AUGUST 2011 AMATEUR STAGE by Amateur Stage Limited

amateurstage THE UK’S ONLY MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR AMATEUR THEATRE www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk

AUGUST 2011

£2.95

amateurstage | August 2011

The Musical Produced

INCORPORATING

SOUTH EAST, SOUTH WEST, NORTH EAST COVERaugust11.indd 3

ACORN ANTIQUES

LITTLE THEATRE GUILD NEWS PLAYSCRIPT REVIEWS NEWS * REVIEWS * TECH NEWS NATIONAL DIARY * INTERVIEWS 14/08/2011 19:46:17

UKP AS Full page New 2

4/8/11

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42nd Street

Professional set, costume and prop hire As one of the country’s largest producers of professional touring musicals we have an extensive catalogue of high quality sets, costumes and props available for hire to amateur companies, including stocks from our professional pantomime range. Our experienced design team can also produce bespoke items just for you from our comprehensive workshop facilities – from a one-off costume to a full stage set. We also have other equipment for hire including wigs and wardrobe equipment, music stands, communications, glaciator/low smoke machines and pyrotechnic equipment. Find out how we can help your production to be a success – call us now on 01483 423600 or email rentals@ukproductions.co.uk

South Pacific

Our musical productions include: • Disney’s Beauty and the Beast • Fiddler on the Roof • 42nd Street • Carousel • South Pacific • Jekyll and Hyde • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers • Oklahoma! • Singin’ in the Rain Our traditional family pantomimes: • Aladdin • Dick Whittington • Cinderella • Jack and the Beanstalk • Sleeping Beauty • Peter Pan • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Mother Goose • Robin Hood & the Babes in the Wood

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Churchmill House, Ockford Road, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1QY www.ukproductions.co.uk

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amateurstageaug11 FROM THE EDITOR September marks our 65th birthday. We’re busy looking back over the history of Amateur Stage and are looking forward to bringing you a very special edition next month. Don’t forget that we rely on groups from across the country sending us news and information, not to mention photographs for our diary pages. We would like to publish material from as many groups as possible so make sure your publicity team know about us. We hope that groups across the UK are using their summer break to prepare their shows for the winter season. There’s some exciting stuff on the horizon that we’ve been privvy to and we look forward to sharing this with you in the coming months. Enjoy! Doug

14 THIS MONTH 5

OVERTURE News from across the UK

FIRST NIGHT INSURANCE Robert Israel gives valuable advice.

JANE’S MUSINGS

Amdram.co.uk’s Jane shares some thoughts.

LITTLE THEATRE GUILD NEWS The latest news form the LTG

ACORN ANTIQUES The Muscal Produced

NODA SOUTH WEST

NODA SOUTH EAST

NODA NORTH EAST

PLAYSCRIPT REVIEWS David Muncaster reviews the latest script offerings

PRODUCTION DIARY September/ October National show listings

THE LAST WORD Doris returns!!

CREDITS Published monthly by Amateur Stage Limited ISSN 00026867 Suite 404 Albany House, 324 Regent Street, London W1B 3HH P: 0203 0062845 www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk Editor - Douglas Mayo : editor@asmagazine.co.uk SUBSCRIBE NOW UK Rates - 1 Year £24. 2 Years £40 Subscribe online or by sending a cheque payable to Amateur Stage to the address shown above.

All rights reserved throughout the world. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written consent of Amateur Stage. The views and opinions expressed by the contributors to this magazine may not necessarily represent the views of Amateur Stage. (c) 2011 Amatuer Stage Limited

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GET READY TO ROCK The smash hit Broadway musical Rock Of Ages starts previewing in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre later this month. The story of small-town girl and boy Sherrie and Drew, who meet, fall in love, lose each other then struggle to fight for their love (no we’re not making this up) is jam packed with 80’s mega anthems including Wanted Dead or Alive, Don’t Stop Believin’ and I Want To Know What Love Is. With a cast including Wicked favourite Oliver Thompsett, Avenue Q’s Simon Lipkin, X Factor’s Shayne Ward and Justin Lee Collins, Rock Of Ages is certain to have a long run. For more information visit www.rockofagesmusical.co.uk

overture national news * events * products * competitions * stuff

GRAND PLANS FOR PORTSMOUTH

LOCAL GRANT HELPS SAVE THE ROOF

Ambitious plans to create a buzzing theatreland in the heart of Portsmouth have gone on show to the public. Their focus is a £4m major redevelopment of the oldest playhouse in the city combined with a £20m university project providing new student accommodation. The New Theatre Royal and the University of Portsmouth have joined forces and they hope their plans, if approved, will create a thriving artistic feel to Guildhall Walk. City council planners are expected to consider the project at the end of the month. If they give the green light the new-look theatre with halls of residence for 110 students above it would open in the summer of 2013. The new ‘theatre-quarter’ as it has been dubbed, would transform the old building into a 700-seat venue. Its current capacity is 525. Ms Sharman said: ‘The larger capacity means we could attract London companies here. This would give us the financial clout to become home to some of the leading amateur groups in the city. ‘They certainly would not lose out as a result of this redevelopment.’ The project would give the theatre a bigger stage and improved backstage facilities. It involves building on unused land behind the building – known as the back-lot – which fronts White Swan Road and Exchange Road. There would also be a 150-seat studio theatre to be used by smaller community productions and the University of Portsmouth.

An amateur dramatics group which was facing rehearsing in hard hats due to a leaking roof has won £44,000 for repair work. The Summerseat Players received the grant to carry out work at the Theatre Royal, in Smithy Street, Ramsbottom. The group successfully applied to Viridor Credits Environmental Company for the cash after a leak was discovered in the roof of the auditorium. Viridor Waste Management, which has a landfill site at Pilsworth, near Bury, provides funding through the Landfill Communities Fund for community projects within a 10 mile radius of its sites. Summerseat Players chairman Geoff Sword said the work was vital to prevent long lasting damage to seating and the stage. He said: “Preparing the damaged roof was also a marvellous opportunity to insulate since only a layer of felt was in place between the audience and the roof. “The theatre has been much busier of late now that we have opened it up to the community and our heating costs were literally going through the roof. “This work will keep us all warm and dry for next 30 or 40 years and reduce our bills dramatically.” The group will now be holding a series of fundraising events including a jazz evening in the new lounge bar on September 4 to raise the extra £5,000 to complete the work. The repairs expected to take six weeks are now underway and should be completed by September 17, when the players new production Dick Barton Special Agent will open. Recently the volunteersrun theatre underwent a £400,000 refurbishment, w h i c h included a new rehearsal studio, a coffee lounge and bar.

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OVERTURE

TERRY JONES TO RE-OPEN THEATR COLWYN A special Monty Python event, fronted by hometown star Terry Jones, will mark the official reopening of Colwyn Bay’s Victorian theatre after a facelift. Jones, Theatr Colwyn’s patron, will be interviewed by comic Phill Jupitus after a screening of the Python classic, The Holy Grail. The grand reopening will be held on 15 October, the theatre has announced. The building has undergone refurbishment after receiving a £750,000 grant. The money has been spent creating a new box office and a community room. Money has been spent moving the bar and creating the box office, office space and community room. There will also be disabled access to all floors. The theatre was expected to open last spring, but the revamp was delayed by a few months due to unforeseen structural problems. The venue’s new programme will reopen on 14 September with a production of Godspell, before Jones, who lived in the town until he was four, returns for the official ceremony. He lent his support to the project in a visit to the theatre in April 2010. “I’ve got a soft spot for Theatr Colwyn because my granddad used to run the Colwyn amateur dramatic society in the 1930s,” he said at the time. “He conducted a performance of Yeomen of the Guard here, which was also to raise funds. So it’s great to follow in his footsteps.” The building is said to house the oldest operating cinema in the UK. Alice Robinson, chair of of the theatre’s joint management committee, said: “It is so exciting to see this finally happen, after so many years of hoping. But this is just the first phase. We need to carry out a second phase of redevelopment at the rear of the stage, so the fundraising needs to continue.”

BEST of BRITISH FINALS, WYVERN THEATRE, SWINDON, 1ST AND 2ND JULY So, this year to Swindon, sometime home of the Great Western Railway and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but more famous these days for its Shopping Outlet, Honda Cars and its own Magic Roundabout. The purpose of the trip was the Best of British Drama Festival at the Wyvern Theatre presented by the All England Theatre Festival, under the leadership of the English Western Area Chairman Mike Linham and his team, ably supported by Ann Aplin, Chair of AETF. Much planning and preparation was handsomely rewarded by the numbers attending and the splendid sponsorship from the John Lewis Partnership. It was equally reflected in the close and efficient co-operation between the Theatre Staff and the Festival organisers and crew. As is now traditional the Festival was spread over 2 days with England and Wales on Friday 1st and Northern Ireland and Scotland on Saturday 2nd July. First night anticipation was high and the audience boosted by the appearance of the Old Town Theatre Company of Swindon as English Winners in ”The Recidivists” by local author Mathew Clift. The play centres on two prisoners sharing a cell. Frank is a violent homophobic and enjoys only his own company. Into his solitary world is thrust, literally, Honey, an effeminate, very camp, homosexual. The pair go through various confrontations and emotional revelations as they are forced to confront and understand each other’s point of view. Cleverly using snatches of song and dance, plus straight humour, it was also funny and audience friendly. The Welsh entry was “A Kind of Vesuvius” by festival favourite Gillian Plowman and presented by The New Tabs Players from Milford Haven. This play for three middleaged, middle-class men, each in his own way trying to cope with unemployment. Their attempts to preserve their everyday lives, warding off depression and the feelings of rejection, anger and aggression, range from the touching to moments of manic humour. Despite their positive intentions, they are forced to acknowledge the wisdom of Derek’s Auntie Maureen - ‘Life is a bugger sometimes, Derek, and it helps to have a little cry’. Following Festival Adjudicator, Mike Tilbury of GODA comments there was a cheerful gathering of patrons in the theatre, some in splendid kilts, all eager for a splendid supper, the odd refreshing glass and some cheerful and very English entertainment from the Chippenham Town Morris Men. Saturday was another warm day and started with a friendly civic reception for the teams and the national representatives with the mayor of Swindon. This was followed in the afternoon by a rehearsed reading of “Sinking” by Les Clarke as 2011 winner of the Geoffrey Whitworth Trophy. Sponsored by Amateur Stage and performed by the Clarendon Players from ,soon to be “Royal” Wootton Bassett. It was notable not only for the size and enthusiasm of the audience but also the presence of the author and some of his original cast. The evening entertainment began with the Newpoint Players, from Northern Ireland, presentation of “Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down” by Richard Cameron. Set in the 1980s in post-industrial Doncaster, South Yorkshire, the play follows three women and their tales of Royce Boland, who has a devastating effect on their lives in many different ways. Royce, a man we never see, gets Ruby pregnant, bullies Jodie’s childhood friend to his death and marries Lynette, all of which unfolds in three intermeshed monologues from the women. The Scottish entry was Act 1 of “Art” by Yasmina Resa translated by Christopher Hampton and presented by the Tryst Theatre “C” [apparently it rhymes with iced!] The

comedy, which raises questions about art and friendship, concerns three long-time friends, Serge, Marc, and Yvan. Serge, indulging his penchant for modern art, buys a large, expensive, completely white painting. Marc is horrified, and their relationship suffers considerable strain as a result of their differing opinions about what constitutes “art”. Yvan, caught in the middle of the conflict, tries to please and mollify both of them. The English version of the play opened in 1996 with Albert Finney in the lead. Following these two performances Festival Adjudicator, Mike Tilbury of GODA came to the stage to discuss the evening’s performances. He commented on the apparent dichotomy of an Irish cast performing a Yorkshire play and congratulated the three young actresses on their achievements. He did feel that the structure of the play with its interwoven soliloquies gave a rather static feel to the piece which their gentle female voices did not always overcome. He then explained the background to the many starstudded touring productions of “Art” in recent years and commended the Scottish cast for their bravura performances in such a challenging work. Particularly commenting on their use of the space, imaginative staging and sharp queuing and teamwork After a suitable interval the stage was set for the final presentation, an impressive opening was followed by the introduction of the assembled dignitaries by Ashley Heath from Radio Wiltshire, who had compered both evenings. Presented by Alan Marshall, Chair of the Association of Ulster Drama Festivals, participating clubs were given Certificates of Participation in the Festival. The Scottish Chairman, Gordon Hibbert, then presented the Geoffrey Whitworth Prize to Les Clarke before Mike Tilbury came forward to announce the Festival winner. Commenting that supporters of three teams were bound to disagree with him, he declared the 2011 winner to be Tryst Theatre from Best of British Page 3 Falkirk, Scotland. The Howard de Walden Trophy was presented by the Mayor of Swindon, Ray Ballman. Ann Aplin, Chair of AETF, closed the Festival by transferring the responsibility to Wales for 2012. This was symbolised by giving them a newly designed “Quaitch”. This had 4 handles rather than the traditional 2, to represent each of the participating countries, was engraved “British Final of One-Act Plays”. On behalf of the Drama Association of Wales, Sarah d’Ivry accepted the Quaitch and warmly invited participants to the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven, 6th and 7th July 2012. After the awards, many folk repaired to the Menzies Hotel for a late, late supper and cheerful entertainment from Mixed Company of Bristol leading a potpourri of songs from Noel Coward. A long and entertaining evening was followed later on Sunday morning by a gathering of representatives from the 4 participating countries who reported their appreciation of events and wished to record their congratulations to the Western Area of the AETF for a highly successful Festival.

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INSURANCE

FIRST NIGHT INSURANCE

INSURANCE OF HIRING CHARGES Robert Israel ACII talks about insurance updates relating to amateur theatre. The standard First Night Insurance package was specifically designed for amateur societies a number of years ago. During the design of the wording, we tried to incorporate certain extensions that we thought were particularly relevant to amateur societies. The extensions are designed to provide extra cover for the societies and are, in all honesty, not called into action that often. However, we have had reason to look very closely at one of the extensions currently applicable to the Material Damage Section of the First Night Policy. We were recently asked by a society what the difference was between “Additional Hiring Charges” and “Continuing Hiring Charges”. It is, in fact, quite important that the society understands the difference, especially when signing a contract with a supplier of goods for a particular production. So let us assume that you are hiring a microphone from a hire company. Within their terms and conditions they will make you responsible for the microphone whilst it is in your possession and they should give you a value of the item for Insurance purposes. This is quite simple and, as long as your overall sum insured for all equipment that you own or hire is adequate then the item will be automatically insured within your sum insured.

Policy and the wording of the Automatic Reinstatement Section effectively means that if you sustain a loss, let’s say your store burns down, then Insurers will automatically reinstate the sum insured you had prior to the loss as long as you carry out any amendments to the protections Insurers require and that you pay the appropriate additional premium. The important word here is “Automatically”. The importance of this word was shown very clearly to me a number of years ago and involved a claim, not to do with the theatre, in which the client sustained a fairly substantial loss of stock. They immediately replaced the stock, but then sustained a further loss a few days later. The Automatic Reinstatement Condition is very important indeed, and the reason can be traced back to the basic Law of Contract. In this country an Insurance Policy is subject to the Law of Contract and a contract states that, in return for a consideration (premium) Insurers will pay the Insured an amount of money should the subject matter (in this case stock) sustain an Insured Loss. So, once that has occurred, i.e. the loss has taken place, then the subject matter is no longer in existence and the contract is technically at an end. So in my example, had there not been an automatic reinstatement of the sum insured following the loss then the second loss would not be insured. Hopefully you will not encounter any of the problems mentioned above, but if you do then I hope that these notes will give you some assistance.

