anxious to avoid saying the wrong thing - 'don't drown my tea with milk' accidentally slips out - he starts to uncover a few skeletons in his friends' cupboards with hilarious results.
For instance, addressing gum-chewing, bored Evelyn (Emily Woolman), he suggested that her husband John (James Silvers) had such a strong personality she might have to spend a lot of time 'in the back seat'. Evelyn had earlier confided to Marge (Liane Purnell) that she had gone through a disappointing back seat experience with their host's husband Paul (Tony Stamp).
Julie Bywater gives an outstanding performance as Diana, well meaning organiser of the party, who eventually collapses into husterical tears as the party goes from bad to worse, and Colin heads for home as though nothing untoward has happened!
Produced by Rebecca Clee, Absent Friends continues to make friends to 12.12.09
Paul Marston
The
Nonentities
Rose
Theatre, Kidderminster
***
THIS is
Christmas entertainment that comes warm and cosy; that generates the
feeling that perhaps there really is some goodwill about after all; and
that makes its audience feel even better when, after 75 minutes, it is
its turn to raise the rafters and have itself a merry little Christmas.
The
Nonentities make no claim to be a singing group but, collectively and
individually, they do make a satisfyingly pleasing noise – directed on
this occasion towards such targets as robins, comfort and joy and
chestnuts roasting. There is, appropriately, a particularly joyful
Gaudete!, whose way has been
paved by some stirring dinging and donging, merrily on high.
PONDERING WISDOM
Between
times, by way of poetry and prose, they find occasion to ponder the
wisdom of the Three Wise Men with their gold, frankincense and myrrh:
“That's men all over. Wouldn't cross their minds to bring a shawl.”
There's advice, too, for when Santa's reindeer take to the sky: “Don't
stand underneath when they fly by.”
And has
anybody else noticed, from the failed presents that adults give to each
other, that they are far more in need of Santa Claus than children are?
Scrooge
is here, with Marley's ghost. There's sleeping in heavenly peace and
there's coming on the midnight clear.
With the
splendid two-tier red-and-gold set of
Maskerade, sweeping staircase
and all, lending its unspoken support, this is precisely the sort of
evening to make us think we're already having ourselves a merry little
Christmas – even before it's our turn to join in and earn that mince pie
and mulled wine that follow. It's a charmer. To 12.12.09.
John Slim
A fairy tale with a thoughtful bite
Magic moments: The Wizard played by Brian Walsh gives the benefit of wisdom to the Prince, played by Ara Sotoudeh
Beauty and the Beast
Hall Green Little Theatre
***
IT'S a play instead of a pantomime and there are times when the younger element in the audience may feel a little anxious – such as when the Beast is being particularly alarming towards Mikey, the little dragon. But it's good to see a fairy tale that is thoughtfully presented, and supported by a set as attractive as the inside of the Beast's castle.
That said, especially in the first half, it posed questions that were never really answered – like what happened to Cocky Olly, the magic cockerel who lays black eggs and who seemed to be set for a starring role in the first few minutes, only to disappear thereafter?
Where does the magician, played gently and low-key by Brian Walsh, get the name of Hodge from? It is an unpretentious, down-to-earth name, clearly suited to his alter ego as a gardener, but it rhymes with stodge and it doesn't quite carry conviction when attached to a man of magic.
TRANSFIXED
Near to the end, I am sure I was not the only audience member to be transfixed by that white rose, losing its petals one by one – an effect that is very cleverly achieved in Julia Roden's production.
I was never really persuaded that Beauty, played with unassuming confidence by Josie Booth, could possibly be so selflessly dedicated to her unfortunate Prince, condemned by Hodge to 500 years as the Beast – but this is a pleasing performance that does its best against a story that relies so heavily upon the suspension of disbelief.
Aya Sotoudeh is the Prince-cum-Beast, loud and swaggering, reduced to disbelieving dismay, then becoming a powerful threat, always challenging his vocal cords to survive the run of the show. It is a role with a flourish, admirably accomplished. His period of self-revelation and sorrow was supported on the first night by an excellent stillness on the part of the covey of ghosts who witnessed it.
Full marks also to Alice Lee, as Mikey the little Dragon who is not easily cowed, and Anthony O'Hagan as Mr Clement, father of Beauty and her amusing sisters (Lucy Poulter and Grace Bygrave).
To 12.12.09
John Slim
Alison's woolly wizardry and getting the bird
Aldridge Musical Comedy Society
Brownhills Community College Theatre
***
A SPOT of divine intervention at just the right moment lifts this show after the cast limp through a rather disappointing first act.
Instead of their usual Christmas pantomime the society decided to have a change, singing hits from more than half a dozen musicals.
But the quality is variable until after the interval when suddenly the improvement is tangible, thanks to a selection from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Chris Parry sings Gethsemane with tremendous power and emotion, after Neil Morris and the dancers set the scene with Herod's song. It is a genuine highlight, and the whole company seem to be inspired from that moment.
A trip to prison proves another plus, with Kerry Flint and the dancers impressing with When You're Good to Mamma from Chicago, and the girls move up a gear in All That Jazz.
Earlier Richard Beckett and Chris Parry earn top marks for Well, Did You Ever, and Rachel Carruthers and Sophie Mallen tackle difficult numbers from Wicked with aplomb.
A splendid finale comes with a selection from Mamma Mia. Neil Morris is the producer and Ben Batt musical director of the show. To 5-12-09.
Paul Marston
Ghosts need spectre of a trim
The Nonentities
The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster
***
THE liveliness of Terry Pratchett's
comedy-in-an-opera-house can be a little patchy, particularly when Joan
Wakeman, as the most beguiling of rustic witches, is not on-stage –
because the comedy in an evening that lasts three-and-a-quarter hours is
almost entirely dependent upon her.
A notable exception comes immediately
after the interval, when the ghost – who is interested enough in the
productions to leave little notes expressing his views about them –
leads what appears to be a cast of thousands on a mad chase that lasts
for several minutes, upstairs, downstairs, into the wings and out again.
But mainly it is down to the observations of Nanny Ogg, who manages to be a mixture of the wily and the put-upon as she lends her simple directness to the task of ghost-hunting in which most of the cast are engaged. This is a joy of a performance – but it was not until the start of the second half that a stranger would know who got the credit.
Before the break, Nanny Ogg frequently
addresses her fellow-witch as Esme and she herself is never called
anything – and the programme does not credit either of them with a first
name: one of them is Nanny Ogg, the other is Granny Weatherwax.
Then once the second act has got the big
chase scene out of the way, both witches are clearly identified by name,
time after time, almost as if Mr Pratchett had realised belatedly that
he ought to sort things out for his audience. All very odd.
Unfortunately, the second act on the
first night found Granny Weatherwax (Jen Eglinton) in trouble with her
words on several occasions. This was a particular shame, because until
then she had been effective as the controlling partner of the pair – and
by the time things began to go awry she had forsaken her black garb and
pointed hat for an impressive gown and a well-groomed wig and she looked
even more authoritative.
