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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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A very French romance Gigi Sutton Arts Theatre Sutton Coldfield *** GIGI, the stage play, is based on the
1944 novella by Colette, adapted by Anita Loos. The plot follows a young Parisian girl being
groomed for a career as a courtesan, and her relationship with the
wealthy, cultured, Gaston who falls in love with, and marries, her. Made famous by the film musical adaptation by
Lerner and Loewe which launched the career of Audrey Hepburn, the story
is slight, but offers considerable potential for directorial
interpretation, and Sutton Arts always enjoy a challenge offering
innovative and ambitious productions. One of the first dilemmas is whether to ask the
cast to assume French accents. Doing so can lend authenticity, but can
also risk comic association with ‘Allo ‘Allo. Director Ian Appleby opted to “go French”, and
it worked, with the cast commendably sticking to the task throughout.
The play itself is divided into three scenes for each of the two acts,
which unfold in two apartments, the sets for which were elegant and
pleasing. The script is unusual in that the lead parts of
Gigi, and her suitor Gaston, are relatively straight roles whilst the
supporting cast have far greater scope for fun with exaggerated
characterisation. Sarah Farmer is a reliable anchor as Gigi,
pouting and flouncing, girlish and innocent, Mark Nattrass's Gaston
oozes carefree insouciance before falling for the young girl's charms. Susan Lynch's statuesque beauty makes her a
convincing French grandmother, Mme Alvarez, swathed in black lace, wise,
and always with a twinkle in her eye, in a performance that I liked very
much. The ability of the cast to breathe life into
their characters is vital in a plot in which very little physically
happens, Elena Serafinas as Andree (borrowing some zany moves from
Phyllis Diller), and Valerie Tomlinson as Alicia, have great fun hamming
up their parts while Robert Alexander is a suitably unctuous Butler. The production peaks in Act Two, Scene One, in
which Bhupinder Dhamu steals the show with a wonderful comic cameo as
Sidonie the maid, playing to the crowd, taking her time, lifting the
spirits of cast and audience alike. Beautifully costumed, the
predominantly female cast delight in swishing and swirling in their
period dresses, apart from Gigi who has to make do with a smock! The play entertains throughout as a comedy of
manners as Gigi explores, and frets about, her impending womanhood, but
the ending of the play is somewhat perfunctory when Gaston and Gigi
finally unite. To -7-09-13. Gary Longden Tickets: www.suttonartstheatre.co.uk |
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