So now, in my example, let us assume that the microphone is dropped and damaged. Obviously, you need a microphone otherwise you cannot continue with the production, so you will need to hire another one whilst the original is repaired. The extension under the First Night Policy is designed to cover the additional costs you are involved in in hiring an additional microphone pending the repair of the original. Unfortunately, the problem may not end there in that in my example, let us say, it takes a long time for the microphone to be repaired. Some hire companies make the hirer responsible for the hire charges until the microphone has been repaired. The problem is that, in some cases, I have seen hiring agreements where there is no limit on the number of weeks that the hire company can continue to charge. This is called Continuing Hiring Charges and I would strongly urge you to check very carefully the terms of any hire agreement that you intend to sign. Whilst it is not unreasonable for a hire company to continue their charges whilst the item is being repaired, what I do find slightly unreasonable is the fact that they can continue to charge effectively ad infinitum and no Insurance Company is going to protect you against this event because effectively it is an open ended charge. The First Night Insurance package goes some way to protect you in that we cover both Additional Hiring Charges and Continuing Hiring Charges up to a limit of £500. That is not to say that we cannot provide extra cover over and above the £500 limit, but we would need to know the very specific circumstances. It may be that you are hiring a very large expensive costume, which will take a long time to repair should it be damaged. There is no problem with us providing this cover as long as we are aware of the specifics prior to the event in order that we can correctly calculate your exposure and from that the premium required by Insurers. Whilst on the subject of claims, I was asked recently what the expression “Automatic Reinstatement of the Sum Insured” means. Again we are referring to the cover provided under the Material Damage Section of your First Night

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s g n i s u M Jane’s

OVERTURE

or several years now I have been concerned about the future of amateur theatre. You only have to go and support your local amateur production to see what I mean. Not only are the cast on stage getting older, but so is the audience. On first glance it appears that pantomime is bucking this trend, but look carefully at the audience. How many grandparents are sitting with the children instead of parents? Hopefully some of this might be because the parents are in the cast, but is it? Think back to when you last went to see an amateur production, not performing, but to watch. Did you look at the audience? Did you notice how old the average age is now? Okay a Saturday matinee is an ideal opportunity for older people to get out without having to worry about dark nights, but how many productions are in an evening and yet the older people are still there. What happens when these loyal supporters can no longer make it, who will be in the audience then? But I don’t think it’s just the audience that’s affected by age. How have the children perfomance laws affected your group? I know years ago I was in a group who wouldn’t take anyone under the age of 16 because if they did the group couldn’t afford the insurance. With stricter controls on performance times and the requirement for approved chaparones has this driven children away from your group? Now look at your group’s committee. What’s the average age? How many people are under 30? Lots of questions I know, and I don’t have the answers, but it’s something that everyone who cares about amateur theatre should be trying to address. Should groups be moving away from the classics which are currently guaranteed to get bums on seats and start taking a risk on newer writing that might appeal to a younger audience? What really got me thinking about this issue was two recent shows I saw at my local theatre. Both were professional touring productions. I saw the first on a Saturday night, the last show. The second I saw on opening night. The two audiences couldn’t have been more different. The shows were completely different, but I was concerned at the differences and my perceived explanation. The first was “The Lady in the Van” by Alan Bennett being toured by Hull Truck Theatre. It starred Nichola McAuliffe who apparently was in Surgical Spirit. Means nothing to me. But most people with a passing knowledge of theatre know who Alan Bennett is (you know, he who wrote The History Boys) and might have heard of Hull Truck Theatre. I would have thought this was a bums on seats production. How wrong could I have been. I was downstairs and it was half full, I don’t know what the numbers were like upstairs, but I suspect similar if not even less packed. So disappointing. The play was fabulous, well written (as you would expect), marvellously acted and well costumed, I have to say that last piece because I studied historical costume with the Wardrobe Supervisor. The second production was “Midnight Tango” staring Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone, two of the professional dancers from the television show Strictly Come Dancing. They’ve already announced that Midnight Tango will be in the West End from January 2012 for 10 weeks. Now this was a real bums on seats production. The theatre was packed and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was sold out every night for the rest of the week. Now don’t get me wrong, it was a great show and most of the dancing was fabulous, but is this theatre? Is the only way to get people into a theatre is to reproduce successful “reality” shows from the television? I know Jerry Springer, The Musical was popular, I went to see it myself, but the thought of Big Brother being brought to a stage near me fills me with dread. However, what I found really worrying was that the audience’s average age must have dropped by several decades for the second show, so I wonder if I should really complain when a show is getting younger people into a theatre. If they like what they see professionally, perhaps they will consider an amateur performance next and then be encouraged to tread the boards themselves. I don’t know, but something has to happen to prevent the current decline generally in theatre and in amateur theatre in particular.

Jane

www.amdram.co.uk If you want to write to Jane you can do it care of this magazine or via email – jane@amdram.co.uk. She would be delighted to hear from you and who knows she might even muse about your comments.

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LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnew Michael Shipley looks at what’s been going on recently around the country. This summer we have welcomed a new member to the LTG – Seaford Little Theatre from East Sussex. Established in 1945, with its own home since 1954 in a converted Christian Science Church, now seating 98, the group presents 4 plays each season. Recent productions include The Chalk Garden, The Day after the Fair, Snake in the Grass and The Odd Couple, which has enabled good box-office to grow gradually, if not quite as rapidly as expenditure. A major project ahead is to install a damp-proof course in the old building, so fundraising continues to be a priority. Seaford now joins the immediate local grouping of Lewes Little Theatre, New Venture Theatre Brighton, and Brighton Little Theatre, and regular HUB meetings are proving very helpful to all aspects of amateur theatre work in this area. The Guild has important regional meetings ahead this autumn. Leading the way is Toads Theatre Company, Torquay who are hosting the Southern Region Conference and AGM over the weekend of 14th/16th October. One important item of business will be the election of a new Southern Region Secretary following the death this spring of Rosemary Shaw. The following weekend, 21st/23rd October sees the Northern Region Conference and AGM hosted by Penrith Players, Cumbria. An interesting feature of this meeting will be a talk from local MP Rory Stewart – it’s not often that a national politician takes notice of am/dram activities! The Central Region Meeting and AGM will take place on 12th November at Hall Green Little Theatre, Birmingham. Apart from useful seminars and talks, and the chance to see the host theatre’s latest production, these weekends continue to be most valuable in the open discussion sessions that take place, as well as the informal chats at the bar, where new friendships are made, and useful information exchanged. When delegates return to their home theatres, a repeated comment is – “We are not alone after all!”. In April the Guild was faced with a minor crisis as newly elected Chairman, Ian Thompson, resigned for private and personal reasons. The committee felt that it would be unfair for the newly elected Vice-Chairman Kevin Spence to be plunged immediately into his constitutional responsibilities, and so asked retiring Chairman Eddie Redfern to stay on for another year to ease the transition. No doubt this will be ratified at the next AGM. Meanwhile Eddie continues to meet with representatives of the Government and other bodies to cover the proposed legislation to amend the laws relating to Children in Performance. The likely proposals to amend the regulations have been circulated, which if adopted are very good news for the amateur sector. At the end of May we learnt the sad news that Marjorie Havard had died aged 89. I was able to attend the funeral service in Grimsby, and a full tribute appears elsewhere in this issue of Amateur Stage. I had known Marjorie for nearly 50 years, and it is difficult to name any person over that period who worked harder for and achieved more for the amateur theatre movement than her. It was gratifying that short tributes to Marjorie appeared in The Guardian and The Stage papers. In May 2016 the Guild will be celebrating its 75th

birthday – this still feels a long way away, but we are starting to formulate plans for a suitable celebration. The input from the membership is being sought informally at this stage. When we were 40, we staged a New Plays Festival; when we were 50 we held a massive conference at Leeds University. It will be interesting to see what new ideas emerge.

The RSC Open Stages Project for 2012

The news is continuing to come in from Guild members about their proposed participation in this exciting project for 2011/2012. We are keeping a running up-date on the project, and the following theatres have officially joined in. Humble Boy (Charlotte Jones), Maskers’ Studio, Southampton (21 – 29 Oct 2011) Merry Wives of Windsor, Lace Market, Nottingham (31 Oct – 5 Nov 2011) All’s Well that Ends Well, Teddington Theatre Club (Jan-Feb 2012) Much Ado About Nothing , Abbey Theatre, St Albans (24 Feb – 3 Mar) Othello, Questors Theatre (28 Feb – 17 Mar) Romeo & Juliet, Questors Theatre (ditto) The Sonnets, Abbey Theatre, St Albans (5 – 10 March) Much Ado About Nothing, Bolton LT (17 – 24 Mar) The Tempest, Questors Youth Theatre (22 – 24 March) Measure for Measure, Ilkley Playhouse (18-28 April) Baba Shakespeare (Emmeline Winterbotham) – UK Premiere – Tower Theatre (Spring) Romeo & Juliet, Rugby Theatre (May) The School of Night (Peter Whelan), Questors Theatre (15 – 23 June) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Wilmslow Green Room (Summer) The Careful Glover (Jim Baines) – UK Premiere Chads Theatre (Oct) Some theatres have announced their participation, but have still to give details of the play and playing dates, so the list will continue to expand! News has just come through of an exciting project at Tower Theatre, as part of the RSC Open Stages project. Emmeline Winterbotham has received special permission from Ruth Jhabvala and James Ivory to adapt the screenplay of Shakespeare Wallah, the 1965 film telling the story of the Kendal family Shakespeare productions which toured India during and after the war. The script will be developed through a series of workshops, and the company is looking for people with skills in Indian dance, music and puppetry. The story will be interwoven with the colour and dance of a Bollywood musical. Production is planned for Spring 1012.

News from around the country At HEBDEN BRIDGE LITTLE THEATRE there was great elation when the fund-raising target of £50,000 had been exceeded, which was only to be dashed when the Planning Department insisted that the proposed newbuild must include a lift and a fire-escape. An appeal succeeded on the question of the lift, but not the fireescape. Work will be done in the summer to provide the shell for the improvement by raising the roof, and full

outfitting will take more time and money. Fund raising continues – of course! Meanwhile in June/July the theatre was very busy hosting events for the local Arts Festival. David Garrick’s Temple to Shakespeare by the river at Hampton is open to the public on Sunday afternoons, and this year RICHMOND SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY has been invited to present there a reading of sonnets/soliloquys on the 7th August as part of a summer-long programme. At LOFT THEATRE, LEAMINGTON SPA it now seems clear that there will be no relocation of the theatre into the adjoining chapel building, following the withdrawal from the scheme by Advantage West Midlands, and the payment of a substantial sum in compensation. Many hours, indeed years of work on the scheme have given the board special insight into how to approach the next 15 years as plans are now prepared for how the existing theatre is to move forward. Disappointing that the ambitious scheme should now have to be abandoned, but the lessons learnt will bear fruit in the longer term. Plans at TOWER THEATRE, Islington for their new home are still being re-formulated following the decision not to proceed with the building of a new theatre on the site of Shakespeare’s first theatre. There is now to be a new consultation and a new business plan, based on the restoration of the capital funds to their original position before the previous project was embarked upon. Priorities are going to be sustaining and building morale, and reducing the company’s year-on-year financial deficit while it operates in rented spaces. OAST THEATRE, TONBRIDGE has announced that ambitious plans to extend the theatre have received planning permission. “It’s a very novel scheme. The design involves extending the top floor of the barn across the driveway at the back of the Oast and joining it to the main building effectively forming a high level bridge. The barn roof will be raised providing a large new floor area. Also, the rear wall of the theatre will be moved back, adding depth to the stage, and the roof over the whole area will replaced at a higher level. It’s a very exciting project which will inevitably be expensive, but we have a healthy bank balance to start us off.” Congratulations to LEICESTER LITTLE THEATRE who in May chalked up their 1.000th production with Our Town. Are they the first in the country to reach this impressive achievement? At QUESTORS THEATRE they’ve just launched a brand new Questors Academy featuring all their training courses, including actor training, youth theatre, and a new BA (Hons) in Theatre Production with the University of West London. You can pick up a prospectus from the theatre or download a PDF from www.questors.org.uk/ academy. At MARKET HARBOROUGH DRAMA SOCIETY they have been looking back at the last 20 years of growth and expenditure, and calculated that they have raised and spent £584,000 on maintaining the theatre building over these years. With a seating capacity of 117, and 7 productions a year, this achievement is quite remarkable. But there is no sense that the theatre complex is now complete, and further plans are under consideration! At the end of June ABBEY THEATRE, St Albans presented five nights of new work, with two or three plays being presented on four consecutive evenings. These were judged by local playwright Philip Osment, and awards were made in three categories – best new play, best new play by an author under 25, and best production of a new play. The three winners were then played on the final Saturday evening.

News from The Lisbon Players

“As many of you know we’ve had a terribly difficult year with our court case against the British Government and our ongoing battle to upgrade the theatre in agreement with the Portuguese Ministry of Culture regulations. However all is going brilliantly. We’ve had an incredibly successful season with five productions (each running

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news > LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnews > for 12 or more performances). The Importance of Being Earnest, She Stoops to Conquer (a musical version with songs from The Beggar’s Opera), Mary Stuart, Three Short Plays and Romeo and Juliet. Box office was extremely good on all productions – almost 100% on The Importance, R&J and She Stoops, 70% on the other two. Our only income is from Box Office so all the more amazing that we now have enough in our bank account to pay for building works over the summer. And this was after we’d almost been cleaned out by the costs of getting water into the building and the very high court costs. Our new season is now being announced – Six productions! Mister, Move your Mattress (a musical based on Aristophanes Lysistrata), The Three Sisters by Chekhov, The Provok’d Wife by Vanbrugh, Dr. Feelgood (a new play about Tennessee Williams and Dr. Egas Moniz, the Portuguese Nobel, inventor of lobotomy to commemorate the 100th anniversary of TW’s birth) and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The sixth production will be a Christmas show aimed at our younger audience as well as a rehearsed reading of A Christmas Carol. We close for the months of July and August for necessary building works which will include renovation of the lavatories, including a new one connected to the dressing room, equipped with a shower, as well as a complete overhaul of the auditorium which will include renovation of the seating, the balconies and a paint job. But despite all of this, please be aware that the battle with the British Government may not be over, despite having established our right to occupation and use of the theatre, which has been maintained and used by us since 1947! At a recent meeting at the British Embassy we were threatened with a three-month eviction notice by a representative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We do believe that they can’t get us out that easily and that we do have certain rights under Portuguese law, but remember, the forces of property and government combined are a force to be reckoned with! The Lisbon Players remains an amazing international meeting place of cultures, a center of artistic excellence, a stronghold of the English language, an invaluable educational resource and a training ground for theatre practitioners of whatever ethnic or linguistic background. Let’s do all in our power to keep it that way! Jonathan Weightman”

Book Review

SHAKESPEARE and AMATEUR PERFORMANCE A Cultural History Michael Dobson Cambridge University Press, £50 ISBN 978-0-521-86234-9 Professor Michael Dobson has many eminent achievements behind him in the competitive world of Shakespeare studies. He now turns his attention to amateur performances of the Bard, and uncovers a fascinating history of what was going on largely behind the backs of the professionals, and therefore largely unsung, except with faint praise. He devotes an illuminating chapter to private aristocratic performance in the 17th and 18th centuries, which kept Shakespeare alive in England, albeit in heavily cut often bowdlerised versions. It was one thing to let your wife perform before friends, but to allow your daughter to play Juliet – lines had to be drawn somewhere! The well-documented productions by Sir Edward Dering in the 1620s at Surrenden, Kent, particularly of Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, make for highly entertaining reading as the detail is so copious. Over a century later we are introduced to Hogarth’s participation in Georgian high society revels. Professional stiffening was not uncommon, but the reputation of amateur performers in London cannot have been much helped by the elopement of Lady Susannah Fox-Strangeways

with the actor William O’Brien! But in Salisbury an all female performance of The Sheep Shearing: or Florizel & Perdita in 1774 was quite a landmark, and fortunately a wealth of detail, finally researched from local archives as recently as 2002, brings the event alive. One thing is abundantly clear – even then amateurs had the problem that their audiences would insist on identifying them with the roles they played. Another source of fascinating information are the records of the public theatricals in Kilkenny between 1802 and 1819. Shakespeare was the most frequently performed playwright, with Romeo & Juliet now quite prominent, reflecting the dawn of Romanticism. Using a hired playhouse in the town, rather than taking place on wholly domestic premises, this venture represented private theatricals at their nearest point of convergence with the public stage, but in the effects produced by its casting and its social dynamics, it offered a very different Shakespeare to the playwright whose work was the staple of the mass-market repertory at Covent Garden and Drury Lane. The genteel actors of Kilkenny sought to redeem Shakespeare from the vulgarity of the commercial stage, and to confirm their own status as civic benefactors in the process. The following chapter entitled “The resisted rise of the amateur theatre” brings us eventually to the celebrated founding of the Stockport Garrick Society in 1901, an event that marked in the Arts the true arrival of the middle classes, as well as the Little Theatre movement. Shakespeare was as important as Shaw and Ibsen, as the histories of little theatres founded before 1939 strongly bear out. As many LTG members already know, the archives of Stockport Garrick are well preserved, and enable Professor Dobson to flesh out some most interesting pages, complete with historic illustrations. Other little theatres contributing to this history are Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich (which under Nugent Monck’s direction eventually chalked up performances of every acknowledged Shakespeare play, and even in 2011 was keen to maintain its record by performing Cardenio (Double Falsehood), the first amateurs to do so); Great Hucklow Village Players; Middlesborough LT; People’s Theatre; Bolton LT; and Questors Theatre. Another chapter covers Shakespeare performances abroad to both English speaking and foreign audiences (from Hamlet by sailors on a Galleon off the coast of West Africa in 1607, by expatriates in Geneva and Florence, by servicemen in many outposts of empire, and in embassies) and culminates in an account of performances in WWII prison camps. Bearing in mind the growth of amateur theatre in the 20s and 30s, it is perhaps no surprise that such a varied wealth of theatrical talent and experience should be interned in various Stalag camps all over the Reich, and that this could support (often with official connivance) almost non-stop theatricals for the duration of the war. For the period after the war, Professor Dobson expertly charts the gradual decline of amateur indoor Shakespeare performance and its link to the exciting developments in the professional sector. For many theatre-goers, the comparison may have been increasingly unfavourable. But, amazingly, outdoor Shakespeare over the same years has blossomed, from small beginnings at Brownsea Island and the Minack Theatre to the abundance of ventures we enjoy today. The pageantry of the late Victorian era has returned with a sort of jingoistic pride in our heritage, so that no summer, however inclement, can now pass without amateurs strutting their stuff on the greensward, with a backdrop of stately piles, castles and ruins, and encouragement from the National Trust and English Heritage. Crucial to this development has been the unfading popularity of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which of course has its own in-built sub-plot of the rude mechanicals. Whether this explosion of amateur activity in the summer has advanced or impeded the cause of serious amateur theatre in general, and Shakespeare in particular, is a question Professor Dobson touches on,

but he reserves his judgment! The book makes for an absorbing read, despite some passages which are perhaps overloaded with facts and quotations of purely academic interest. For those of us long and heavily involved in the Little Theatre movement it is a ‘must read’, as it gives us an historical perspective on the work we do, and convinces us that we are part of a valuable tradition much older than we ever suspected. Pity about the high price – try badgering your local libraries while you still have them! Michael Shipley

Cardenio – a final verdict?