Martin Copland-Grey's production makes
frequent use of the auditorium – from where, indeed, Victoria Wakeman (Perdita)
gives us the first confirmation of her powerful voice. Allied to this is
the fact that she is undoubtedly a good sport, prepared to be on the
wrong end of the line that says the show ain't over until the fat lady
sings. A trouper to her fingertips.
There are many excellent performances in
a show that takes a calculated swing at what it sees as the
pretentiousness of opera and even at the theory that the show must go on
– quite apart from offering a very funny, much-protracted death scene.
Kelly Lewis is the ever-fainting diva and Andy Barlow gives television
fans their in joke when, as Mr Bucket, he is affronted by being called
Bouquet.
The show packs surprises – one of them being to describe that fragile-looking chandelier above the auditorium as weighing a ton. This is a venture with a fine operatic set in red and gold with appropriate pillars, but it could do with some brave pruning.
To 5.12.09.
John Slim
Original take on an old favourite
Youth On Stage
Dovehouse Theatre, Solihull
***
SARAH Thomas has written the most
interesting Cinderella you are likely to meet in a
thousand pantomimes.
Not for her the now timeworn gag about Ugly
Sisters who use a false leg and a dainty foot to try on the
slipper. There isn't even a Baron Hardup: he's died. But we do
have a Lord Mouldywart, the uncle of the Prince, who's aiming
to be King, and a mother of the Ugly Sisters with her eye on
being Queen. There is also a failed plan to substitute her for
Cinderella when she has her other eye on the Prince, and we
have Dandini making a gift of a pumpkin to Cinderella.
It's all very commendably different – so
different, in fact, that it's half an hour before we get to
see Cinderella's kitchen – and here we have a young company
giving it everything they've got. Deb Brook has assembled a
show that fizzes from the start. It has in Kitty Campbell a
delightful Cinderella – pretty, petite but authoritative – and
in James Hudson (pictured left with Kitty) a strong and likeable Prince, even if he does
surprisingly reveal himself to he American for Ain't No
Sunshine When She's Gone.
At the heart of the action are the Ugly Sisters (Duncan Burt and Gemma Hudson) and their mother Ida Zitpop (Matt Lambden). All of them work well, fully primed with flamboyance and a determination not to let a single laugh get away.
This is a panto full of puns, some of them very good, and fairly shining with happiness. Josh Coley (Buttons) has a huge smile that he can turn in a trice into a seeming goofiness.
Alick Draper is Lord Mouldywart – well-spoken in rounded tones and successful in rousing the ire of the audience. Unsurprisingly – because he never really upsets us anyway – he gets everybody on his side when it's time to call up the kiddy-winks at singing time, for more of the sweets that have already been hurled into the audience with admirable disregard for the finer feelings of Health and Safety.
To 5.12.09
John Slim
Aldridge Musical Comedy Society
Brownhills Community College Theatre
***
A SPOT of divine intervention at just the right moment lifts this show after the cast limp through a rather disappointing first act.
Instead of their usual Christmas pantomime the society decided to have a change, singing hits from more than half a dozen musicals.
But the quality is variable until after the interval when suddenly the improvement is tangible, thanks to a selection from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Chris Parry sings Gethsemane with tremendous power and emotion, after Neil Morris and the dancers set the scene with Herod's song. It is a genuine highlight, and the whole company seem to be inspired from that moment.
A trip to prison proves another plus, with Kerry Flint and the dancers impressing with When You're Good to Mamma from Chicago, and the girls move up a gear in All That Jazz.
Earlier Richard Beckett and Chris Parry earn top marks for Well, Did You Ever, and Rachel Carruthers and Sophie Mallen tackle difficult numbers from Wicked with aplomb.
A splendid finale comes with a selection from Mamma Mia. Neil Morris is the producer and Ben Batt musical director of the show. To 5-12-09.
Paul Marston
DICK BARTON 1
Barton back at the Devil's Gallop
Cabaret turn:
Marta Heartburn (Natalie Zari) entertains the audience in the Viper's
Nest nightclub
Dick Barton, Special Agent
Swan Theatre Amateur Company
Swan Theatre, Worcester
****
When Britain is in terrible danger, with the forces
of EFIL - I never did cotton on to what that stands for - trying to
poison its tea supply, only one man can come to the rescue.
And when the forces of EFIL capture him, things look
blacker still. Fortunately, Dick Barton is made of stern stuff and
schoolboy-hero determination and he is reunited with his anxious cohorts
after escaping from Colditz, blowing up some dams and escorting an
Austrian nun across the Alps.
It's that sort of night. Writer Phil Willmott takes care that the man who first burst out of our wireless sets in 1946 will come to no harm, even when there is a fiendish plot that involves bombing the raised end of a see-saw.
Chris Broadfield takes on the roles of Barton and of
Snowy and makes them readily distinguishable despite a distinct
similarity of attire and their shared deadly earnestness.
Chris Isaac is Jock, complete with kilt and necessary
accent, in an evening whose musical interludes lean amusingly to Gilbert
and Sullivan as well as Rule, Britainnia - which becomes
Hail, Dick Barton.
Ann Moore's delightful production is equipped with a
company that is deadly serious and has sterling worth. It takes the
nonsense in its unsmiling stride - except for Hattie Amos, (pictured
left with Chris Broadfield) whose Daphne Fritters is a joy of smiling
sweetness, and funny with it, in this, her debut with the group.
Natalie Zari, also new to the company, becomes Marta
Heartburn, nightclub hostess with a queue of archetypal males seeking
her favours as she helps the search for Barton by putting the possibles
through her kiss test.
Kit Windows-Yule presents the face of EFIL, played
with a flourish, albeit with a foreign accent that is sometimes hard to
penetrate.
Gwenyth Baker and Keith Barrell competently complete
the company - almost. There is still Oliver Goldfinch, whose unseen,
solemn-toned BBC announcer contributes greatly to the fun via the
ancient wireless set on a wall near the exit, every time the spotlight
shines on it.
If you are old enough, it's a nostalgic joy - though
I think some sort of effort should be made to make the hands of Big Ben
move - especially as there is a reference to the passing time.
John Slim
Wireless hero riding the waves
Dick Barton, Special Agent
BMOS Musical Theatre Company
Highbury Theatre Centre, Sutton Coldfield
****
A STRONG company comes whole-heartedly to this pot pourri of po-faced derring-do, with Phil Hinchliffe in fine form as the clean-cut wireless hero seeking to save the nation's tea supplies from lethal contamination.
Not that the plot actually matters. The joy is the succession of inconsequential nonsenses provided by author Phil Willmott. There's the see-saw that has to be bombed. There are Barton's friends awaiting submersion in honey in order to attract the killer ants.
This production by Jane Aston and Gary Simmons moves more sweetly before the interval than in the second half, when there are times that need a little more urgency, but – aided by back projection and minimal furniture – it generally flits efficiently through its 15 scenes.
COCKNEY SIDEKICK
Phil Hinchliffe has a second responsibility in the shape of Snowy, Barton's Cockney sidekick, who is captured by mistake instead of his boss. He makes the most of his opportunity for an amiable drunken interlude.
Corrine Walker is a persuasive Marta Heartburn, the persistent temptress, and Wayne Moore makes Baron Scarheart the baddie you love to hate. Thom Stafford finds a convincing Scots accent and a pleasing personality as Jock, and Harriet Pauly (Lady Laxington) reveals a good voice in Ballroom Love.
Kirsteen Wray is a vivacious Daphne and Laura Neary a raucous and amusing Mrs Horrocks. Chris Kenning could do with a little less stiff upper lip and a spot more animation as Colonel Gardner. Malcolm Robertshaw (Sir Stanley) and Darren Summerill and Adam Swift (Rodger and Wilco) are on hand to move the plot along, and Tris Davies bobs up engagingly from the orchestra pit as the BBC announcer who keeps us abreast of what's going on.
Our hero's name gives rise to a succession of schoolboy jokes but it's all in the best possible taste. It's fun.
To 28.11.09.
John Slim
http://www.phindesign.co.uk/bmos/home.html
Fast moving thriller does not disappoint
Billesley Players
Dovehouse Theatre, Solihull
***
A NEW-LOOK company has no fewer than four players in the cast making their first appearance - and the result is undeniably satisfying.
This is a Francis Durbridge
story that was written as a radio play, which is probably why its ten
scenes give it an episodic flavour, but Iain Neville's production moves
slickly between them and never gives its audience time to become
restless.
At its heart is a toy koala bear - and the fact that Carl Houston just happened to mention koalas on his flight home from Australia is enough to put his life in danger and cause his wife nearly to lose hers.
It seems a tenuous link between koalas and crises, as he was speaking only to his passenger neighbour. It leaves us to suppose that his neighbour must have decided to relay the conversation later to somebody who turns out to be a Mr Big in the world of fencing stolen valuables.
WELL ENGINEERED
Not that it matters. The tension builds. There are some well-engineered confrontations between anxious people. And we go on guessing at the secret of the unseen koala.
Graham Mason is Houston, a clean-cut British hero type, delivered in a performance of confidence opposite Anna Downes, in fine form as his feisty wife Vanessa.
There is confidence, too, in the quick, high-heeled strut of Claire Davies as his PA, and in the probing questioning of Sheila Parkes, as the representative of the law.
Michael Nile gives us a pleasingly unusual character in Bernard Decker, the chef with quiet little expressions, an amusing snigger and an optimistic line in blackmail. Gemma Harris pleases as his wife and Edward Fellows is another strong performer as the shady Oliver Radford.
BLOWN THE GAFF
Nick Storr is the aeroplane passenger we suspect of having inadvertently blown the gaff on a stranger's casual mention of koala bears. He and Graham Mason set the production rolling on their borrowed aircraft seats - thank you, Flybe - with a conversation that rolls with satisfying unstoppability.
It's an excellent all-round effort. What a shame it was all for the sake of a production lasting only two nights. The only cavvil is that several players could do with a bit more push and projecion on a stage that is apparently without microphones.
To 14.11.09.
John Slim
http://www.billesleyplayers.co.uk/
Nautical night shines through traffic
Reaching a verdict: The twelve good men and true in Tinker's Farm's Trial by Jury
Trial By Jury & HMS Pinafore
Tinkers Farm Opera
Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
***
Not so much
Trial By Jury
as Trial By Traffic.
Somebody somewhere was doing a concert on the night I was heading for
the Crescent Theatre - normally, a journey of half an hour. It took
nearly 90 minutes, ensured that I completely missed Gilbert & Sullivan's
courtroom contortions and caused me to arrive in the interval after
finding a full car park and bravely abandoning my personal transport at
a distant roadside on double yellow lines.
The first happening
thereafter was the announcement that Diane Geater, playing Josephine in
HMS Pinafore,
had laryngitis and would therefore be "assisted" by Susan Curry, who was
sitting under a spotlight, stage left, with the score on her lap,
obviously ready to come to the rescue if the unfortunate Diane showed
signs of succumbing.
Fate being what it is, Susan's face was obscured from me by the lighting
arrangements - but I'm pretty sure that she was not called upon to
supplement any moment of miming on the part of Diane.
Diane was probably not performing at full throttle, but she gave us a
leading lady who nevertheless made a praiseworthy, attractive and vital
contribution.
Playing opposite her is Brian Trott's Ralph Rackstraw - rather a
serious sailor but one who produces a pleasingly gnarled accent. Another
voice that catches the ear is that of Rex Wheeler's Sir Joseph Porter,
whose cut-glass efforts produce such pleasing gems as a "brend-new
suit."
Dick Deadeye (Mike Lloyd) is a first for me, in that his self-declared
ugly face does not sport an eye-patch. But he hovers and stays on hand,
keeping both eyes on the action and adding a lugubrious air and the odd
comment to the proceedings.
John Leaman (seen above right with Rex Wheeler's Sir Joseph Porter)
needs a bit more push as Captain Corcoran - and he is not helped early
on by lighting which ensures that the shadow of his hat falls over his
eyes.
Margaret Wrench (Buttercup) does not have a strong voice, but although
gentle it is full and rounded and makes pleasing listening.
A brightly-costumed production by Pamela Harley has a 20-strong chorus
and benefits immensely from the happy charms of the eight young dancers
from the Betty Fox Stage School. There is a reassuring nautical feel to
the setting.
Musical direction is by John E Franklin.
To 14.11.09.
John Slim
Les
Misérables
- School Edition
West Bromwich Operatic Society Youtheatre
Lichfield Garrick
*****
THIS is a triumph for all concerned.
Fine leads, a splendid chorus, outstanding choreography by Lisa Metcalfe, and impressive costumes combine to explain the nightly standing ovations.
Producer-director John Wetherall has a well-drilled cast, able to deliver the spellbinding emotion of this classic musical.
Cameron Sharp sings and acts superbly as Jean Valjean, released after 19 punishing years in a chain gang for a minor crime, but still relentlessly pursued by cynical police chief Javert (Roberto Petrucco).
Wonderful comedy comes from Sam Robinson and Grace Winpenny, playing the scheming innkeeper Thenardier and his wife, while George Stuart is a confident student, Marius.
Musical director Ian Stephenson and his excellent orchestra make a powerful contribution.
To 15.11.09
Paul Marston
Thriller answers all the questions
A prepared pizza and a hypnotic jewel are part of the Hypnosis plot, as author David Tristram, centre, knows all too well – but just in case he was reminded by cast members Denise Phillips, Rob Phillips and Richard Tye on one of his visits to Highbury Theatre Centre for the world premiere.
Highbury Theatre Centre, Sutton Coldfield
****
THIS is the world première
of David Tristram's latest play - a comedy thriller about a stage
hypnotist who has the bad luck to invite a detective from the
audience to join him in his act and who then gets involved with the
detective's wife.
The detective turns out to
be far more than we think he is, both morally and financially - but
before this happens we are faced with the question of how he could
possibly have afforded the money he says he has spent in plotting to
steal millions of pounds from the bank of which his wife is the manager.