The Cardenio Saga, which I have been monitoring over the past 18 months, has finally reached a climax with the production by the RSC in The Swan, currently playing. For newcomers to the story, Cardenio is one of Shakespeare’s long lost plays. We know that it was performed in his lifetime in 1613, and some music for the production survives; but the script itself has been lost. Unless of course you believe Lewis Theobald’s assertion in 1727 that he had access to a copy, enabling him to prepare a version suitable for the 18th century, which he entitled Double Falsehood. But he never had his manuscript source authenticated! Small wonder that people didn’t believe him then, and many don’t even now. But there is at the core of his play something impressively Jacobean, and today critics are putting their money more on Fletcher than on Shakespeare. After all, the two playwrights were collaborating on several plays at the time. Richmond Shakespeare Society gave a rehearsed reading of Double Falsehood in April 2010 after the publication of the text by Arden Shakespeare edition, and this was followed by a full production at Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich. Full marks to members of the Guild for such a prompt up-take. With the RSC production, billed as Shakespeare’s Lost Play Re-Imagined, we now have the chance to judge for ourselves. Director Greg Doran, with the assistance of Spanish dramatist Antonio Alama, has now grafted onto Theobald’s text the original Jacobean translation by Thomas Shelton of the Cervantes story from Don Quixote. “Far from being a mad, bits and pieces patchwork, the result is a strangely coherent and ultimately moving drama” wrote Michael Billington in his review. Having now seen the production, it only remains for me to say that Doran has re-imagined his sources brilliantly, creating an engrossing piece of theatre that sits entirely at ease in the Swan Theatre with all the other revivals of Jacobean theatre (and Spanish classical theatre) that have distinguished the RSC. It is a ‘must-see’ for all of us who love this repertoire! Perhaps the final word will come in his promised book Shakespeare’s Lost Play, to be published by Nick Hern Books later this year. Doran’s theory after his research is that Theobald had access to a prompt copy made in the 1660s, as adapted to the tastes of that time, and that this source was lost in the Drury Lane fire in the late 18th century.

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ONSTAGE

ACORN ANTIQUES Mossley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society discuss their recent production of Acorn Antiques - the Musical! Introduction

Mossley is a small town approximately 10 miles east of Manchester. The operatic and dramatic society is based in its own studio which has rehearsal facilities, a small performance space and a fully equipped workshop. The society stages three productions a year alongside showcases given by their youth group Next Generation. Never afraid of producing something different this award winning society is the first in the area to tackle Victoria Wood’s ‘Acorn Antiques The Musical!’

The Show

The show revolves around some of the characters who appeared in the television version of ‘Acorn Antiques’. Mrs Overall, Miss Babs, Miss Berta and Mr Clifford are all there in the antique shop. The story follows the fortunes of a number of shops along the high street in Manchesterford. The owner of the shops has sold out to a property developer and the traditional shops are being taken over by “faceless chains”. The other principals are Miss Bonnie (the third sister) and Tony (a loan shark). The cast is completed with two young people, several shopkeepers, a postman and assorted browsers all of whom have some amusing dialogue.

The short scene at the railway station was played in subdued lighting with a station clock and smoke. Within the design special consideration had to be given to the cast to allow freedom of movement on this extremely cluttered set and to ensure sufficient space for the choreographer to weave her magic spell. Property co-ordinator Janet Hinchcliffe said, “This show is a fantastic opportunity to rummage around in charity shops for antique items and knick-knacks. Also, it gives you a chance to be creative, making the set look like a genuine antique shop. One essential prop for this show is macaroons, which I have to say were delightful!” According to lighting technician Richard Ryder Jnr there were 170 lighting cues, the only special effect being the brief use of strobe lighting during the station scene. Some important sound effects are needed, the most challenging ones for sound technicians Lea Royse and Elodie Perrier were the tunes needed for the ring tones of Mr Clifford’s phone -‘The Girl With The Flaxen Hair’ and ‘Daisy, Daisy’. Another tricky section for the technical crew is when the cast are taking part in a word game and the various letters have to light up in the correct order along with appropriate sound effects.

Staging

Mossley AODS perform the majority of their shows at the George Lawton Centre Mossley and consequently know the space inside and out. This is, however, to no avail when you have very little wing space and no flying facilities. The opening scene to Act 1 consists of five shop windows and doors which when struck reveal the interior of Acorn Antiques. The opening of Act 2 has the same shop doorways now transformed into four different shops and the interior of Acorn Antiques is now a coffee shop. The production requires a full set for the Acorn Antiques shop which incorporates a moving staircase with stairlift, a huge television for the reading of the living will and a wall safe that is actually a safe with-in a safe. This may sound mad but yes we are in the world of Victoria Wood. With clever use of two trucks, folding wings and interchangeable windows, doors and shop signs the problems with the opening scenes of both acts were solved. The main problem with the shop was the sight lines so that the audience had a good view of the safe, stairs and stairlift. The view of the stairs was vastly improved by the main body of the shop being built on two levels of rostra, and the problems of the safe with-in a safe were overcome by the use of back projection.

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ONSTAGE MAODS were fortunate to have the help of John Henshaw, a professional actor who lives locally, who took part in the filming of ‘The Living Will,’ a vital part of the show. The set was built at MAODS studios and moved to the theatre prior to set up. This allowed a technical run through and full dress rehearsal on the Sunday prior to opening on the Monday. The stage crew and props team have to transform all the shops during the interval. Scenic designer, John Buckley said, ”I must give a special thank you to all the stage staff who built and painted this set which is now the property of Scenic Hire South Wales and many thanks to Acorn Stairlifts for sponsoring the production and providing the stairlift.”

Make-up and Wardrobe

Some essential costumes such as the tweed suits for Miss Babs and Miss Berta, the Guilty Bean uniforms and the sparkly ‘Chorus Line’ type outfits for the ‘Mrs O’ number were hired from Costume House, Denton our local costumier but many of the costumes worn by the shopkeepers and browsers were provided by the cast. Wardrobe co-ordinator Jean Ryder said, “It was great what the cast came up with when asked to source their own costumes.” Hilary Winters, who was in charge of the make-up said, “MAODS do invest in the highest quality, professional, real hair lace wigs which give the students (from Oldham College) invaluable experience in their application and care.” The wigs, worn by Miss Babs and Miss Berta, looked fantastic and were essential to recreate these characters. Another challenge was to create Mrs Overall’s varicose veins, this was achieved using pipe cleaners!

Musical Director - Paul Firth

This is more of a “play with music” rather than a conventional musical. Operatic societies should seriously consider this before choosing to do it. The characters have to be strongly drawn throughout; even the “small parts”, of which there are really none! Asking your average singer / actor to take on a role which, in some cases, is not really open to very much interpretation because of the public perception of that part is not easy. On top of that there is the problem of ‘Tip Top Tap’ and ‘Mrs. O’ numbers. These are two big production numbers which should be led by the same characters and not covered by introducing dancers. From a musical point of view I don’t think there is anything particularly difficult. One thing that Musical Directors should be aware of is that the reduced scoring does present a few problems particularly in relation to the 2 keyboard parts, which have so many changes happening in quick succession that even professional players found it difficult to manage. I considered losing the violin part, thinking it would probably be covered by the keyboards. On reflection I’m glad that I kept it in. Finally I have heard that a lot of societies will be taking this on and one of their main problems will be to get a working set, which is more complicated than at first seems. Having experience of very many different musicals I initially thought this would be quite straightforward. It isn’t!

Director – Craig Wright

The challenge was to try not to make it too much like the TV show (wobbly sets, missed cues etc.) as some of the audience may not know ‘AA’ and will therefore think it to be poor. It was great fun to direct but only really comes alive with an audience.

Conclusion

Choreographer Janice Hughes commented, “It has been fun and hard work. Look out for the hats!!”. This really is an ensemble show, in all there was a cast of just 21 who worked together in the all singing, all dancing production numbers. Many of the cast had to tap dance for the first time ever, even after treading the boards for many, many years!

Special thanks to Martin Ogden for production photos

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COUNCILLOR’S NOTES

y the time you read this our Annual Weekend will be well and truly over and a new year of Noda activities will be underway. I trust that your productions have so far been successful and that rehearsals are enjoyable. Since becoming your Councillor, last September, I have attended 56 performances & meetings ranging from hilarious pantomime in the tiniest of village halls to a number of lavishly expensive productions of “Beauty and the Beast”. All have been good fun and it has been great to see so much talent on show. I have been especially delighted to attend some extremely entertaining plays including the South-West Drama Award Winning production of “Dancing at Lughnasa”. Please don’t hesitate to invite me to your plays, however small your company. My apologies to the handful of productions that I have had to miss. If you are planning to invite me to your productions or events, please try to give me as much notice as possible. As I am still working for my living, I get booked up pretty quickly and I hate to disappoint. To those of you that I have already had to turn down, please ask again. Our Awards for the year 1st May 2010 to 30th April 2011 were presented by our National President at our AGM at Bicton on 24th July. There is a list of the winners later in this magazine. This year, 2011, we shall be closing the nominations on 31st December, and then, in future, our awards season with work with the calendar. We will be having a special Awards Dinner on Saturday 3rd March at the Palace Hotel; Torquay which we hope will be the first of many celebratory evenings of Noda South-West Talent. Put the date in your diary now. The hotel is offering us a special rate should you wish to stay over and make a weekend of it. More information later. Don’t forget you are automatically entered into our competitions if you invite your Regional Representative and/or the Councillor to attend your show, but if you wish to be considered in our Programme & Poster Competitions 5 copies will be necessary. Give them to your Representative when he/she visits your show and save postage. Also remember that full critiques of your productions must be requested at the time of inviting your Representative. I was delighted to have a number of applications for bursaries towards the cost of Summer School and Youth Academy. Unfortunately, we couldn’t help everyone, but Summer School bursaries were awarded to: • Mr. Graham Baseden [Stage Sound] Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatic Society • Mr. Lee Harris [Musical Theatre in Performance] Individual Member Blandford Forum • Mr. Denis Twomey [Musical Theatre in Performance] Salisbury A O. S. • Mrs. Jane Dyer [Directing Youth Theatre] Bradford Players • Mr. David Walker [Directing a Musical] Thornbury Musical Theatre Group • Mr. David Smith [Musical Theatre in Performance] Kids R Us • Mr. Lewis Wilding [Musical Theatre in Performance] Kidz R Us. If you would like some assistance towards the cost of attending Noda’s highly acclaimed Summer School download an application form from our website and get it to HQ before 31st January 2012.

been put back a week so that as many of you as can join this cruise with musical workshops and master classes. Thanks to Andrew Carpenter, Noda stands to benefit financially from this venture with the Frome based Travel Angels, so don’t hesitate book your place. At our AGM we reluctantly accepted the retirement of our Treasurer, Ray Wright. What a wonderful job he has done for us. Not only has he kept us in funds, but has allowed us to subsidise events such as our Annual Weekend and District Meetings. His handling of the National Weekend, last year, saw everything calmly arranged and all costs covered. He has been a source of invaluable financial advice and we were very reluctant to part with him. Fortunately we have been able to obtain the services of Adrian Vanstone as a worthy successor and we wish Adrian a smooth ride and a warm welcome to the Regional Committee. There’s been a lot of excitement about developments nationally in Noda. At the time of writing many of these have not been finalised so I can’t say too much just yet, but I think we are making some positive forward moves. Don’t forget that you are all a part of this, and we welcome any suggestions for the future wellbeing of the Association. If you have a good idea, don’t hesitate to share it with me on nodanick@gmail.com Nick Lawrence South West Regional Councillor

From The Editor I must say that I was somewhat shell-shocked with taking on the role of Editor for a while after seeing the standard set by the other regions, though I think I’m finally getting to grips with the task! Many thanks to Nick Lawrence and Anna Mansell (North West Editor) for their guidance and advice! In this edition I’ve tried to focus on packing in as many show reports as possible as I’m told this is the most popular section. As a result, this edition is perhaps a little lacking in pictures and South West news items, so please, please send me your top society stories, photos, posters and news so that we can present a greater real flavour of what’s going on in the South West. This is your magazine! Enjoy! Matt Heaton (email: Matt.Heaton@Virgin.net).

Cover Picture: Billy and Dad from the recent Yeovil Youth Theatre production of Billy Elliot. Photograph by Judy Lye-Forster.