It's a very clever,
constantly contorted plot, urged on its way in Kelly Williams's
production by the cast of three and inclining occasionally to the
distinctly saucy double entendre. In fact it does more than
that at one point, when Denise Phillips, as the wife of the detective,
makes an extremely painful-looking grab at the manhood of the hypnotist,
played by Rob Phillips, who just happens to be her real-life husband.
We have the detective -
played by Richard Tye with an effective line in high-decibel,
screaming-pitch anger - seeking to inveigle the Great Gordo into his
proposed major robbery as well as becoming suspicious of his own flighty
wife. We have Denise Phillips subjected to hypnotism in the cause of
helping the heist. And we have Rob Phillips revealing an
understandable uncertainty beneath his flamboyant public persona when he
finds himself on the wrong end of a gun that is pointed at the roof of
his mouth from no distance at all.
There was one extremely
lengthy interval between two of the 11 scenes on the first night, when
we could have done with some of the excellent mood music that was
strategically placed elsewhere, but otherwise an excellent company
provided a sterling performance that gave the impression of rolling
without a push.
To 21.11.09.
John Slim
Rare outing provides a treat
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Cradley Heath
Amateur Operatic Society
Brierley Hill
Civic Hall
****
THIS is a wonderful, lively show that is all too rarely seen on the
amateur stage - largely because of the huge demands it makes.
Quite apart from challenging a
group to find seven young men and seven young women to sing and dance
in the roles that are the essence of the story, it also requires a
secondary group of men to be the frustrated suitors.
Happily, Dennis Price's
production meets the demands head-on, with a company that copes
splendidly with the quickfire choreography of Emma Newton - two of the
men actually do a brief spot of Cossack dancing - and can sing with a
confidence that is always justified.
It gets off to a fine start, with Julian Richards immediately stamping his authority on the show with Bless Your Beautiful Hide, and it never looks back.
EXCELLENT OFFERINGS
Moreover, it
benefits hugely from the fact that the charming Spring,
Spring, Spring and Lonesome Polecat, which are
not in the book, are able to be flourished because the group
sought and obtained special permission. They are widely
different numbers but they both work splendidly.
Other excellent
offerings include Goin' Courting and Sobbin'
Women, in which the Brothers come boisterously to the
support of Milly and Adam, respectively.
The feisty Milly
is played by Louise Hicklin. This is a Milly who brings the
chauvinistic Adam to heel, in a reversal of the roles
in Kiss Me, Kate. She comes authoritatively and
believably to the household of men that she finds waiting
for her.
Amid all the
bubbling excellence, there is one quibble. Everyone produces
acceptable American accents - until the Brothers sing
We've Gotta Make It Through the Winter. It's at this
point that they forget that Americans can't make the N-T
sound, which is why their every winter is a winner.
It is a mistake that
pseudo-Americans make time after time on the British stage - but in this
case, with so much to praise, it is one that is easy to forgive.
To 14.9.09
John Slim
Kiss slow to to get started
Grange Players
Grange Playhouse, Walsall
* *
AN uneasy silence in the audience during the early exchanges of John
Godber's play makes you wonder if this was a good choice for the more
mature regular followers of the players.
It is certainly rather hard going at first as the action focuses on five
students setting out on a drama teaching course at a northern college in
the late seventies when drugs, sex and rock 'n' roll were more popular
than the official studies.
The youngsters are seen lighting up to smoke dope and arranging to meet
for a bit of sexual activity, but the rock 'n' roll is limited to
pony-tailed Stan (Andrew Jones) having a couple of very brief strums on
his guitar.
A couple of people who left the theatre at the interval on opening
night missed some of the better moments of the play in the second act
when relationships between the students begin to develop.
Earlier one of the highlights is watching the speed and dexterity with
which back stage staff transform the set from the men's dormitory to the
college theatre for a play rehearsal which is intended to be funny.
Joseph Hicklin impresses as Richard, a lad from a working class
background who manages to become an item with posh Charlotte (Zoe Maisie)
and there are sound performances from Aimee Hall (Helen) and Stephanie
Quance (Tina), while Samantha Camp copes well as posy college tutor,
Babe, with the aggravating habit of waving her arms about and repeatedly
saying 'thingy'.
It Started with a Kiss is directed by Tomos Frater. To 14-11-09
Paul Marston
Gripping drama gets the verdict
Hall Green Little Theatre
****
TERENCE Frisby's courtroom drama is presented for all its worth by a
company that gives its all. Graham Walker's studio production grabs its
audience from the start and never remotely indicates that it is about to
release its hold
On trial is a man who admits killing his nine-month-old brain-damaged
son. He is a television presenter and a newspaper columnist - and the
playwright has not given the defendant that sort of background for
nothing. 
Oliver Harvey-Vallender, as the man in the dock, powerfully exploits the flamboyance, the defiance and the pig-headedness that sit so easily on some public figures whose everyday world is the media. He rapidly engages in verbal fisticuffs, not only with the prosecuting counsel but with the judge himself - a pretty boneheaded battle that has its own consequences.
This is
an excellent account of unreined passion - and, eventually indeed, of
disastrously crumbling confidence.
It is a
huge role - and one that is matched, blow for blow, by that of Jean
Wilde, as the prosecuting Queen's Counsel. Here is a legal luminary
appropriately assertive, unequivocally quick to exploit a perceived
weakness, and yet, beneath the public face, an understanding and
sympathetic adversary.
Zofja
Zolna, pictured right, is often riveting as the defendant's wife. Hers is a turmoil of
emotions and her wide eyes and pale face, framed by a curtain of red
hair, excel at expressing them, especially when she is not saying a
word. It's a face that crumples in adversity and holds the attention
compellingly as she listens to the judge delivering his verdict.
In such company, the judge himself (Steve Parsons) is no slouch. He has
not been allotted much in the way of whimsical witticisms but this is a
performance that brims with judicial dignity and wisdom as he seeks both
to help and to restrain an undisciplined and tormented defendant.
Roger
Warren, too, is pleasingly persuasive as the solicitor accompanying a
headstrong man who has elected to represent himself.
The
whole production, staged largely in black, does credit to everyone
associated with it.
To 7.11.09.
John Slim
Hooray for Hollywood
Brownhills Musical Theatre Company
Brownhills Community College Theatre
*****
THE group presents great songs from seven musicals and half a dozen James Bond films, in stunning costumes and backed by a huge screen showing scenes from movies, classic cinema ads and photographs of the stars who have played 007.
There's a fine performance from Helen Norgrove with songs from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, followed by Paul Bailey in Do You Love Me? and Time of My Life (Dirty Dancing).
Director Tim Jones also excels on stage with Bless Your Beautiful Hide and Sobbin' Women. Musical direction is by Ian Room.
There is slick choreography by Elizabeth Casey and Kathryn James. Hooray for Brownhills MTC!
Paul Marston
BMOS Youtheatre
Old Rep
***
I BELIEVE this is the first time in 25 years that I have seen a pantomime performed entirely by young people - which is why I went in with reservations.
I have seen young - very young - people being villagers in adults' pantomimes. They have stood in their chorus half-circles and been more interested in the audience than in the action on the stage. I have seen older young people in similar productions, apparently unable to speak without stretching their arms from their sides and turning their palms upwards with every new sentence. I have seen them all too often talking far too quickly.
It doesn't happen here. Alan Hackett has assembled a team of lively, competent youngsters who radiate an infectious happiness, whose principals seem to be completely at home in handling their audience and whose chorus combines with reassuring confidence in its singing and the tap-dancing routines that are choreographed by Melanie Flint.
Lisa Coleman (Jack) and Lauren Neale (Jill) are a pleasing pairing in Peter Denyer's nicely contorted and sometimes saucy story that involves Daisy the Cow in somehow getting up the beanstalk and into the clutches of Giant Blunderbore.
PLEASING PANACHE
Alex Gibbs has pleasing panache as Dottie Trot and Sean Brady is an impish joy as Billy. James Reidy gives an heroic account of the villain Fleshcreep - but Evil should never cross the invisible centre line to invade the stage-right territory of the Good Fairy - in this case, Hannah Sefton, an attractive immortal who could perhaps do with some firework-style accompaniment to her successive entrances, although the lighting generally is a pleasing feature.
Oh, yes, and Fleshcreep's forbidding appearance would be emphasised by black shoes, rather than that tan-coloured pair that he wore on Bonfire Night.
James Mateo-Salt has the air of an impish King, but he delivers his jokes too quickly, as if he is over-anxious to share some of the very amusing ones that are to be found in a script that also offers that comparative rarity, a slapstick scene. It involves a chicken, eggs and cream and the need to get them into a box, and it is pleasingly handled.
Also involved to good effect are Grabbit and the Ghost - Sarah Hemming and George Meredith. And there is a very effective surprise late on, when we get to meet the Giant (Andrew Treacy).
All round, a pleasing venture.
To 7.11.09.
John Slim
Lichfield Operatic Society
Lichfield Garrick
*
*
THIS do-it-yourself musical about a battle to save the West End sends
out SOS signals long before the conclusion of a rather thin story.
But then along comes a medley of ABBA songs for the finale and suddenly
the cast look far more confident and the audience sit up and take
notice.
Written by production director James Pugh, the show tells how West End
theatres have been destroyed in a land grab but an ex-amateur shows
director mounts a rescue.
Well known songs are woven into the action, but the show is too long on content and too short on quality.
In the first act applause is more polite than enthusiastic until Lynn Hill, (Mary) sings Practically Perfect from Mary Poppins, and James Gorton (Joe) impresses with On the Street Where You Live .
Craig Allen is sound as the Narrator in a rather disappointing musical -
not be confused with West Side
Story.
Paul Marston
Erdington Operatic Society
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall
* * * *
PERHAPS the most popular of the Gilbert & Sullivan operas, the show is presented in the traditional form by an outstanding company which celebrated its golden jubilee last year.
The only modern slant comes when Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko - beautifully played by Colin Lapworth - reels off his list of people 'who never would be missed' and they include current Prime Minister Gordon Brown and some of his henchmen.
Lapworth, who is also the director and choreographer, revels in the role of the reluctant axeman.
He has excellent support from Karen Lyon as Yum Yum. The pair, and Barry Styles (Nanki-Poo) combine perfectly in Here's A How-de-do. Graham Bryant gives a stunning performance as Pooh-Bah.
Musical director David Allen and his orchestra add to the enjoyment of a fine show. To 07.11.09
Paul Marston
Powerful drama compulsive viewing
Highbury Theatre Centre, Sutton Coldfield
****
POLLY Teale's powerful play is fully explored in Claire Armstrong
Mills's studio production.
It is the story of a drug-addicted prostitute who cannot bring herself
to give up the baby whom social workers have placed with foster parents.
The resultant welter of emotions and upset finds the foster mother
blaming herself and trying to give the baby back after her feelings
threaten her marriage. 
It is not easy watching, but it is compulsive - with Laura Chinn
bringing very necessary light relief as the mid-European maid as well as
representing the social services.
But the special honours are shared three ways. Liz Webster bestrides the
production as the foster mother in all her moods, with Rob Laird
excellent as the husband who sees the stability of his home
slipping away from him and says he wants to kill the woman he blames for
it.
And Emily Armstrong (pictured left, holding the baby, with Liz
Webster, far left) is superb in the total commitment that yields a
riveting performance as the mother who feels the world is against her
and who cannot wean herself off the drugs which cause her whole body to
shake incessantly in the second act.
There is fine support from Duncan McLaurie, as a frustrated film
director, and Liz Plumpton, as the sister of the foster mother - and
young Olivia Gannon is a delight as the foster mother's imaginary
daughter, a role that she shares with two other youngsters in the course
of the production.
There is pleasing use of her in the filmed backdrop, although it would
be better if the outsize dolls' house were slightly swivelled and moved
to one side, because at present it overlaps the picture. And there is a
point in the second act when it would be better if the young mother held
her baby in the other arm. We know it's a doll, but when we can see its
face while Mum is desperately distraught over it, it becomes
unnecessarily and distractingly obvious.
But this is an excellent production - in which director Claire Armstrong Mills is standing in as the mother of the foster mother in another fine study of self-doubt.
To 31.10.09
John Slim
The Circle Players
Aldridge Youth Theatre
* * * *
IT would be difficult to imagine a better amateur
production of Noel Coward's 1930s classic comedy than this one.
The Kingstanding-based company gave a spirited
performance in the amusing story of how novelist Charles Condomine
arranged a seance at his country cottage, with startling results.
A splendidly constructed set, in black and
white to recreate the atmosphere of the old movies, proved perfect for
the action, and the only colour was - ironically - the scarlet dress
worn by the ghost of Condomine's first wife, Elvira.
And it really was a husband and wife occasion,
with Lee Trevellis playing the nagged novelist and and his real life
spouse, Clair Tregellis, in the role of the mischievous Elvira. The pair
were quite superb.
Helen Gilfoyle was a hoot as Madam Arcati, the
bizarre medium who somehow managed to arrange for Elvira to materialise
and create a bit of mayhem for everyone, particularly Charles' second
wife, Ruth, beautifully played by Jenny Culligan.
Fine
contributions, too, in Clive Barlow's production, from Vicki Troman
(Edith, the maid), Don Day (Dr Bradman) and Jean Kerby (Mrs Bradman).
Paul Marston
Circle Light Opera Company
Old Rep
***
A COMPANY strong on teamwork gets by very successfully without relying on a handful of particularly talented central players. This is why those great numbers, the title song and Blow, Gabriel, Blow, emerge with such punch and power.
It is possibly also why the best two voices of the night belong to people who are part of the supporting troupe - Bill Swaine (the Captain) and Karl Eyre-Smith (Elisha Whitney). Having said this, all praise to choreographer Teresa Swaine (Reno), who belts out her vocal duties with such happy verve, and David Colledge (Billy) who also brings plenty of personality in his pursuit of Helen Carlill's Hope.
There are chuckles among the music, too, particularly when John Biddell (Moonface) offers Be Like the Bluebird.