Noda South-West was also able to assist some youngsters towards fees for the Youth Academy. This was a pleasure for us as their societies were also contributing. Remember to advertise your shows for free online at www.noda.org.uk . We also have a page on Facebook [Noda Southwest] where you can send us reminders of your forthcoming attractions and we are included on Gerry Hunt’s site Musical Theatre Connections SW. You can join up and get the news of your events out to all of the Region. http://musicaltheatreconnectionssw. ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network Just a quick reminder to book your cabins on the Show Cruise, 2012. This sails from Southampton on 15th September 2012. The 2012 National in Cardiff has

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REGIONAL COMMITTEE REGIONAL COUNCILLOR Mr. Nick Lawrence nodanick@gmail.com 01404 811 177 07 812 812 631 TREASURER Mr. Adrian Vanstone 01395 272 803 07 909 116760 adrian@vanstonea.freeserve.co.uk MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Mr. Peter Wheeldon wheel2092@talktalk.net 01 929 552 092 YOUTH ADVISER Mrs. Lynne Caygill lynne.caygill@btinternet.com 01 395 272 577 REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES: District 1 [West Cornwall] Mrs. Laura Hargreaves mrslhargreaves@btinternet.com 01 326 210 851 District 2 [East Cornwall] Miss Kathy West www.stagepresence.co.uk 07 970 965 394 01 637 880 622 District 3 [Plymouth & West Devon] Mr. Michael Simpson michaelsimpson999@btinternet.com 01 752 330 159 District 4 [South Devon] Pantomime Liaison & Committee Secretary Mr. Iain Douglas iaindouglas@aol.com 01 803 290 371 District 5 [Mid & East Devon] Opera Liaison Mrs. Lynne Caygill lynne.caygill@btinternet.com 01 395 272 577

District 8A [Mid & West Somerset] Mrs. Jo Wilson-Hunt jwilsonhunt@yahoo.co.uk 01 823 663 257 District 9 [Mid & North East Somerset] Mrs. Sue Pomeroy suepomeroy@tiscali.co.uk 01 278 662 181 District 10 [East Somerset & South Wiltshire] Mr. Andrew Carpenter andrew.carpenter@virgin.net 01 373 465 503 07 738 373 249 District 11 [West Dorset] Mr. Peter Wheeldon wheel2092@talktalk.net 01 929 552 092 District 12 [East Dorset] Mr. Brian Oliver 01 202 424 645 District 13 [Bristol] Mr. Tony Winstone tony@a1motoringschool.com 0117 944 2044 District 14 [Bath, North Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire] Mr. Graeme Savage graemesavage@hotmail.com 01179 866 516 District 15 [Gloucestershire] Mrs. Frankie Telford frankie_telford@tiscali.co.uk 01 453 842 695 Long Service Awards Secretary: Past President Mrs. Mary Hobbs 01935 862 475 sing2me@hotmail.co.uk South West Editor Mr. Matthew Heaton matt.heaton@virgin.net 01249 713743

District 6 [East Devon, Lyme Regis & the Channel Islands] Mrs. Janet Elworthy jimjanel@tiscali.co.uk 01 823 680 117

Webmaster Mr. Stuart Lyddon stuart.lyddon@btinternet.com

District 7 [North Devon] Mrs. Diane Gilchrist, adgilchrist@hotmail.co.uk 01 271 342 365

Youth Strategy Mr. Philip Barnett phil@kidzrus.net 01 736 796 171

District 8 [Mid & South Somerset] Mrs Trudy Dyke trudy@thedykes.fsnet.co.uk 01 935 428 382

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EXMOUTH PLAYERS BUY THEIR OWN THEATRE! After a number of years renting the building an opportunity arose for the Exmouth Players to buy their little theatre. With help from grants and loans, particularly from the Town Council, the building was purchased and December 2011 will see the last repayment made! The auditorium, which is upstairs and seats 98, is reached by a narrow steep staircase, but as part of the recent improvements (and more help from the Town Council & Devon County Council) it now features a stylish foyer and toilet facilities and a lift! Gerry & Denis Branton visited the theatre to see a production of the classic thriller, “Gaslight” and had a tour of the new facilities including scenery, props and costume storerooms, the slightly increased wing space, the lighting box and the club room. It has been amazing to see how quickly the money has been raised and what a difference a few changes have made. The Exmouth Players next production is “Charley’s Aunt” which will be staged at the Blackmore Theatre 5th - 13th August. More information can be found on the Players’ website www.blackmoretheatre.co.uk

Photo of President’s visit to The Blackmore Theatre, Exmouth. Picture was taken in the new foyer after Gerry & Denis attended a performance of “Gaslight” directed by Barbara Pentecost. Back Row (from left) Andy Jury (SM) Nick Lawrence (Manningham) Phil Cornelius (Rough) Denis Branton Front Row (from left) Rachel Feeny-Williams (Continuity) Noda President Gerry Branton Finn O’Leary (Mrs. Manningham) Pauline Jury (Elizabeth)

MERRIMAN THEATRE GROUP GETS ROYAL APPROVAL! Midsomer Norton-based youth theatre Merriman Theatre Group was given Royal approval last week, as founder and director Graeme Savage met Her Majesty The Queen, and The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, at a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate Young People in the Arts and those who support youth arts. Several hundred guests and celebrities had been invited to Buckingham Palace on Monday (May 9th), to meet the Queen and to attend a performance themed around Romeo and Juliet, which included appearances by dance troupe Flawless, X Factor winner Joe McElderry and young performers and older alumni from the National Youth Music Theatre, the Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet. The event, held in the Buckingham Palace ballroom which had earlier played host to the royal wedding reception, was held to recognise the work of those across the country who use art, drama, poetry and music to inspire, encourage and support young people in the arts.

last 13 years, more than 350 young people aged 9 - 18 have worked with the company, with some going on to land jobs in the professional theatre world as performers, costume designers and technicians. The group has been so successful that in January 2011, a new Junior company for 6 - 9 year olds - ‘The Minimen’ - was set up to work alongside the existing company, and to appear in the group’s summer production of Oliver!. Both groups welcome new members, and currently have a waiting list to cope with the high demand which the group’s reputation has generated.

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS OR SHOW HERE

Graeme has also been a Regional Representative for NODA (the National Operatic and Dramatic Association) for the last 3 years, supporting amateur theatre groups of all ages in the Bath, Bristol and Swindon areas. For further information, please contact Graeme Savage on 07850 179642.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL 0203 006 2845 OR EMAIL

Merriman Theatre Group was founded in 1998, with the intention of encouraging social development and education though drama, music and dance workshops, as well as putting on musical theatre productions. In the

editor@asmagazine.co.uk

Graeme (seated at the piano) with with some of the staff and kids from the Merriman Theatre Group Merriman Theatre Group with ‘The Minimen’ in their production of Oliver! July 2011

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Founded in 1911 as The Glee Singers, and having been disbanded for the duration of The Great War, the Society was reformed in 1919 as The Plymstock Parish Choral Society. In that year they performed The Mikado. Presentations then alternated between Choral Works and full scale productions until 1927 when they were renamed The Plymstock Amateur Operatic Society. From then they concentrated solely on the works of Gilbert & Sullivan until 1939 when they ceased for the Duration of World War II. G & S was once more the order of the day when they met again in 1947. In 1966 the members took a conscious decision to produce works by other writers. With one exception, this has remained the policy ever since. Early productions were staged in the Plymstock Area until 1932 when the Globe Theatre in Stonehouse Barracks became the regular home. The 1972 bombings at Aldershot Barracks prevented public access to any military premises so the move was made to The Athenaeum Theatre in the City Centre. Since the closure of that Venue all recent productions have been at The Devonport Playhouse. The latest change of identity occurred in 2008 when the Society became The Sounds Musical Theatre Company. The Company recently celebrated their 100th Birthday with a Gala Dinner and Dance at The New Continental Hotel in Plymouth, attended by 90 members, ex members and friends. The main toast of the evening was proposed by Mrs. Geraldine Branton, the National President of The National Operatic and Dramatic Association. Mrs Branton presented a certificate to mark the 100 year achievement. A 40 page History of the company has also been produced. It contains a lot of interesting facts and photographs. There are still a few copies left for any one who is interested. For further details please phone Edward Gigg on 01752405429. The Celebrations will continue later in the year with a presentation entitled ‘Centenary Showcase’ which will feature well known items from many of the productions produced by the Company over the past 100 years. This will be on the 29th. of October at The Devonport Playhouse. Further details will be available on the Company’s Web Site and in the Press nearer the time. Edward Gigg

THE SOUNDS MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

Left to Right: Sheilagh Francis (Hon Sec. SMTC); Pam Cooper, (President SMTC);. Mrs. Geraldine Branton (National President. NODA); Michael Simpson (Regional Rep. NODA); Di Bennellic (Chairman SMTC) and Edward Gigg ( Life Member SMTC).

IN MEMORIUM: 2010 -2011 Meirion Ashton - Bristol LOC Bristol Opera 55 yr stud Peter Chudley - Exmouth Musical Theatre Company Cynthia Jones - Wellington Arts Association & Taunton Thespians Jack Jones - Weston-super-Mare & Noda South West Conference Bookings Pauline Kemp - Keynsham Light Operatic Group & founder of Keynsham Youth Theatre Graham Phillips - Exmouth Musical Theatre Company John Plumtree - Past President of Noda Keith Saunders - Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society Barry Simpson - Sidmouth John Sinfield - Musicscope Ltd Maurice Spillett - Past President of Noda David Swift - Axminster Operatic Society Axminster Drama Club KEITH SAUNDERS former Chairman of Yeovil AOS died shortly before Christmas last year. He had been in YAOS since about 1955, and two weeks before his death, Nick Lawrence presented him with his Diamond Bar. He was at one time a Carol Levis Discovery (from many years ago) and along with his twin brother Brian were a professional act for a short time. Brian is a member of Weston AOS. PAULINE KEMP was Member, Wardrobe Mistress, Front of House Manager and Ticket Secretary for 20 years for Keynsham Light Operatic Group, and more recently a founder and Secretary of Keynsham Youth Theatre. She passed away shortly before Christmas. She never liked to talk about it too publicly, but at her funeral, her NODA Long Service badge was on display with the family flowers, which was a nice touch! Nick Lawrence

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LONG SERVICE AWARDS FROM 1ST FEBRUARY 2011 I am sorry to say that the number of Societies applying for Long Service Awards has declined over the last few months. Please make every effort to check your Society Records to see how many people are due awards. They are intended to show your Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appreciation of the work your members have done for them. Before you complete the form, may I suggest that you look at the reverse of the form, as all the necessary requirements about the Awards are there. Recently I have had a large number of forms with insufficient information being provided. It wastes considerable time having to return the forms, so please make sure that all the details supplied are correct. The time requested before the presentation is to allow for any errors to be rectified. The date of previous awards should be provided, and can be obtained from your Society Records. Current prices are to be found in the Regional Magazine. I look forward to receiving many more applications during the next few months, and for the remainder of the year. Mary Hobbs, Awards Secretary. 60 years Diamond Award Humphrey Barnes - Frome AOS * Marcel Wills Wells OS 50 years Gold Bar Adrienne Higgins - Bristol Light Opera Club Richard Roderigo - Cloverleaf Productions Jean Mentern - Glastonbury & Street MCS Shirley Copley - Frome AOS George King - Keynsham Light Opera Club Roy Hopkins - Weymouth Operatic Society William Case - Chard Amateur Theatre Society 45 years Bar Joan Symons - Barnstaple A.O.S. Andrew Carpenter - Frome AOS Marie George - Frome AOS 40 years Bar Dennis Higgins - Bristol Light Opera Club Martyn Thomson - Kingsbridge ATS Andrew Carpenter - Frome AOS John Marston - Weymouth Operatic Society Marie George - Frome A.O.S. David Coxon - Salisbury AOS 35 years Bar Stephanie Thomson - Kingsbridge ATS Lynn Gray - St. Austell Operatic Society Brenda Brooks - Bridgwater AOS Mark Frampton - Bridgwater AOS Andrew Carpenter - Frome AOS Valerie Bowden - Penzance AOS Shirley Kennard - Poole & Parkstone Productions Marie George - Frome A.O.S. Pam Collins - Salisbury AOS 30 years Bar Susan Sharp - Kingsbridge ATS * Margaret Valantine - Glastonbury & Street MCS Florence Barrett - Weston-super-Mare OS * Stephanie Housman - St. Austell Operatic Society * Marie George - Frome A.O.S. 25 years Medal Jane Emmott - Bradford Players *Jane Dyer - Bradford Players * David Fenn - Bradford Players 20 years Badge Lois Bennett - Clevedon Light Opera Club * June Tollafield - Barnstaple AOS * Margaret Liddell - Wellington Arts Assoc. * Julian Jeffery - Salisbury AOS Peter Marshall - Salisbury AOS * Susi Tenty - Salisbury AOS 15 years Badge Jane Riley - Kingsbridge ATS * Philip Ross Everson - Glastonbury & Street MCS * James Gill - St Austell Operatic Society * Elaine Davenport - Salisbury AOS Debbie Hilton - Chard Amateur Theatre Society * Michael Bolton - Salisbury AOS * Jeannie Harding - Newquay AOS 10 years Badge Caroline Montague - Kingsbridge ATS * Anne Brock - Clevedon Light Opera Club. * Pauline Perrin - Wells OS * Philip Rowe - Western Opera Players Sean Isaacs - Weymouth Operatic Society * David Booth - Salisbury AOS* Katherine Ann Miller - Poole & Parkstone Productions Judith Cake - Poole & Parkstone Productions * Claudia Shakerley - Salisbury AOS Youth Award Youth Certificate Kellie Chubb - Benham Academy of Dance * Hannah Gane - Benham Academy of Dance * Natasha Dean - Benham Academy of Dance Heather Brown - Benham Academy of Dance Commendation/ Commitment Award Pat Bishop - Poole & Parkstone Productions Raymond Wright

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SHOW REPORTS - SOUTH WEST DISTRICT 1 - WEST CORNWALL MRS. LAURA HARGREAVES CD Kids PANTOMANIA 26th February 2011 Director: Zena Clemens Musical Director: Aaron Barker Choreographer: Leanne Gray Avalon Theatre, Cornwall College I was delighted to be invited again to a CD Kids production, especially when I found out that this Panto had been written by three of the members of the society. It is always a risk when staging a show that is not proven, however what a success this proved to be. This Panto took us through all the fairytale stories you could imagine from Jack and the Beanstalk to Little Red Riding Hood and even divulging in a touch of Ballet. The Jokes were funny, the script was pacey and the songs well chosen to fit with the script. The Good Fairy (Rob Mitchell) that escorted Daisy, our leading lady through Panto Land had to be the most elegant I have ever seen and flitted on to scene to help save the day. The younger members who took part in the ‘Bare Necessities’ were evidently well rehearsed and performed the number with great precision. The slapstick scene was another well thought out and planned number, particularly the UV scene, which was superb. The costume department really outdid themselves. Little Red played by Alison Harris was a great twist on the traditional role as she, with her gang of Hoodies in trying to take over Panto Land challenged the other inhabitants led by Daisy to an X Factor style dance off. This was a highlight of the show. We then went from Hip Hop to Ballet, performed by the burlier male members of the cast in tutu’s and feathered tiara’s and was definitely another highlight of the show. Well done to all of you. It is amazing what this society has managed to achieve with a bit of hard work and very little funds. I would like to say thank you for an extremely enjoyable evening and well done to each and every member of the cast as it was a truly memorable evening. Can’t wait for the next one! PAOS ME AND MY GIRL February 2011 Director: Angela Thomas Musical Director: Timothy Hoskin Choreographer: Lizzie Webb When the curtains opened I was immediately impressed with the look of the set. The contrast of the Red Car against the pale colours of the house behind was striking. The way the car was dismantled in the opening scene was a superb touch and executed very well by the chorus. The set was used well throughout the first half and the stage furniture, flats and props were moved smoothly enabling scenes to run together without pause. The second half of the show was also run with precision. The Library set looked very realistic and the alcove’s provided perfect framing for the “ancestors”. The lighting plot was good throughout and all the scenes were all well lit. It was a refreshing change that the band was not miked and the sound balance was good throughout. I felt that most of the principal costumes looked right for the period, although I felt that Sally’s costumes were not in keeping with the rest of the principals. Sally’s costumes had a too modern feel to them. The costumes in the Hunt Ball scene were also pushing on the modern side and it was also a shame to see many of the ladies’ chorus had not dressed their hair. I know it may seem trivial to mention this but I believe the finer details should be extended to all members of the cast. This really can make a difference to a show looking good or looking great. The general chorus work was sound. The harmonies were good in all the numbers, particularly in the opening number and An English Gentleman. There were some lovely moments. The interaction between the cast on stage was excellent and it was evident a lot of hard work was put into it. The choreography was imaginative and particularly the dance section with the tennis rackets. The actors in the smaller named parts really worked well together. They lent dynamics to scenes rather than detracting from them which can be quite hard to do. I have seen a lot of shows where there are people in smaller parts over acting and distracting from the main business. Congratulations on the subtlety. I particularly enjoyed the Gentlemen Playing the Ancestors, a superb number, and well done for keeping so still for so long. Overall “Me and My Girl” was a very competent show with some very nice touches. It would be nice to see, as mentioned above, every member of the cast to be attired as befits the period. Gloves and Hats would have always been worn outside in the 1930’s and the women would not have left the house without hair and makeup done. It was very evident how much work had been put into the show and how everybody was enjoying themselves. That came across very well to the audience. Redruth Amateur Operatic Society Trust FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Reviewed by Laura Hargreaves on 18th March 2011 Director: Trevor Hitchins Musical Director: Alaistair Taylor The curtains opened on the small village of Anatevka. The set was well placed and the lighting was subtle and drew us in to village life. The set and lighting throughout the show were well used and most of the scenery changes went smoothly, however some of the company seemed to have problems with the wedding set, in particular the fencing dividers. Congratulations, though, to the cast and director as I know that the wrong set arrived and the cast had rehearsed with a different set in mind. The Orchestra was kept well in check, and produced a superb sound. The pace