Leading the laughs, however, are Charlene Walker, whose Erma is a bundle of fun in a non-stop contribution, and Graham Halliday - a pleasing silly-ass Lord Evelyn and the first I have seen giving such a persuasive performance in Gypsy in Me.
Rosemary Ravenscroft's production has four attractive dancers who are prominent in the big numbers, which thrive on the upbeat backing of the seven musicians directed by Norman Satterthwaite. Unfortunately, when some of the actors climbed up to their level on the night I saw the show, the lights took some time to follow them. To 24.10.09.
John Slim
Rubery Drama Group
Beacon Church Centre, Rubery
****
WITH the best will in the world, you don't normally expect to go to a
church hall and find an unpretentious drama group presenting Shakespeare
in the round - still less, the play containing the biggest female role
in the canon, and carrying it off with a splendid aplomb.
In an excellent company,
Julie Brotherhood, as Rosalind, comes vivaciously to her huge challenge
and never falters. This is a
tour de force
that meets every demand - yet
in accomplishing it she gives David Morris's high-speed production only
what it deserves.
No member of the cast can possibly regard this venture as hang-about
time: while two players make their exits at a gallop, two or three more
enter at high speed from another direction, demanding instant re-focus
on the part of the audience.
It has shepherds who are beguilingly rustic. It has, in Bob Sawyer, a
melancholic Jaques with a fine, resonant delivery. It has Ian
Kimberley-Ryan playing the fool at full throttle on behalf of his
adrenaline-charged Touchstone. It has sisters, brothers,
fathers and servants, all slotting seamlessly into the action. It's a
joy.
We may indeed have to imagine the forest, but the quality of what goes
on therein is unquestionable.
John Slim
REVIEW
St John's Players
Swan Theatre, Worcester
***
RICHARD Harris's story of a failed back-garden barbecue and the selfish old woman who lives next door is the group's choice to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
Unfortunately, particularly in the first half, there is a shortage of punch and pace. Indeed, it is not until the post-interval arrival of Sam Morgan-Charnock as the flamboyant and flirtatious Sandy that one senses a spot of dynamism.
Ann Smith is on a winner as the cantankerous Mrs Hinson - even though she, like David Solly, as her son - could do with more positive push in her delivery.
Trevor King and Julie Sadler are the luckless couple seeking to host the barbecue in the virtual absence of their expected guests. He tends towards the tyrannical and she seeks to be bright at all costs in what is a pleasing pairing.
Christine King offers a rebellious response to her demanding mother-in-law and Steve Willis is the ever-peckish Toby.
Two interesting points of style on the first night: someone held a half-full glass in the thumbs and fingers of both hands, with the fingers inside the glass and the thumbs just outside the top, as if the next stop was to be the washing-up bowl; and two garden sheds were each clearly equipped with only half a roof.
That desperate wrestle-cum-tug-of-war with a mop offers a lively few moments in Ray Archer's birthday production. To 24.10.09
John Slim
REVIEW
The
Nonentities
The Rose
Theatre, Kidderminster
***
MICHAEL Frayn's comedy about a couple's struggles to establish discipline and personal space in their small flat copes very well with a struggle of its own - because illness in the cast of three has reduced it to what may be officially described as a rehearsed reading.
In fact it copes so well that on the first night it was easy to forget that the players each held a book - and not beyond the bounds of possibility to assume that they were in with a chance of dispensing with it before the run is over.
It is Victoria Wakeman (Cath) who has stepped in late to her role and she is splendid. Right from the start, she is exchanging half-sentences and difficult non sequiturs with Guri Csete, who gives a confident performance as her extraordinarily irritating partner.
Into their high-pressure discussions come such questions as whether the bed should be in the centre of the room because it is the centre of their lives, and - even more unlikely - the significance of rock strata that was formed 5,000 million years ago.
Jan Young is their landlady, who turns up inevitably at the most awkward of moments and generally manages to take her leave at high speed. The least effective moments of Paul Standing's production came when this unwelcome visitor sat down and remained seated throughout a substantial speech with her back to the same section of the studio audience for what seemed a very long time.
The play is funnier before the interval than it is later on, by which time things are more serious and the inevitability of quick-fire disagreements has become a joke that has worn a little thin.
The most lunatic moment comes when the couple wear the same cardigan at the same time. This is well achieved and very amusing.To 24.10.09
John Slim
REVIEW
Watershed Theatre Company
Grange Playhouse, Walsall
THREE of Alan Bennett's amusing monologues
featuring Yorkshire characters were used in this production, with the
spotlight falling on rather sad, lonely individuals.
The actors took turns sitting facing the audience, chatting about situations in their lives, and Alan Lowe's performance in A Chip in the Sugar was the highlight when he played glum bachelor Graham who shared a home with his 72-year-old mum.
All seemed well until the widow bumped into Frank,
a friend from the past, and suddenly a wedding was on the horizon. Lowe
neatly squeezed every ounce of humour from Graham's dilemma as mum hints
that he should perhaps move out.
But the new man in her life had a guilty secret,
which left Graham with the last laugh.
Gill Starling impressed, too, as nosey spinster Irene in A Lady of Letters. Always ready to write to various authorities - including the Queen about fouled pavements outside Buckingham Palace - or the council concerning a hearse driver smoking outside a crematorium, she eventually landsed in prison.
In the third piece, Bed Among the Lentils, Dawn
Butler played bored Vicar's wife Susan with a drink problem.
Unfortunately, for some members of the audience with less than perfect
hearing, missed some of her anecdotes.
Directed by Alan Lowe, More Talking Heads ran for
three performances.
*
Formed six years ago, this Walsall company have raised about £5,000 for
charity.
Paul Marston
REVIEW
Worcester
Gilbert & Sullivan Society
Swan Theatre,
***
PLEASING chorus work cannot disguise a shortage of
real quality among the voices in the leading roles. Exceptions are
On the other hand, director Christine Davies provides some pleasing light touches. So we find musical director Sue Black using her baton to fence with the Pirate King (Alan Feeney) - who is involved in another amusing moment when he is carried off the stage over the shoulder of one of Major General Stanley's daughters.
There is
also the recent classic line from the Specsavers commercial, delivered
drily and scoring massively for total unexpectedness.
Less
surprising is the success of the united haplessness of the constabulary
under their Sergeant (Robert Hanna). Mark Tooby patters pleasingly as
the Major General. but Stuart Blake allows Frederic to wane
disappointingly into wimpishness on his first encounter with Mabel, and
some of Alan Feeney's swagger as the Pirate King does not come off.
John Slim
REVIEW
Lichfield Garrick Youth Theatre
Lichfield Garrick
****
THIS bold and controversial choice of production by
Lichfield Garrick Youth Theatre flourishes under the skilful
direction of the talented Julie Mallaband.
Rent
has little spoken dialogue and the story is mainly told as a rock
musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, based on Pucini's
opera, La Boheme.
It
tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians
struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side in the
thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City under the shadow of AIDS.
Asking a Youth Theatre drawn from school age children
to tackle a musical which deals with AIDS, same sex relationships,
transvestitism , sado –masochism and fetish clubs is a challenging task
, but it succeeds via deft sanitised production and direction starting
with a dramatic opening with the principals lit by overhead lamps.
The music, directed by Oliver Rowe, is good. The
singing is even better with each principal voice strong and a robust,
energetic chorus line. Seasons of
Love is a joyous ensemble piece but Lily Somerville, as Maureen,
steals the singing honours with a powerhouse solo performance of,
Over the Moon.
The production does well to play to the fine songs, as the storyline itself is thin and dated, which the cast lift with sheer exuberance. Fifteen years on, time has not been kind to Larson's treatment of the central AIDS theme, with the plot appearing at times self-indulgent, gratuitous and inward looking.
The First Act, at 90 minutes, is flabby and overlong, a fault of the author, not the cast. Choreographer Natalie Blackwell has a good grasp of the set pieces, with Rent, early on, the pick of the bunch. In the Second Act, Contact, which is omitted from the Schools Version, was performed. It also contained the best scene of the show, the duet between Joanne, played by Lizzie Wofford, and Maureen, Take Me or Leave Me. Lizzie's acting and singing throughout the show was never less than compelling, and she will surely find a place in the future in professional theatre.
The contrast between the lush music and stark lives is well realised. The single set works well, and the costume colours are wisely toned down, even if the costume choices eschewed historical accuracy and authenticity. Stephen Rainsford's lighting was complementary, atmospheric, and imaginative. An appreciative, young, audience delivered their verdict with a well – deserved standing ovation.
Gary Longden
REVIEW
Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall
****
THIS is the musical that finds people at the interval saying they don't know any of the songs. I heard it happen again on the first night. It is not until the second half that One (Singular Sensation) and What I Did for Love turn up to strike a familiar chord.
This means that although the all-woman team of Sally Baxter (director), Sheila Pearson (musical director) and Jenny Jesson (choreographer) have done a fine job, they are up against not only unfamiliarity, but a bare stage and the need for members of the company to turn up in their scruffs, in their roles as auditionees for the chorus.
So there's no glamour until the closing scene and not a lot to send you home whistling - which makes the triiumphant achievement even more of a feather in an awful lot of caps.
There are 17 hopefuls in search of a job, marshalled by Richard Clarke as Zach, the director. They come forward in turn to tell their story, keeping us interested throughout - but it is not until the second half, when Paul (Phil Bourn), who was mocked at school for being gay, and Cassie (Maggie Jackson), who has been having an affair with Zach, have their heart-to-hearts with the director, that there is much depth or fire in the show to be explored.
But this is a vibrant young company, brimming with energy and clearly undaunted by those hurdles that its members clear so splendidly. To 17-10-09
John Slim
REVIEW
Swan Theatre Amateur Company
Swan Theatre, Worcester
****
ALAN Bennett's wordy, pawky play about a former Foreigh Office civil servant and spy and whether he should or should not return to England is guaranteed to cause its audience reach for its thinking cap.
I had never seen it before and I spent three-quarters of it wondering where it was all happening. The bountifully-flowered garden and the reference to the Forest of Arden made me think we were already in England.
This is probably down to me - but just in case anyone else is as confused as I was - and I'm sorry if playwright Alan Bennett had a special reason for sustaining my uncertainty - we do find out late on that all the (totally cerebral) action is somewhere in the USSR.
And I really wasn't ready for the revelation when it came. I have never been to the Soviet Union but it did not look like my idea of the Soviet Union - which is not to say that it wasn't spot-on.
In any case, it's a cracking production by Frank Bench.
Frank Welbourne takes centre-stage as Hilary, the genteel, slightly shabby, retired spy, and he is splendid. He has a memorable delivery: querulous, protesting, sing-song, tending to linger on the last territorially-ambitious syllable, and he rises splendidly to the challenge of making it clear that he does not want to go home.
There are fine performances, too, from Gillian Charles, as his frustrated wife, and from Susan Daniels (Veronica) and Barry Ellis (Duff) - the Englishman who seems to have a finger in every pie back home.
Sound support from Mark Danckert (Eric) and Elizabeth Burden (Olga)completes the company.
Oh, yes, and if only I had read my programme in the half-light, I would have known that it was all happening down among the Soviets.But this was a discovery that eluded me until I arrived home to tell you about my night out. To 10-10-09
John Slim
REVIEW
The Fellowship Players
Grange Playhouse, Walsall
****
AN actress needs to master
the Scouse accent and become a quick-change artist to fill the role of
hairdresser Rita in Willy Russell's amusing play.
The part is shared, on
alternate nights, by Jennifer Smith and Claire Masterson in this
production, and the former was on stage when I joined a packed audience.
It proved a triumph for
Jennifer who was totally at ease in the role made famous by Midland
actress Julie Walters in the 1983 film.
She succeeds in delivering
a convincing Liverpool accent while making numerous costume switches and
even a change in hairstyle.
Fed up with life working in
a hairdressing salon and disillusioned with married life, Rita embarks
on an Open University course which not only has a profound effect on
her, but also on the bored, whisky-drinking lecturer who has the task of
turning the crimper into a thinker.
Chris Pomlett gives an excellent performance as the ageing Frank, at first amused by Rita's naive approach to eductation, but eventually getting a lesson in life from the 26-year-old woman determined to reach her goal while perhaps saving her teacher's fading career.
An excellent set,
representing Frank's cluttered study, helps create realism in the the
play, directed by Michael Penn. 10.10.09
Paul Marston
REVIEW
South Staffs Musical Theatre Company
Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton
***
HIGH school teenager Jodie Evans blossoms as Cockney flower girl Eliza
Doolittle in this much loved Lerner & Loewe musical.
Her voice hasn't reached maturity yet, but she makes up for any lack of
power in some numbers with an enthusiasm and poise that simply charms
the audience.
Jodie proves the ideal pupil for linguistics expert Professor Henry
Higgins, a confirmed old bachelor who gambles that he can transform her
from the rough Covent Garden street seller to a sophisticated,
well-spoken lady capable of mixing with the elite.
A
problem here is that Eliza doesn't look at all scruffy from the outset,
a slip that is illuminated by lighting which is too bright in some
scenes and too dull in others.
Tim Jones is a comfortable Higgins, hardly surprising since it is the
third time he has filled the role in various productions, and Mike
Thomas excels as Eliza's dustman dad, Alfred P. Doolittle, particularly
with the hit song I'm Getting Married in the Morning.
But the young man who almost steals the show is Ashley Samuels, playing
the giggling toff Freddy Eynsford-Hill. He recently passed his silver
examination for the London Academy of Dramatic Arts, and showed just why
with a superb performance of On the Street Where You Live.
Directed by Karl Veltman, My Fair Lady runs to 10-10-09.
Paul Marston
REVIEW
Highbury Theatre Centre, Sutton Coldfield
****
BRIAN Clark's deceptively amusing play centres on a strong-minded sculptor who has been paralysed from the neck down in an accident. He sparkles drily from his hospital bed with observations like his insistence that his time over 100 metres is lousy. He wants to die.