was excellent throughout. It was a shame that the sound balance was not quite right in some of the numbers with the orchestra overpowering the chorus and there were several issues with microphones cutting out. The sound in the dream sequence was very unbalanced and it was very difficult to understand Fruma Sarah’s words. Once again Trevor had showed that attention to detail pays off as all the costumes looked superb. The use of greys and browns gave an earthy feeling to the show. All the hair and makeup was in keeping with the era and added a hugely to the overall effect of village life. Most of the props seemed to be chosen with care and very little stood out as being out of place. The only props that felt out of place were the plastic bottles used in the dance break of Sunrise Sunset. They did not have the weight of glass bottles, although the choreography and the idea behind it were superb. The chorus harmony was excellent and Alastair and the chorus had obviously put a lot of effort into learning the score. The choreography for the show was interesting and varied with each member of the chorus well rehearsed. There were no noticeable mistakes throughout the show. Particular favourites were ‘Tradition’ the setting of this was lovely and the fiddler on the roof really added some depth to the whole scene. Also the scene of the ‘Sabbath’ was beautifully set and lit, which shows that sometimes simplicity is very effective. Stage-Struck Youth Theatre RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET 26th March 2011 Directed By Judith Nicholls Musical Director - Kevin Lane Choreography – Ruth Caird St Johns Hall Penzance This was my first visit to Stage Struck and having only seen Return to the Forbidden Planet once before so was looking forward to watching StageStruck’s interpretation. First impressions were good and the open set was superbly put together. The lights and television screens really added to the effect of being aboard the Albatross. The opening of the show was cleverly put together with the younger members of the cast entering the auditorium and running the audience through the evacuation procedure. The accompanying video was also well thought out and raised a chuckle in most of the audience. The Principals took to the stage with enthusiasm and created believable characters and attacked the dialogue with good pace and understanding. Dr Prospero (Chris Blewett) acted his part with great feeling and sang beautifully. A special mention must also go to Ariel the Robot (Dominic Weeks) who not only acted the part with gusto but also did it all on Roller Skates - well done and I am looking forward to seeing you in Starlight Express. The Choreography throughout the show was good and well executed by the dancers and chorus. The harmonies in all the numbers were great and ‘The Asteroids’ harmony was excellent - the girls had obviously worked very hard to achieve such a good sound balance. I really enjoyed coming to watch Return to the Forbidden Planet. Stage-Struck obviously has some very talented people in the company. I would like to thank you for inviting me and I hope to see you for future productions. Kidz R Us FOOTLOOSE 22nd April 2011 Director: Phil Barnett Musical Director: Peter Luing Choreography: Rhona Clelland St Ives Theatre, St Ives The opening set encapsulated the feel of America with the Electricity Pylons in the back ground giving it the feel of being on a wide American plain. The opening number was presented with tremendous energy and precision with each member of the cast putting in a huge amount of energy to the choreography. This scene changed with great ease into the backwater church of Bomont. The contrast in the singing was excellent with a lightness of touch applied to the more classical sound of the church music. The cast interacted well with a believable rapport between the Adults and the Younger members of the cast. It was nice to see that the older members of the cast were sympathetic and did not over shadow the younger members, the relationship was well balanced. The Girl Gets Around, I Can’t Stand Still and Somebody’s Eyes all went down well and a particular mention should go to the Trio whose superb voices stood out in Somebody’s Eyes. Two particular favourites were Mama Says and Almost Paradise. The first being superbly acted and sung by Willard and the second beautifully sung and acted by Ren and Ariel. The costumes were bright and colourful and gave the whole show a modern twist. The set was imaginative and well designed and the whole theatre was used well to add to the variety of the performance (with particular note going to the setting of Almost Paradise up on the side of the stage). The singing was of a superb standard and the cast had obviously spent a great deal of time working on this. The lighting and sound complemented the work on stage well with a good balance between the singing and orchestra. It was a huge pleasure to watch the choreography. Rarely do we see such a variety and performed so well. The Footloose finale got everyone on their feet before a mini medley of the shows best songs. Kidz R Us ANNIE Saturday 4 June 2011 Producer/Director: Phil Barnett Musical Director: Peter Luing Choreographer: Rhona Cleland St. Ives Theatre, St. Ives This one of the most recognised pieces of theatre for a young cast in the

world and I looked forward to seeing Kidz perform it. From the start the enthusiasm of the cast was evident. Before the show started the cast were on stage set in the dormitory of the orphanage acting as I expect a group of unsupervised girls would, this set the scene perfectly. The show opened with the classic “Maybe” sung by Melissa Smallwood as Annie with great emotion and made the audience really feel for her as a down and out orphan. The cast then hit a “Hard Knock Life” with verve and produced a superb sound for a group of young ladies. The choreography was excellent and the girls used their props (buckets) with expertise. The interaction and relationships that the girls had created were very believable. The entrance of Miss Hannigan was everything you could want in the part. The girls reacted with just the right amount of disdain to Miss Hannigan’s admonishments and the classic “I love you, Miss Hannigan” was well timed when all the girls said it in unison. Molly Simmons gave an accomplished performance as Grace and gave a lovely contrast to the “Old Soak” Miss Hannigan played by Chloe Emery. “NYC” was performed superbly by Daddy Warbucks played by Gareth Harris and the company. Gareth’s timing was impeccable and the scene on the radio was played brilliantly. Holly Burgess (Lily), Caleb Harris (Rooster), Chloe Emery (Hannigan) made a good attempt at “Easy Street”, however the harmony seemed a little strained in places and the pace a little slow. “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” was a highlight of the show…. the girls gave it great energy and it really came across that they were enjoying being on stage. The Costumes, Lighting and Sound were all very good and appropriate for the piece. The set was used well and the scene changes became part of the show and did not interrupt the flow of the performance. Once again Phil and his team has produced a show to be extremely proud of, can’t wait to see the next one.

DISTRICT 2 - EAST CORNWALL MISS KATHY WEST St. Blazey Amateur Operatic Society MOTHER GOOSE Producer/Director: Trevor Hitchings Musical Director: Malcolm Burley Choreographer: Trevor Hitchings Keay Theatre, St. Austell This traditional pantomime opened in a subdued way with a scene in Fairyland, but soon burst into life. Every Principal and Ensemble member brought energy onto the stage. The audience were immediately encouraged to participate and this participation was never allowed to flag. The (rather corny) script was delivered with conviction. The young ensemble were focused and well rehearsed, with the choreography energetically performed. Many had a line to speak or sing and all showed good projection and clarity. Their costumes were colourful and well-fitting, and all ensemble hairstyles were identical, which was a lovely touch. The Principals worked well, both individually and as a team. The scene where Mother Goose is transformed into a beauty was a delight. The school room scene was professionally executed and very funny, with Billy Goose milking every ounce of comedy from the script. The audience participation song, which so often can seem endless, was so well handled that I felt disappointed when it ended so soon! It was also wonderful to see a genuinely funny comedy duo, with excellent comic timing. It was lovely to hear the Cornish accents of the comic characters used to good effect. Musical numbers were beautifully sung, danced well, and complemented by an excellent band. Scenery cloths and props were good, and scene changes were handled efficiently and quietly. Penpont Players SNOW WHITE 25th February 2011 Director: Alex Bailey Music: Trudy Bailey Altarnun Village Hall This was my second visit to this group, and it was very pleasing to see the improvements they had made following my comments last year. Thank you to the Production team for being so open to feedback. This group have (with the aid of a grant) invested in computer and projection equipment which was used to produce and project their backdrops, which added a new dimension to their show. The equipment was used with ingenuity, with pictures zooming in and out to denote entrances and exits of characters and for some nicely judged sequences, such as the balloon and the motorbike ride. Sound effects and music were also used well. The technology contributed significantly to the production, while never overwhelming it or detracting from the action on stage. Whilst this was a very traditional Pantomime in many ways, it was given a modern slant with modern songs and references. However, the Principal characters were played very traditionally, and the mix worked well and was pleasing for all sections of the audience. Audience participation was encouraged, and I particularly enjoyed the ‘Blind Date’ scene with the three hapless men from the audience. There were some lovely comedy moments. Even the youngest performers were given named parts and lines – the three rabbits were a delight, as was the page with his fanfare – and each member of cast was introduced during the bows, which was a lovely touch. Costumes were well thought out and I particularly liked the Dame’s dresses. Truro Amateur Operatic & Dramatic society DAD’S ARMY Friday 25th March 2011 Producer/Director: Michael Meer Redannick Theatre, Truro It’s not easy to emulate roles made famous by others, and whilst many of this cast did not physically resemble their TV counterparts, they had obviously spent a lot of time and effort studying the voice patterns and

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mannerisms of the characters, resulting in some excellent performances. There was an excellent set, making full use of the small stage. Revolves were used to good effect and the use of the auditorium as an extension to the playing area worked well. Scene changes, carried out by the cast in low light, were achieved efficiently and quietly. The appearance of the train at the end of Act 1 was delightful, as was the final lighting effect on Mrs Gray in the train window. The period music between scenes worked well. Uniforms and other costumes were representative of the period. Hair styles and wigs seemed good but, in a period piece, men with pony tails need to hide them well. This show was well structured, particularly with the appearance of the ladies in the second piece. The ‘Floral Dance’ scene was a real crowd pleaser; well-directed and performed with good energy. At other times though, the production would have benefited from more pace. St Austell AOS 42ND STREET Tuesday 12th April 2011 Producer/Director: Diane Collings Musical Director: Anna Minear Choreographer: Maureen Pascoe Keay Theatre, St Austell This show needs to be performed with pace and energy, and this was certainly the case here. Instead of the usual voice-over lines at the start, the show opened with the actors coming into the auditorium and playing the lines in front of the stage. This made good use of the more senior members of the company, whose tap dancing skills were not quite sufficient for the energetic opening number. This is primarily a show for a young cast, so I must congratulate the Director on integrating the senior cast members into as much of the action as possible. Costumes seemed right for the period; although some of the shorts worn in the rehearsal scenes were too modern. The costumes and head-dresses in the ‘Dames’ number were superb, as were the finale costumes. The orchestra was excellent and played a major part in the success of this show. The principal parts were all played with conviction and believable relationships were created, particularly between Peggy Sawyer and Julian Marsh. The chorus girls Annie, Phyllis and Lorraine created a lot of energy and helped to drive the pace in the ensemble scenes. American accents were well maintained and diction was good. The choreography was not over-complicated and was performed with great energy. Newquay AOS ACORN ANTIQUES THE MUSICAL Thursday 21st April 2011 Producer/Director: Sandra Harris Musical Director: Chris Bennett Choreographer: Sarah Adams Tretherras School, Newquay This show was a real treat. A witty script, catchy songs, lively dance routines and some superb performances all combined to produce a thoroughly entertaining evening. The opening dance number was tightly choreographed and performed, but would have been improved by more smiles! The opening scene outside the shops would have benefited from a little more attack, but the show came alive when we entered the shop and became acquainted with the well-drawn characters. A show of this kind, which is a very tongue-in-cheek spoof, needs to be played with complete conviction if it is to work, and that was certainly the case here. Choreography was good, particularly the tap number in Act 1 which was performed with great energy and enthusiasm. The band complimented the singing well, but never overwhelmed it. There were some lovely directorial touches, for example the flashbacks into Mrs O’s past, and the bringing on of the large TV screen. The set was well constructed and in keeping with the spoof nature of the show. Some of the scene changes were a little on the long side, but were performed with minimal fuss and noise by the backstage crew. Truro AODS CALAMITY JANE Wednesday 15th June 2011 Producer/Director: Chas Rimmer Musical Director: Olwynne Hutt Choreographer: Nicky Stevens Trelissick Gardens, Truro There can’t be many people who don’t enjoy this show – thin on plot but packed full of great, familiar songs and memorable characters, it is perfect light, outdoor entertainment for a summer’s evening. This production opened before the overture even began, with the cast entering from different directions, placing us firmly in the ‘wild west’, creating characters and stories. The opening number was tight and lively and grabbed our attention. The ensemble scenes were well-played with good interaction and story-telling. Chorus singing was excellent, in particular ‘Adelaide’ and ‘Black Hills of Dakota’ which were beautifully performed. Choreography was effective and performed with obvious enjoyment by the small group of dancers. Scene changes were mostly undertaken by the cast, and this worked well, in particular the changing of the banner above the ‘stage’. Costumes and props all looked authentic and worked well, apart from one or two occasions when the gun didn’t fire. Ensemble members with lines need to be aware of the need to really project their lines in order to match the level of the principals. The horse noises off were very convincing. Lighting was minimal and unobtrusive, and just right for a light, summer evening. Thank you for a lovely evening’s entertainment.

Luxulyan Amateur Dramatic Society WHERE WHITE GULLS FLY Three One-act Plays by Christine Woolf Kathy West Director: Diana Lucas How nice it was to see these Cornish one-act plays – written and set in Cornwall, and with excellent Cornish accents! The plays were well chosen to provide an evening of contrasts for audience and cast. ‘A Fall of Snow’ was set in the harsh winter of 1814, when a group of travellers are stranded at an isolated inn. It was an ensemble piece which allowed each actor to shine. There was a slight insecurity of lines, both here and the subsequent two plays, but this was understandable considering the late re-casting following the indisposition of a cast member. ‘Amazons in Kenwyn’ was a darker piece, set in the Poorhouse. It was lovely to see the Society’s younger members playing the poorhouse children. The song at the beginning of this play, performed by the two lead actresses was beautifully sung. The relationship between these two ‘sisters’ was very believable and the final defiant speech was very moving. ‘Below Stage’ was the comedy piece and gave the actors the chance to perform in quite a different style. Again, we were treated to some lovely singing at the start and during this song there was some well-managed silent business as the actors set the scene. The characters were well established, but the set design and restricted space led to some masking. This was a challenging project and I commend you for undertaking it – I can always rely on LADS to try something different! Thank you for the invitation, and congratulations to all concerned. Callington Amateur Drama Society CASH ON DELIVERY 30th June 2011 Director: David McCarroll This was a well directed production. The Director made good use of the comedy and exploited the script well. There were plenty of nice touches, and some excellent performances. The action built well, culminating in a hysterical scene between Eric and Ms Cowper in Act 2. The set appeared to be rather sparsely furnished, but this was understandable given the need for so many doors! The sofa was placed left of centre and although there were times when it masked the action behind it, on such a small stage this was inevitable. There was a lot of complicated business, which for the most part worked well. Getting the ‘body’ from the window seat was cleverly masked by the action in front, and though I intended to watch for it, I still missed it, so engrossed was I in the dialogue! The cast worked well together as a team, creating honest and believable relationships. Timing and rhythm were good, and pace was excellent until the last 15 minutes, when there seemed to be a slight loss of rhythm. Overall though, the energy and commitment from the cast was very good. Thank you for inviting us, and for the backstage tour after the show.

DISTRICT 3 - PLYMOUTH & WEST DEVON MR. MICHAEL SIMPSON Plymouth Gilbert & Sullivan Fellowship PIRATES OF PENZANCE Thursday 3rd March 2011 Producer/Director: Alan Spencer Musical Director: Jane Warwick Choreographer: Alan Spencer Devonport Playhouse, Plymouth It speaks volumes for the popularity of Gilbert and Sullivan that a Society can have a complete sell-out and the audience, young and old hums along with the overture. ‘Pirates’ is perhaps the most popular of the Savoy Operas, due in no small part to the professional tours. This was a superb production with a wonderful cast that sang and danced through the well known musical numbers with musicality and ability. The main characters were well cast no weak links. Of course the part of the Pirate King is a gift and was played to the hilt (no pun intended). Frederick was ably accompanied by the lovely singing of Mabel. Another part, played in true Keystone cops style, was the Sergeant of Police who had the audience in gales of laughter at their antics. The biggest laugh however came with the line “For all their faults we love our house of peers”. A sympathetic Orchestra, beautiful costumes and a stunning set designed and built by Andy Martin lent itself to the strict dimensions of the stage. Without a doubt this was a most wonderful evening’s entertainment. GADZOOKS ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO / THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND Friday 25 March 2011 Producers/Directors: Sam Grayston & Mark Storey Muse Theatre, Lipson College, Plymouth The first of these two one act plays was written and directed by Sam Grayston. As stated in the programme they both have the common roots in the Italian Commedia dell’Arte; a form of very popular street theatre which pointed fun at familiar characters and situations. In this first play we have a situation between God and Lucifer vying for the soul of the yet to die Ian, who is the subject of an unhappy marriage. When he promptly commits suicide Lucifer thinks he has won, however, God has an escape plan for Ian to return back to earth and resume his life. Undaunted by God’s scheme, Lucifer has his assistant hire a Hitman to get him back but he is so inept he fails miserably and Ian dies from a heart attack. Returning to Heaven, Lucifer concedes defeat. During all this, God and Lucifer are gambling on who will win and being served Gin and Tonics by Gods P/A. All the characters were well defined and their delivery of the comic lines was timed with excellence. The set for this play was very minimalist but enough to create the correct atmosphere along with the suitable lighting. The second of the two plays was written by Tom Stoppard and co-Directed

by Mark Storey and Sam Grayston. As the play opens there is a body lying on the stage and as the individual characters appear they just step over it as if it wasn’t there. The link in all that goes on is Mrs Drudge, who was excellent and maintained her character throughout. Above the main area of the stage are two men sitting in what appear to be theatre seats as though watching the story unfold. I thought them to be theatre critics but towards the end they step down into the playing area and one declares himself to be “The Real Inspector Hound”. Anyone who knows Tom Stoppard’s work will appreciate how well he defines his characters and this group did his play full justice. This is not a large company so the people who were in the first play also appeared in this one, taking on different personae with ease. I had the pleasure of attending the first readings for these plays and I thought then I would not be disappointed and I am delighted to say I wasn’t. A very talented young company! Sounds Musical Theatre Company OKLAHOMA! Reviewed by Nick Lawrence on Friday 8 April 2011 Producer/Director: Amanda Paddison Musical Director: Jenny George Choreographer: Carole Wilson Devonport Playhouse, Plymouth This story of youthful enthusiasm for the future demands a great deal of energy. Hammerstein was insistent that the story telling aspect of the book was most important and that dialogue and music should be interlinked. This was successfully achieved although the often pedestrian speed of the music led to some very pedantic dialogue. The excellent principals all sang well and they were well supported by beautiful ensemble work. It was good to hear the fabulous melodies sung so well. Pleasant choreography drew the eye, and the subtle inclusion of the youthful dancers into the scenes prevented that awful moment of the out of context arrival of the troupe. As expected Andy Martin provided a very imaginative set which was innovative and made best use of the space. Costumes were colourful, but reflected the period and the status of the characters. Particularly impressive for me was the inclusivity of the production. There were no hangers on, and no one sidelined. “Oklahoma!” is very much a show for the principals, with the company, so important to the show’s message, given little opportunity to get into its stride. It is vital that the ensemble makes a quick impression and this was generally successful. This was a fitting celebration on achieving your Centenary. City of Plymouth Theatre Company THE PRODUCERS Thursday 12 May 2011 Producer/Director: Angela Collins Musical Director: Brian Gerry Choreographer: Angela Collins Devonport Playhouse, Plymouth Congratulations to the company for choosing this show, it is a quite Risqué script and I am sure they must have had some reservations about how their audiences would receive it. Never having seen the show myself it was marvellous to watch with an open mind. I don’t think I have ever seen an audience laughing from start to finish during a Musical but, with a script by Mel Brooks and marvellous performers it was a breath of fresh air. Not only was this poking a lot of fun at the rise of Adolph Hitler but also at the shenanigans of Broadway producers. I know that intense rehearsals were undertaken by the cast and it showed in the slickness and fast pace of the show. The singing and dancing could not be faulted and the Orchestra was excellent. The costumes were absolutely correct for the period. The set by Andy Martin allowed for seamless changes and the lighting and sound complimented the whole production. Had I been able I would have gone back the following night to see it all again. One final comment … WONDERFUL! MultiStarz Amateur Theatre Company SUMMER DELIGHTS Thursday 9 June 2011 Producer/Director: Susan Parish Choreographer: Sammy Jo Murphy Devonport Playhouse, Plymouth With songs from shows and some old and new music, this production gave the majority of the cast an opportunity to shine. It was augmented by dancers both senior and junior with a lovely solo dance in contemporary tap. The cast so obviously enjoyed performing showstoppers from Chicago, South Pacific, The Rocky Horror Show as well as many others. There were many soloists who were all in good voice and the selection of music gave performers of all age groups the chance to perform. Minimal use of stage dressing was compensated by attractive lighting and some very nice costumes. Although the music was taped, the cast worked well and kept very good time. The very young people who I thought were enjoying their first taste of stage performing did very well and I am sure they will progress as they gain experience. A Revue is a difficult genre to put together but Susan Parish did an excellent job of a varied selection of numbers to keep the audience attention. To finish with the Rocky Horror Show was such a good idea and most of the audience were singing along to “The Time Warp” and I am sure they went home, as I did, humming the song in my head. The only negative I have to say about this production is that I felt it needed a little tightening up as there were occasions when we were left with a blank stage. Well done to all for a good evening’s entertainment.

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Wranglers Theatre Company ANNIE Thursday 30 June 2011 Producer/Director: Wendy Holmes Musical Director: Paul Lloyd Choreographer: Wendy Holmes Muse Theatre, Lipson Community College, Plymouth To celebrate their 60th anniversary the company chose this ever popular show which enabled them to use all the company to its fullest extent. In these austere times this was a perfect vehicle for the positive spirit and optimism as characterised by the ever ebullient “Annie”. As I have come to expect from this excellent company all the cast captured the feel of the 1930s. Originally a comic strip, the adventures of the little orphan were avidly read and gave an uplift when needed. The cast of orphans were all competent in singing and dancing with confident acting from Molly, Kate, Tessie etc. and of course from Annie herself. Miss Hannigan is a peach of a part for any actress and was well portrayed and showed great comedic talent especially with the combined talents of Rooster and Lily in the super number “Easy Street”. I did enjoy the scene in the Radio station with the smarmy Bert Healy and the bored looking Boylan Sisters. I also liked the masked announcer and the Ventriloquist, so reminiscent of Peter Brough and Archie Andrews. I have to commend Daddy Warbucks and Grace Farrell, both very strong portrayals. A well drilled chorus, a well behaved dog and lovely 1930s costumes completed a grand evening’s entertainment.

DISTRICT 4 - SOUTH DEVON MR. IAIN DOUGLAS Newton Abbot Musical Comedy Society CINDERELLA Saturday 1 January 2011 Producer/Director: Hollie Smith Musical Director: John Amery Choreographer: Wendy Moore Alexandra Theatre, Newton Abbot I thought this was one of the best pantomimes I have seen by this society. The Denyer script was very funny and there was much to keep the audience involved and amused. However, what really made this show was an excellent line up of strong principals. They, along with Hollie’s tight direction, kept the pace up throughout. Amy Parnell was an excellent Cinderella and forged a good rapport with Dom Thomas as Buttons, and also with Amanda Villamayor who was a superb Prince Charming. Comedy was principally in the hands of Richard Ward and Matt Tucker who were a great pair of Ugly sisters, very naughty and causing mayhem throughout. Charlotte Gilmartin as Dandini gave this character a much stronger presence than usual, while Cat Wade provided this script’s baddie and a good focus for the “Boos”. Maxine Hobson as Fairy and Gary Castleton as Baron made up the first class line up with strong performances. Costumes and scenery were attractive, and the ‘Uglies’ had very good outfits. It was nice to see Wendy back on the production team and her choreography was very attractive and well presented. Music choice was very good indeed from a lively band with great percussion involvement. I think you can tell I enjoyed this evening. Totnes AODS MOTHER GOOSE Saturday 1 January 2011 Producer/Director: Fiona Murray Musical Director: David Williams Choreographer: Kerry Manley Civic Hall, Totnes Mother Goose is often regarded as the Pantomime with a moral - that money and beauty aren’t everything. This home written script ran a very acceptable 2 hours 30 minutes and immediately in the first sequence, introduced most of the characters. There was a good choice of musical numbers, and the excellent pit band supported well without drowning the many younger voices. The young chorus were well drilled and disciplined and performed in some attractive routines, especially a very effective UV sequence. Some new young faces in some roles will grow with experience and this augers well for the future. However, I did wonder why radio mikes were only on for the songs - why not mike the dialogue too, as some of it was difficult to hear? The script contained lots of audience participation (always essential), though I did feel the percussionist was under utilised and could have provided effects for the comedy and prat falls etc. Good and bad were well presented and when the script allowed, the comedy came across well. Although the script was reasonably well balanced I did feel that the end of Act 1 was a little bit of an anti climax. Paignton Pantomime Productions CINDERELLA Reviewed by Trudy Dyke on Sunday 2 January 2011 Producer/Director: Iain Douglas Musical Director: John Amery Choreographer: Elaine Johnson & Amanda Coote Palace Theatre, Paignton Brilliant!!! Paignton Pantomime Productions pull out all the stops. PPP used all the tools in their magical armoury to create a family friendly pantomime delighting children from 2 to 92. The opening was electric; bringing the chorus out into the auditorium to interact with the audience before dancing through a story book transporting them into The Village of Stoneybrooke, where we met Buttons (Nick Heath) the cheerful cheeky chappie and Cinderella (Georgina Johnson) the girl of his dreams. Both won the audiences hearts the moment they appeared. Comedy came in different guises but the most dominant in the form of sisters ugly Kylie and Danni (Alan Wagstaff and Chris Mitchell). These two really are masters of their craft - cruel and funny but never offensive. This company had a very strong line up of principals and each played their character with gusto. Choreography was stunning

and executed beautifully by the company, especially the hunt galloping and use of the junior dancers as animals. Musicality was strong and it was nice to bring in music which the younger cast and audience relate to! Costumes were beautifully lavish and the set was kept simple, which complemented the overall production with careful attention given to detail and colour. Toads Stage Musical Company THE KING AND I Reviewed by Lynne Caygill on Saturday 2nd July 2011 Director: Maggie Campbell Musical Director: John Amery Choreographer: Wendy Moore The Princess Theatre, Torquay The popularity of this show was very evident at the Saturday matinee by the number of people singing along to the well known melodies. This was a lovely production, appropriately stylized and with very colourful costumes. It had been well cast and all the singing was excellent, especially Lady Thiang’s “Something Wonderful.” There are many scene changes in this show, but the action moved effortlessly from one scene to another with efficient stage management. The sound was well balanced and the band supported the singing with sensitivity. The choreography was most suitable and very well performed. “The Little House of Uncle Thomas” was one of the best I have seen. It was both danced and sung well. It is worth pointing out that radio mikes will pick up everything, even if your hand is in front of your mouth, it is not good to announce to the whole audience that you have forgotten your words! Either wait for a prompt or keep going and get yourself back on the right track with help from other cast members. This was a thoughtful production with just the right amount of pathos to stir the emotions and comedy to lighten the atmosphere. It well deserved the tremendous reception at the end.

DISTRICT 5 - MID & EAST DEVON MRS. LYNNE CAYGILL The Riverside Players CINDERELLA Saturday 19 February 2011 Producer/Director: Tricia Barclay Musical Director: John Griswold Choreographer: Lauren Barclay Newton Poppleford Village Hall, Newton Poppleford This company is a true example of team work; we were met by last year’s Principal Boy selling programmes and later serving tea and supporting the cast in the chorus. This is a group whose members are not afraid to turn their hands to anything that is needed. It was extremely well cast and the director made full use of individual talents. There were some lovely performances from the main three girls, (Cinderella, Prince Charming and Dandini). A lot of the jokes and gags were old, but good comic timing meant they were all still very funny and amusing. The Ugly sisters, Gertrude and Grizelda, baroness Hatty Hardup, Bodget and Legett all built up a good rapport with the audience and Buttons had them eating out of his hands. There was just the right amount of audience participation for the audience to enjoy it and feel part of the performance without the actors going over the top. Baron Horace Hardup was a good contrast to the Baroness and the Fairy Godmother was charming and motherly. The children were very involved with the performance; they did some lovely dancing and reacted well to what was going on in the plot. The chorus sang with enthusiasm and there were some well performed solos. The Cinderella coach scene was very magical and the costumes were very colourful. The evening was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. Crediton Operatic and Dramatic Society OLIVER! Friday 22nd April 2011 Producer/Directors: Sarah Carter and Emily Killeen Musical Director: Allan Fouracre Queen Elizabeth School, Crediton Oliver! Is always a good box office show and popular with audiences. Once again CODS had created an appropriate atmosphere with a very well designed set and decorated entrance hall. The music in this production was excellent; it had good pace and the orchestra were well controlled, supporting but never overpowering the singing of the enthusiastic chorus or soloists. There were a lot of children in this production which limited what they were able to do. They were well choreographed, but had little opportunity to develop individual characters. Oliver sang with a clear voice and his diction was good in both his singing and dialogue, but more facial expressions and emotion would have improved the performance. Mr. Bumble and Widow Corney were extremely well played with interesting characterization and The Artful Dodger was lively and enthusiastic. Nancy played her part with passion, ably supported by Bet. I enjoyed Bill Sykes’ interpretation, but he needed to be more violent at the end. Mr. Brownlow was warm and comforting and congratulations to the little boy who brought the books who delivered his lines clearly and with a lovely smile. Fagin obviously enjoyed playing the role and one of the shows highlights was his singing of “Reviewing the Situation.” The Exmouth Players NOISES OFF Saturday 4th June 2011 Producer/Director: Peter Nickols-Rawle The Blackmore Theatre, Exmouth I started laughing from the moment I opened the programme and read the highly amusing, fictitious biographies of the play’s characters. That set what was to be a most enjoyable evening off to a very good start. This is not an easy play to perform, it is a complex work depicting a rehearsal,

backstage fiascos and a performance and all the emotions associated with each scenario made difficult as the 3 acts are very similar, but different! In order to make it work you need a supportive team and a clever set. This production had both. The set was on a truck, so for Act 2 which is set backstage, it was simply turned around and this was very effective. The cast interacted well and always supported each other and I suspect managed to get each other out of trouble on more than one occasion. This play needs tremendous energy to perform, which we had from this cast. I laughed until my sides ached, the comedy was superb and a real tonic. Congratulations to the cast, director and crew on a fantastic achievement and thank you for a great evening’s entertainment. Exmouth Musical Theatre Company SINGING IN THE RAIN Reviewed by Jo Wilson-Hunt on Friday 10th June 2011 Producer/Director: Johanna Elworthy Musical Director: Dorothy Worthington Choreographer: Debra Butler Exmouth Pavilion, Exmouth An iconic film made into a musical is always filled with expectations, with numbers specifically created as vehicles for its ‘Stars’ … so it’s no mean feat to recreate a production such as this in a seaside town in Devon. Opening onto the red carpet moment of a new silent movie we were greeted by the illuminated cyclorama, which twinkled brightly as ‘Dora Bailey’, the confident radio reporter welcomed the ‘Stars’ …all of whom were dressed to the nines. This production was a visual feast as the costumes (by Costume Workshop) were truly gorgeous and so well co-ordinated. The cyc cloth dominated the set which consisted of set props to enhance the action. Although the cyc was a lovely touch in ‘Hollywood’, it did take away from the intimate scenes and was a strain on the eyes as the show progressed into Act Two. This was a well cast piece, although not Gene Kelly, ‘Don Lockwood’ had the ‘heart throb’ vocals and moved well. The novice ‘Cosmo Brown’ matched ‘Don’ and their comic moments were a joy, a highlight being ‘Moses Supposes’ when they were joined by the diction coach … a tap dancer with true style. Sweet ‘Kathy’ sang and looked lovely and her nemesis ‘Lina’ showed her experience in this ditzy role, and ’R.F’ and ‘Roscoe’ caught the eye with their organisational wit … a well-received piece of theatre that even had the iconic REAL rain moment…

DISTRICT 6 - EAST DEVON, LYME REGIS & THE CHANNEL ISLANDS MRS. JANET ELWORTHY Axminster Operatic Society SHOWBOAT 18th November 2010. Director: Nick Lawrence Musical Director: Rob Preece Choreographer: Liz Hammond. Guildhall This classic musical, performed only by the brave on the amateur circuit, surely must contain some of the most enduring, beautiful music ever written in musical theatre. Following several story lines over four decades, the racial differences debated on its existence in 1927, still rest uneasily in our minds. This rock solid production carried the audience through the years of turmoil, emotion and occasional elation with style and spirit. Captain Andy (Brian Rattenbury) successfully held the show together with just the right amount of schmaltz and a very comical soliloquy. He was aided in his ‘light relief jaunt’ by an extremely talented Ellie (Alex McCallum) who never fails to light up the stage with her performance. ‘White’ and ‘black’ chorus, cleverly, clearly differentiated by costume, provided a relatively strong backbone to the show, despite an occasional lack of confidence in projection and a languid entrance or two. Top marks to the ‘black chorus’ for some fine posture which added considerable credence to their role. While all principal performance in this production could never be classed as understated, emotion and turmoil rested firmly on the shoulders of Magnolia (Kelly Apps) and Julie (Tracey Dare). Wrung out from every pore, their performance brought the audience to the brink of tears on more than one occasion. Both were vocally superb, supported by a vibrant, beautifully balanced orchestra. While true to say ‘Ol Man River’ usually takes the accolade for song of the show, for me on this occasion it was pipped to the post by ‘Bill’, a more heart- rending performance could not have been performed. An excellent tight ship all round. Willow Tree Theatre Company BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Wednesday 1st December 2010 Producer/Director: Jon Sowden Musical Director: John Fitton Choreographer: Debbie Shearman New Hall, Tiverton Beauty and the Beast has been one of the favourite choices of the last year for societies to perform, despite it being technically demanding and an all round huge task to undertake. If the end result was anything to go by, Willow Tree took it all in their stride. A fabulous set and effects were guaranteed here. This time we enjoyed working fountains, singing wall masks, mirror graphics and moving chairs. The list goes on and on; all fabulous work. Colourful costumes lit up the stage. Mostly home grown, they included a very fetching black feathered affair, worn by an excitable, charismatic Babette (Vlctoria Baldwin) along with other stylish beauties, showcased by pleasing, subtle lighting. As beautiful as the title suggests, Belle (Amy Garland) charmed us with her smooth, disciplined singing which included a spellbinding, emotional performance of ‘Me’. Her young beast (Nathan Banks) while not as imposing as some, left the audience in no doubt of his considerable artistic ability. While striving to win Belle’s affections, self loving Gaston (Rick Barfoot) easily convinced the audience of his arrogance.