The hospital sees its duty as keeping him alive. It is a clash of the Titans that leads to law, a battle round his bedside and a pronouncement by the judge (Reg Tolley). The action is almost entirely verbal - an exception being when the hospital porter (Luke Vernon) tries his luck with the trainee nurse (Aimee Edwards).
Liz Parry's production is not one whit hampered by its physical restrictions. As the accident victim, Richard Irons finds simmering frustration and anger that remind us that life is far from being a bowl of cherries, even if we laugh because he thinks that Sister Anderson (Barbara Garrett) has an iron surface beneath which beats a heart of stainless steel.
An excellent company is 14-strong and it drives the story with competence to the curtain call. To 3.10.09
John Slim
REVIEW
Lichfield Players
Lichfield Garrick
***
THERE are scary and amusing moments in this Agatha Christie mystery story which sees the players open their new season with a spot of multi-murder in a large house on an isolated island.
Opening night had a rather irritating start as the sound of crashing waves and screeching seagulls drowned some of the early dialogue, but the action quickly gathers pace.
Eight guests and two servants - each linked to some kind of unfortunate death in the past - have been invited there without knowing why, but soon realise their own lives are in danger...as forecast in a framed poem about the Ten Little Soldiers (the original title was changed for political correctness).
Why there are six wooden soldiers on the mantlepiece to begin with, and the periodic reducing number never quite coincides with the survivors, isn't clear, though perhaps people at the back of the auditorim can't spot that.
The entire cast act and deliver their lines well, however, with Eve Fehilly excellent as the young Vera Claythorne and Stephen Brunton a convincing retired Judge, Sir Lawrence Wargrove.
Directed by Brian Todd this who-done-them teaser runs to 3.10.09
Paul Marston
REVIEW
Hall Green Little Theatre
****
JILL is the butterfly. She's a pretty young actress, divorced, daffy and not backward in coming forward.
Don is the twig on whom she settles. He's in the flat next door, a daunting disarray that he can't see because he's blind.
He's not going anywhere - but especially not back home to Mother, whose anxieties on his behalf are totally taxing.
Ralph is the film director who has his roving eye on Jill. And he seems to have a butterfly net. How free will the butterfly remain?
Leonard Gershe's play is far funnier than it sounds, and in Margaret Whitehouse's production it is delivered with a touch that is - well, butterfly-light.
Ara Sotoudah and Katy Campbell are the central pairing, excellent in a relationship that sparkles before being challenged to survive a threat to its future. Zofja Zolna is Mother - dauntingly protective but with a heart of gold beneath the alarming exterior - and John Bourbonneux is the lusty Ralph.
This is the strong company that the play deserves.
To 3.10.09
REVIEW
Tudor Musical Comedy Society
Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
*****
THIS is the first show written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber and it has waited since 1965 for selected amateur groups to perform it before a national tour and a West End production.
Despite the excellent company, the story of Dr Barnardo and the London
orphans reaches the interval with the serious air of doing good at all
costs. Not a lot to get the feet stamping in this West Midlands
première.
All this changes in the second half. Three rousing numbers in succession – Going, Going, Gone, Man of the World and Have Another Cup of Tea – raise the tempo and the expectations and Stephen Duckham's production fairly romps to its happy ending.
Its splendid band of 20 orphans play a major part in the transformation,
in a s how that has, in Barry Styles and Rachel Jackson, a central
pairing with excellent voices. Ben O'Hare (Johnny) and Kerry Daniels
(Jenny) are attractive in support, and Eliza Harris comes with fetching
pugnacity to her vocal duties as Rose. Paul Lumsden makes the most of
his cameo role as the Auctioneer in leading the company in
Going, Going, Gone.
John Slim
To 3.10.09
REVIEW
Out of
Order
All & Sundry
Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
****
The company takes up the challenge of Ray Cooney's saucy political farce
and emerges with considerable credit by way of falling bath towels and a
couple of stark naked exits.
The action centres on an MP who is in an hotel, planning to have his
wicked way with the Prime Minister's secretary. When things go awry,
mainly because there is a body wedged in the sashcord window, he calls
his parliamentary private secretary to come and help.
Confusion multiplies with the arrival of Tina Watson, as the nurse, Pat
Hobday as the MP's wife and John Edwards-Bick as the vengeful husband of
the PM's secretary. The manager (Andrew Corcoran) flits in and out in a
condition of authoritative consternation, and Alan Slack is the
conspiratorial waiter who could be more po-faced and less smiley.
Mike Richardson works hard as the MP, as does Carla Griffiths as his
over-shrill would-be lover, with Nigel Buckley never letting a possible
laugh get away as his PPS. Mick Randle's adventures as the body include
being hung on a hook inside a cupboard.
Neale McGrath's lively production runs until Saturday, 26-09-09
John
Slim.
REVIEW
Tom, Dick and Harry
Trinity Players
Sutton Arts Theatre, Sutton Coldfield
****
This is a brave and
successful production by Jane Aston and Gary Simmons - brave, because
only three of the cast of ten had been onstage before, and successful
because the newcomers' burgeoning enthusiasm enables them to cope
effervescently with the fun-filled skills of writers Ray and Michael
Cooney.
Steven Blower bears the
brunt of responsibility as Tom, who, with his wife (Lynette Coffey)
hopes to adopt a baby,
Their prospects are dimmed
when the formidable woman from the adoption agency (Mary Singh) is about
to come and check the infant's prospective home - because one of his
brothers (Wayne Cooper) arrives with a van full of smuggled cigaretes
and brandy, and another (Malcolm Harris), for excellent reasons, turns
up with a bag of body parts to bury under the patio.
With Ann Dempsey - wonderful
as a drunken Kosovan illegal refugee - and Katharine Hollis as her
granddaughter, the complications go from strength to strength, to the
bemusement of Constable Upson (Tom Reilly) and Sergeant Downs (Debra
Carruthers).
Rick Jones is Boris the
baddie, but he doesn't have a chance of upsetting us while we wipe the
tears from our eyes. It's a delight.
And spare just a thought for
stage manager Jim Mannion, the hidden hero who spends 2½ hours under the
cushions of the bed settee for sound production reasons - but he is let out at the interval for a cup of tea and
some cake. Runs until Saturday, 26-09-09
John
Slim
REVIEW
Oldbury Repertory Players
Barlow Theatre,
***
JOHN Christopher Wood decided there could be
something funny in a couple who decide to present Macbeth in their
sitting room, with themselves and a toy panda as the cast.
Samantha Gessey and Rob Hyland get full marks for doing as well as they do with a script that offers them very little.
Elsie and Norm are a very ordinary couple whose Shakespearian shortcomings leave nothing to the imagination. Norm has helpfully rewritten the opus in rhyming couplets and introduced a singing telegram.
Elsie finds a pink boa and treats the audience to That Old Black Magic with no little flash of panache.
Norm says all this kinging is getting a bit much - and, indeed, it's a judgment that can be applied to the play itself. There is a limit to how many laughs can be squeezed out of amiable ordinariness dressed in unadulterated inanities.
Wayne Colwell's production gets full marks for a lot of hard work, but
the play does not deserve it.
To 26.9.09
John Slim