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Maurice (Paul Williams) despite the broad West Country accent, was well cast as Belle’s eccentric father as was the elegant Lumiere (Keith Thomas), reliable Cogsworth (Malcolm Yeates) and a most convincing, assured Madame De La Grande Bouche (Katy Baker). A comforting Mrs Potts (Jo Wilson- Hunt) displayed a tender relationship with her ‘trolley bound’ son Chip (Dominic Jones) who, although slightly older than one might expect, still managed to produce the ‘aaah’ factor. Spectacular all singing and dancing chorus numbers allowed the creative choreography to surface, danced with energy and style that brought the stage alive. A transformation under a spiral of dry-ice completed a fairy tale ending to a fairy tale show. Congratulations to a director who had the foresight, motivation and bravery to put his own inspiration into a show that often follows in the path of the original west-end production. A real, feel good production. Sidmouth Amateur Dramatic Society DICK WHITTINGTON Saturday 1st January 2011 Producer/Director: Elizabeth Hammond Musical Director: Robert Preece Manor Pavilion, Sidmouth Think pantomime and visions of colour, happiness and lots of fun immediately spring to mind. In this production colour was lavish in the decorous, self designed and constructed set which included a splendid harbour with projected ships. A bevy of skilfully made, elaborate costumes, supplied by the society, slotted beautifully into the colour co-ordinated mix, enhanced by complementary lighting cues. Principal cast delivered the fun with lots of ad-libs and audience participation. A particularly nasty King Rat (Gavin Haines) appeared to take delight in his evil doings to even more delight of the receptive audience. A welcome back to Barry Lister as the outrageous Dame, absent for a couple of years. His relaxed, well timed comedic delivery always raises a show to another level. Younger principals displayed a good knowledge of stagecraft, working as a team although an occasional line was lost due to inadequate strength of delivery. Chorus work should never be underestimated as an integral component of any production, confidence, energy and sparkle should be rudimentary. Apart from a bouncy rendition of ‘All the nice girls love a Sailor’ this did not happen. However, the reaction of the audience confirmed this production fulfilled the ‘successful panto’ criteria nicely. Axminster Drama Club SLEEPING BEAUTY 20th January 2011 Director: Chris Lane Musical Director: Rob Preece Guildhall Another new pantomime from the pen of prolific local writer Chris Lane. Director’s notes describe this story as; quote “ Nothing really happens except a bit of cursing at the beginning, a lot of sleeping, then a very chaste kiss”. Not a bad two hours worth of writing considering the extremely (supposedly) very thin plot. Revolving the story around a comical Evil Fairy and her Henchman, the script cleverly ticked all the boxes for pleasurable family entertainment. Groups of delightful, accomplished youngsters flitted in and out of the production, performing and going about their assigned ‘business’ like little troupers. Cast performed with 100% enthusiasm showing an abundance of team spirit and rapport. A refreshing medley of modem songs added extra interest, sung with energy they uplifted the production. The society is lucky to have their own workshop, where eyecatching scenery and props are designed and created. This production transported the audience through a fairy tale wonderland including a secret fairy garden and huge, realistic dragon which left the younger audience wide eyed and open mouthed. Although dialogue and pace needed a ‘boot’ occasionally, all round effort and eagerness could not be faulted. A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining show. Lyme Regis Pantomime Society SINBAD THE SAILOR 17th February 2011 Director: Kathy Smith Musical Director: Penny Bartholomew Choreographers: Sarah Causley and Kathy Smith Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis Performing the Ron Hall version of this pantomime from N.O.D.A, the society dazzled the audience with a blaze of colour. Costumes were designed and made with skill, using an array of different textured fabrics in rich, jewelled colours, surrounded by an equally variegated set. Cast worked successfully as a team, all performing to the very best of their ability. Character partnerships were supportive and commendatory of each other in the main but when the script calls for a flirtatious relationship between characters of the opposite sex, even though comedic, casting needs careful consideration with age difference seen to be appropriate. All and Fatima brought lots of fun to their performance and proved to be competent actors in their own right, but as a partnership the age difference was too far removed from suitability to be acceptable in these particular roles. Principal cast and chorus ably sang and danced their way through a generous amount (23) of musical numbers, some not as familiar as others. Their pleasure of performing was not always evident visually but came through by way of enthusiasm. The same could not be applied to the troupe of younger performers who positively beamed as they danced around with apparently never ending energy. True to say, this production was positively packed with music and interesting extras and while not all of these elements reached their full potential, credit must be given for having the confidence to try. A highlight of the production was the talent displayed by the young, solo saxophone player, a star in the making indeed.

Tipton Players and Pantomime Society ALADDIN 18th February 2011 Directors: Stephanie Kinson and Yvonne Kellett. Tipton St John Community Hall Always when visiting this micro-dot of a village hall, I marvel at the quality of what is produced within its walls, this occasion being no exception. Excellent casting saw a balanced mixture of acting abilities with all characters realising their full potential. A charming Aladdin and Princess Jasmine worked hand in hand, making a good team that saw energetic performance, touching moments and pleasant singing. Wishee Washee was a natural comic, delivering his dialogue with an excellent accent and timing, while endearing himself to the audience. Widow Twankey paraded the expected, eccentric array of outfits, including a fetching willow pattern ensemble which looked considerably stylish with its apparently very secure, towering, matching hat, while a sparkling Genie demonstrated just how skilful make-up application was. Comedy twosomes kept the responsive audience laughing, helping principals deliver a generous portion of panto business which included the most mess-less, effective soapsuds fight seen, along with a very comical ‘mangled’ Wishee Washee sketch, all staged to successfully achieve maximum entertainment value without going over the top. Abanazer solicited a healthy volume of boo’s proving his performance was nasty enough to warrant them. Scenery was simple but striking and colourful, complimented by notable lighting effects. Another forte of this society is the quality and effectiveness of their special effects. A magic carpet ride with floating clouds and birds worked particularly well. Chorus songs in the main were clear and strong with “We’re in the Money” sounding particularly tuneful, however, a faster pace was needed occasionally to maintain energy levels. Diligently directed, this production was a cut above your average village pantomime, proving the worth of all involved going that extra mile. Bampton Players PUSS IN BOOTS 19th Feb 2011 Director: Wendy Boothroyd Riverside Hall, Bampton A warm welcome to these new members of N.O.D.A - a long established village society, whom perform plays and a pantomime for the pleasure of local people. Performing in the village hall, all elements of this production were devised and constructed within the group, including building a stage with extreme size limitations. The set was designed to fit snugly, painted artistically, using lots of colour. Musical numbers were a mixed bag, chosen well and kept short, they varied from instrumental pieces, vocal numbers using hand microphones and backing tracks with original vocals to which the society danced nimbly, ably coping with simplistic choreography. Sound effects were spot on, helping the comedy develop as the show progressed. Cast portrayed solid character representation with some enjoyable performances in particular, Wheeler, a well padded, bumbling character, played by a female who managed to maintain a strong Devon accent while presenting lot of fun. Patchem, the town cobbler, who told a touching tale that held audience attention to the extent of hearing a pin dropped and Jake, the hero singing with pleasing musicality. There were times when the production needed more pace and cast tended to exchange dialogue between themselves, excluding the audience, but all easily remedied with gentle nurturing from an experienced, thoughtful director. Audience appreciation was clearly seen and heard in response to the society’s success at entertaining their community. Sidmouth Arts Club HALF A SIXPENCE April 28th 2011. Director - Vicky Evans Musical Director - John Amery Choreography - Vicky Evans Manor Pavilion Theatre This reworked, old classic show is now bolder with new songs and underscoring which slot comfortably amongst the originals but still remains rather twee. A simplistic set with back projection enabled this production to sally forth seamlessly with the support of good lighting encouraging the story. Kipps commanded the show, as expected, with boundless energy, effortlessly portraying the rise and fall of his life with spirit and a touching, vulnerable edginess. Partnered by a long suffering Anne, who grew with a quiet, steely determination as the production progressed without losing her sweet, demure nature. Chitterlow revelled in his role, enjoying himself almost as much as his audience, while other principal cast gave strong support. Sound balance was not ideal with the band overpowering the singing in the first instance although this did improve in Act 2. At times chorus singing was lazy and not as strong as would be expected from a large body of people, although these numbers were in the minority with “Flash, Bang, Wallop” being a true showstopper. Kipps and Anne performed a lovely duet with “Long Ago” which was touching in its simplicity. Imaginative staging was a solid feature of this production, as seen particularly in “A Proper Gentleman” and the cricket match, where lovely pictures filled the stage. Over the last few years, this society has continually aimed to raise the bar, this year being no exception. What started as a fizz went out with a huge flash bang wallop. Centre Stage BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 28th April 2011 Director: Helen Rushton Musical Director: Lynne Caygill Choreographer: Hollie Da’bell Exmouth Pavilion Staging this hugely popular show is not for the feint hearted, however, the brave; should they be successful, will, in all probability, reap the rewards of a

bulging box office till. Opening to projected, original and innovated graphics with narration, whetted the audiences appetite for what sumptuous treats were in store. They were not disappointed! Chorus numbers displayed clear harmony sections with a tight, strong melodic sound while performing varied and interesting ‘business’ along with fresh, well moved choreography. A charming Belle showed all round talent and a tender caring side when performing with an extremely sprightly and energetic Maurice, her father. Gaston owned the stage with a great ‘strut’, his egomania convincing, continuing through his songs which were sung with a nicely-toned, reliable voice. His side-kick, a very comical Lefou, gave a mature performance as did the majority of the cast. Household staff worked brilliantly as a team including a charismatic, funny Lumiere. “Be Our Guest” stole the show, a feast for the eyes, showcasing a parade of beautiful costumes, all designed and made by one individual, a true labour of love. Energy was maintained from start to finish with voices remaining strong, a much enjoyed crowning number. Act two tenderly showed the emerging relationship between Beauty and her Beast, who was played by a young performer recovering from a debilitating illness. As this was to be his swan song with the society, his determination to perform was admirable. His strong, emotional performance reduced the audience to tears on more than one occasion. Once again this talented young company have rose to the challenge and produced a much enjoyed, top class production. Success is yours! Lyme Regis Operatic Society ME AND MY GIRL May 2011 Director/Musical Director: Nick Lawrence Choreographer: Johanna Elworthy Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis What a hilarious, colourful and energetic production this was, a tonic without the need for so much as a sniff of gin. Cast were finely knitted together too seamlessly produce a first rate show, which was nowhere near deserving of its amateur status. The leading roles of Bill and Sally were ideally matched, both talented individuals who moved and sang with a relaxed, natural ease. Sally’s moving, confident performance of “When you loose your heart”, sung a mere arms length from the front row, was pure joy to listen to. While Bill and the calculating Lady Jacqueline’s sofa seduction was one of the most comical I’ve seen, as was a blinding “Family Solicitor”. Every ounce of humour was extracted from the dialogue, demonstrated particularly by the clever staging of the drunken scene, with amusing stage business performed with control and considerable pace. A determined Duchess showed her slight vulnerability while full-filling her steely, authoritative demeanour. Despite slight timing issues, chorus numbers were toe tapping with “Lambeth Walk” inevitably stealing the honour of best in show. This exuberant, happy show saw audience pleasure matched only by the cast’s obvious enjoyment of performing it. Sidmouth Musical Comedy Society CABARET 8th June 2011. Director: Martin J. Kingston Musical Director: Rebecca Willson Choreographer: Micholette Pollard. Manor Pavilion Set in the 1930’s, this show has the power to unsettle, as the audience are drawn in to the seedy world of Berlin, where political unrest was simmering with the then, unknown catastrophic consequences. Welcomed into the depths of the glitzy Kit Kat Club, the authentic atmosphere promised anything from ‘no holds barred’ raunchiness to a ‘gentler’ interpretation, this production wavering towards the latter. An extremely impressive, tight band placed on a lit mezzanine at the back of the stage was fronted by a sexily clad M.D., who kept complete control while managing to move with style as if choreographed, (something, some of the M.Ds I know could never manage to do). Characters were clearly defined and as Emcee, Alec Fellows-Bennett successfully linked the show with his assured portrayal of a dark, indecipherable, complex character - his performance leaving a wide scope for individual audience interpretation. Sally Bowles, while ticking all the boxes with confidence and ability, occasionally appeared restrained and while it could be accepted that the character of Clifford may not have been as imposing as some, the contrast between the characters was enough to convince us of their relationship. The sad, doomed relationship of Fraulein Schneider and Herr Shultz was portrayed with a strong sense of sympathy and emotion, both characters able to show their vulnerability whilst retaining their strength of character. Piece de resistance of this production came with the musical numbers. A scintillating, diverse group of Kit Kat girls saucily gyrated their way through exciting choreography along with powerful principal vocals that uplifted the show. The humour of “Two Ladies” will remain firmly planted in my mind for some time! While not being as gutsy as some, this production successfully conveyed the substance of the story, providing an extremely entertaining evening. Sidmouth Amateur Dramatic Society THE HEIRESS Reviewed by Stuart Lyddon on 15th June 2011 Director: Shirley Nelson Manor Pavilion, Sidmouth The audience were certainly impressed with the overall presentation, a crafted and attention to detail set depicting a 1850’s New York era as the tabs were drawn back majestically at the opening. Completing the picture with appropriate costumes and wigs the characters were well defined as to their status, which obviously has an important impact on the storyline. Very pleasing was Marian’s changing wardrobe in each scene, envisaging the change of the character and personality. Minor changes to the set during the Acts were subtle and appreciated. All characters were clearly defined which indicated to me that there was collaboration between director and actor. Lighting gave the right focus for the various time elements, especially

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the use of lamps stage left flooding through the windows, nice touch. Overall this was a very enjoyable piece of theatre, a story told and told well. Direction gave conviction with movement and even a back to the audience! Great! Plays are an essential part of theatre and need to be promoted more. This production kept the interest of the viewer with the tension moments highlighted and atmospheric, whilst finding the lighter shades giving colour and interest to this adaptation by Ruth and Augustus Goetz.

DISTRICT 7 - NORTH DEVON MRS. DIANE GILCHRIST Actors of North Tawton MURDERED TO DEATH Saturday 19th March 2011 Producer/Director: Tracey Norman North Tawton Town Hall, North Tawton This play by Peter Gordon was advertised as an hilarious comedy and we were not disappointed. It was a spoof of an Agatha Christie style murder mystery which was very entertaining, due in no small part to the casting and acting skills of the company. The story was set in a country house in the 1930s, and revealed that the life of the house, its residents and visitors were not what anyone imagined. Who was the mystery assassin? What where his/her motives for wanting so many people dead? As each killing took place the audience was left wondering just who was to be next. The set (as is usual with this group) was very good. The costumes were on the whole authentic looking but I wasn’t too sure about Margaret Craddock’s trousers in the First Act. The characterisations of Bunting, Joan Maple, Colonel Craddock and Inspector Pratt were outstanding and it was good to see some members of the younger section of the society taking part. Full marks to the whole cast who managed to keep straight faces when watching the antics of the Inspector and listening to his mispronunciations. This must have provided a lot of fun at rehearsals. It is always a pleasure to visit this society and this was no exception. Well done to all concerned. Tiverton Dramatic Society MY BLESSED UNCLE Thursday 14th April 2011 Producer/Director: Andy Lockyer New Hall, Tiverton How proud this Director must feel to be able to direct a play written by his father (Bob), initially for Brian Rix the master of farce and also for the music being composed by his son (Matthew). Such a talented family! The action of the play takes place at Moorlands Gate Country Club which is being managed by Joan and Cecil Gregg. The testing time for the couple is the day of the Hunt Ball and although things appear to be going well, their lives are thrown into turmoil with the arrival of unexpected guests, including Cecil’s uncle, a Brigadier from the USA. Some jewellery goes missing and a new cleaner at the Club knows just what is happening at any given moment. All the actors played their parts with great conviction, but special mention must be made of the outstanding stage presence of Mrs Grassington. She played to the audience as well as to her fellow actors, as did Major D’Arcy Duckworth and Hon Eustace Prendergast. Congratulations also go to Eustace who almost brought the house down with his incredible costumes that were worn with great panache, and dare I say, courage (loved the legs). The set was good, just right for a country club and the costumes were spot on. As with any farce the timing is of paramount importance and only on the odd occasion did it falter. Congratulations to all concerned, on stage and backstage, for a very entertaining evening. Torrington Players COLD COMFORT FARM Friday May 13th 2011 Director: Lynda Mclaughlin The Plough This play adapted by Paul Doust from the novel by Stella Gibbons provided the audience with a very entertaining evening, and gave plenty of ‘food for thought’ regarding family relationships. This team of very talented actors interpreted the script with great aplomb, although the accents did vary slightly. The story revolves around the recently orphaned Flora Poste who has decided that, owning to a meagre income of just £100 a year, she needs to find somewhere to live. This happens to be with her distant relatives, the Starkadders, who all appear to be completely mad. The performance of Flora was faultless, and the interruptions of Aunt Ada Gloom who saw ‘something nasty in the woodhouse’ when she was a child, were incredible. The elfin-like movements of the aptly named Elphine were enjoyable, and the male members of the cast were all believable in their characterisations. The set was excellent and the lighting was used to good effect, especially in the opening scene. The special effects and in particular the clock were good. The costumes were appropriate for the period, although the re sparkly jump suit worn by Aunt Ada at the end, seemed rather over the top. This was a very unusual play, extremely well directed and performed by a very talented group. Barnstaple Young Generation WEST SIDE STORY May 21st 2011 Director: Kev Behan Musical Director: Malcolm Read Choreographer: Maralyn Williamson Queen’s Theatre This popular production left the audience wanting more. The abundance of talent that exists within this group is incredible, and the one thing that was so obvious was that all the cast were enjoying themselves. The tension between the Jets and the Sharks was spine-tingling. The outstanding musical numbers were ‘America’ led by Anita, and ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’ led by Action and the Jets. The choreography in both of these numbers

was superb, and how good it was to see so many young men with so few inhibitions. The leads, Tony and Maria were well suited. Their singing was well balanced, and their rendition of ‘One Hand, One Heart’ was superb, but their dialogue was lacking somewhat in conviction. The acting honours must go to Anita, Bernardo, and especially to Riff, a young man with tremendous potential. The orchestra was good, but occasionally overpowered the soloists, especially in the more subtle numbers. The costumes, lighting, sets and special effects were all very effective and added lots of style and panache to a superb production. Congratulations to all concerned with this show, and how good to think that all the members of the Creative team were local.

finely tuned! Showing us the vulnerability of his tormented soul, was in complete contrast was Jessica Stradling’s beautiful portrayal of Mary calm and caring but also tempered with vulnerability. There were many other cameo and principal roles in this production and each of these was brought to life by this talented company. Herod’s Song was a delicious ‘camp seedy romp’ and those gold hot pants were inspired! Company work was exceptional! Musicality and Choreography was slick and well executed. Costumes and set were well selected and enhanced the overall concept of this superb production. Everyone who brought this show to the stage truly deserved the standing ovation they received. Well done.

DISTRICT 8 - MID & SOUTH SOMERSET MRS TRUDY DYKE

Wells Operatic Society THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE 11th April, 2011 Director: Gerald Eyers Musical Director: Sheila Ross Choreographer: Tina Eyers Wells Little Theatre, Wells Wells Little Theatre are masters of making the most of unusual works! They may not have the largest stage but with careful planning anything is possible and the set for this production complete with Pirate ship was no exception. The Pirates of Penzance is probably one of the best known G&S operettas and so it was a brave move to use the 1994 Australian version with its focus on interaction with the audience and Musical Director. Sadly some of the audience in on the first night were G&S purists and did not appreciate some of the extra obvious comedy! Perhaps it was first night jitters, but both principals and company alike at times appeared a little hesitant as to when and where to move and unfortunately this then impacted on their singing. Not so was Richard Wright playing the Major General word perfect and confident. Choreography was interesting, especially the multiple encores for ‘With CatLike Tread’. Vocally the highlight was ‘Hail Poetry’. Well done.

CUDOS ROBINSON CRUSOE Wednesday 26th January 2011 Producer/Director: Ann Brolly Musical Director: John Perry Choreographer: Katy Lyons Victoria Hall, Crewkerne CUDOS know the meaning of ‘Family Pantomime’ giving the audience a mixture of fun and laughter and creating a magical experience for all. Evil Pirate Pierre (Richard Walters) who opened the show well deserved his ‘Hisses’ and ‘Boos’. He was the quintessential Baddie. His badness was equally matched in Goodness by Briny (Amanda Perry) the bungling Sea Sprite with her Cheryl Cole accent and duff wand. Pantomime Dame is possibly one of the hardest roles to play. Dave Phillips as Clara Crusoe adopted a gentle laid back style which complemented Lucy Bond’s not so bright manic son Billy Crusoe. Providing the love interest were Robinson Crusoe (Diana Hodgson) and Polly Perkins (Sarah Elliott) - both are ‘panto pros’. Comedy was supplied in spades by Ebb and Flow (Gregg Groves and Kerry Peters). This was quite a ‘wordy’ pantomime and everyone is to be congratulated for keeping the pace going. Musicality overall was good, though at times it might have benefited the company if the tempo was a little faster. Choreography was kept simple, so complementing all abilities. Staging and set cloths were superb and added to the dynamic of the show. C.A.T.S OKLAHOMA 23rd February, 2011 Director: Adrian Livsey Musical Director: Alison Stevens Ansford School, Castle Cary CATS production of ‘Oklahoma’ burst into live as soon as Alison Stevens picked up her baton! And the lights came up on Aunt Eller (Mary-Anne Johnson) churning her butter! CATS fast moving production owed a lot of its success to its set designers and Director Adrian Livsey who made good use of its limited staging, especially Judd Fry’s smokehouse. Both John Clarke (Curly) and Vikki Whitchurch (Laurey) possess beautiful singing voices full of emotion. Kate Kirkpatrick (Ado Annie) and Jack Chohawno (Will Parker) sparked of off one another to deliver some of the best comedic moments in the show. In contras, bringing us the darker side of the piece was Ken Dunn who gave a chilling performance as Jud Fry the twisted hired hand. The ensemble singing and movement was enthusiastic. Choreography was kept simple and tight and was well executed, making good use of the stage. Costumes and scenery had been well thought out and complemented the production. Well done! Polden Productions ROBINSON CRUSOE AND THE PIRATES 16th March 2011 Director/Musical Director: Ros Dolding Choreographers: Jo Turley and Carol Applegate Eddington Village Hall Polden Productions know the meaning of ‘Family Panto’ and this ‘youthful’ company aged between 6 and 66 gave the audience a mixture of fun and laughter and created a magical experience for all! Captivating us from the first moment she appeared Coral (Emily Thorne) ‘Spirit of the Sea’ burst onto the stage beaming with a smile. Scheming evil Cut Throat (Mike Taylor) well deserved his Hiss’s and Boo’s! He’s the quintessential Baddie! Dame, Margarita Jucilita (Steve Lukins) and Nutty Nick (Ben Lewis) made an excellent mother and son each bouncing comic retorts off one another! Providing the love interest was Robinson Crusoe (Julie Groves) and Juanita (Jo Ditchburn) though this did not appear to be such a comfortable pairing! This was quite a ‘wordy’ pantomime and everyone is to be congratulated for keeping the pace going.One of the highlights of this production was seeing Ros Dolding perform on stage as Mumbo Jumbo! Choreography was kept simple, so complementing all abilities. Staging and set clothes were superb and added to the dynamic of the show. Well done.

CUDOS CONFUSIONS 4th May 2011 Director: Polly English Victoria Hall, Crewkerne ‘Confusions’ was an excellent choice for CUDOS giving both the audience and company a chance to try something new! Director Polly English’s casting of this play was perfect, combining her seasoned performers and those making their debut, each adding their own unique talent. ‘Confusions’ is a glorious mix of conversations; it’s action revolving around relationships and chance encounters! To make it believable it needs to be natural and not acted and this was exactly how CUDOS played it. Five scenes loosely linked treated us to a rollercoaster of emotions! Two scenes in particular stood out, both for different reasons. Firstly, ‘Between Mouthfuls’ featuring two couples who unknown to their partners know each others respective other halves very well! The interaction and timing of the individual couples was a work of art and was only complemented by a very patient waiter! Secondly, ‘Gosforth’s Fete’ was hilarious, conjuring props, dialogue and a tea urn! Choice of costume and set enhanced the overall production. Well done. Yeovil Youth Theatre BILLY ELLIOT Report by Nick Lawrence on 7th July 2011 Octagon Theatre, Yeovil “Billy Elliot” is a very special show for someone like me who lived through these events. History it may be to these youngsters, but well remembered to my generation. Then we have the boy who loves dancing. The cast captured all of this very well also making the production totally entertaining. The dialogue could have done with better pacing, but the attempts at genuineness cannot be faulted. There were some lovely lighting effects and the silhouette of the mining village was just right. Unfortunately, the sound assistance was not up to the standard of the performance. The sound department is there to enhance the performance and should remove stress from the actors. This was a sad blip in the otherwise very tight technical support. The “big numbers” were achieved most successfully and the involvement of everyone in every bit of the action was excellent. The coordination of the sequences featuring the chairs was pretty tight and the singing was top notch. To succeed with such a show needs a high level of team effort with everyone working towards the one goal without thought for individual glory. From the black gang to the lead players to the band: it came over as a positive whole. I had an amazing and uplifting afternoon.

Glastonbury & Street M.C. Society JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR 4th April, 2011 Director: Brian Epps Musical Director: Lynne Merrifield Choreographer: Sheila Driver Strode Theatre, Street Director Brian Epps’s interpretation of JCS was breath taking! Using a simple set and a cornucopia of lights this production was the epitome of a true rock opera. Philip Cox’s calm and effortless persona coupled with his stunning singing voice was perfect to play Jesus. Matthew Maisey’s portrayal of Judas was

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DISTRICT 8A - MID & WEST SOMERSET MRS. JO WILSON-HUNT Taunton’s 22nd Gang Show 2011 13th April 2011 Producer/Director: Dave Mullen Musical Director: Joanne Buck Choreographers: Maureen Leach and Jenny Davey The Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton A Gang show is a very different type of theatre to the usual fair and it seems each Gang has some speciality. Taunton’s Gang has the talent to sing in true ‘Glee’ style…perfect harmony, no matter what the age of the performer. Sketches and dancing were also engaging and the audience participated whenever there was a glimmer of a chance to get involved. The set was simple but with hidden extras as it moved and transformed before our eyes. Lighting was dynamic and the use of back projection and film was a highlight. Wardrobe was interesting, colourful and on the whole effective. Congratulations to all involved both young and young at heart. Taunton Amateur Operatic Society HOT MIKADO 9th April 2011 Director: Scott St Martyn Musical Director: Kathryn Stevens The Tacchi Morris Arts Centre, Taunton A perfectly beautiful Japanese garden was the setting of this highly energetic and sassy production. This show was beautifully set, costumed, made up and wigged to perfection. It also had talent abound. Dancing was slick and perfectly in step, singing was clear and near on note perfect, and

best of all characterisation was of an extremely high standard. A sweet pretty Yum Yum found her handsome shy Nanki-Poo irresistible, and she was certainly encouraged by her sassy playmates - Pitty-Sing really giving the fabulous Katisha a piece of her mind with true confidence. The boys, not to be outdone by the strong female line up sang and danced with real panache. Ko-Ko showing his comic timing and Pooh-Bah his manipulative streak….and the Mikado showed it’s not only the youngsters that can strut their stuff. This show was certainly Hot! Wellington Amateur Operatic Society OKLAHOMA! 13th May 2011 Director: Nicola Dawson Musical Director: Hilary Wickham Choreographer: Charlie Evans The Wellesley Theatre, Wellington A golden haze was certainly in evidence for this 50th Anniversary

production. Greeted by the picturesque yard of the William’s farm we were taken on a journey into the prairies of America where the cowboys are handsome and the girls ‘purty’ as a picture. How could sassy but romantic Laurey not fall for her curly headed cowboy as he wooed her with the tale of his ‘Surrey with a fringe on top’? This was a romance which we could believe in. Someone to watch was Will Parker who kicked up the dust with style, sang with panache and who’s characterisation and comic timing was second to none. His ditzy girlfriend Ado Annie found it so hard to choose between the two men in her life and she played this comic role with gusto. Everyone played his or her part in this pretty production; music was well balanced, direction was neat, and lighting was beautifully timed. Dance is a big part of this show and an alternative approach to the dream showed both Laurey and her dream self, dancing together, and ’Kansas City‘ was the most enjoyable routine of the evening. Wellington can certainly say they celebrated this special year with style.

Taunton Thespians on Tour A SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS Reviewed by Nick Lawrence on 21st June 2011 Director: Michael Gilbert Taking any play on tour is an exciting, yet challenging prospect. Taunton Thespians have been doing this for some years now and are getting to be experts at it. This adaptation brilliantly captured the irreverence of the play and was completely up-to-date in pocking fun at all sorts of recognizable foolishness. This certainly added to the comedy and helped keep the audience’s attention. The simple setting gave just the right amount of atmosphere without becoming overbearing. The whole production was hurried along by some zany purpose-made live music, which totally captured the style of the piece. Goldoni’s characters are well-defined and beautifully stereotypical. This makes for most enjoyable entertainment. Matt Webber [Truffaldino] held everything together and achieved the duel reward of the audience’s attention and sympathy along with plenty of laughter. He got his just deserts with a good beating and the hand of Smeraldina. A good lead had been given by director Mike Gilbert. The actors seemed at home within the play and their characters and the whole was presented in an immediate and easy fashion. All the departments worked well together so that the audience could concentrate on the play. I’m certain Goldoni would have been delighted. The Civic Players, WAA SURPRISE PACKAGE 29th June 2011 Director: Graham Hart The Art Centre, Wellington Greeted by an open stage set as the reception and bar of a ‘Costa’ hotel in the ‘70’s the holiday feel was in evidence from the start. Strong characterisation at the opening of the show with language barrier issues being the main theme got the audience in the mood for the comedy to come. The family who were the main focus of the plot were well cast and worked as a unit, with all the tribulations of a family on holiday coming to the fore…and the true reason behind the holiday…A GIRL…caused must consternation and the eventual happy reunion. Act 1 moved at a steady pace and showed thought and comic timing from the director who also took the role of Alfred. The more challenging physical comedy of the second half slowed the action down a little and some of the sparkle was lost, but it is never easy to direct and perform (especially one of the main characters) in a fast paced piece of theatre such as this. Well supported by all the technical and creative team, this production delighted the audience who chuckled there way through this holiday frivolity and left the Art Centre well satisfied.

DISTRICT 9 - MID & NORTH EAST SOMERSET MRS. SUE POMEROY Portishead Players DICK WHITTINGTON Saturday 11th December 2010 Producer/Director: Kevin Harrington Musical Directors: Miles Boyd and Jenny Hazell Somerset Hall, Portishead This pantomime was a challenge to this outstanding drama group. Pantomime is a unique genre consisting of many expected elements. All the elements were there, but some were less significant than others. The professional script was cleverly written with fun and humour, but the script was ‘wordy’ and would have been more interesting with more ‘song and dance’ routines to ‘break up’ the dialogue. The story developed well with fun and there was appreciative laughter from the audience. Good costumes were well designed and made. There could have been more gloss and glamour for the company in the final walk down costumes, but I understand budgetary limitations. The lighting and effects were very good, with spot on flashes and special effects. The sound was efficient as always. It was so good to be able to hear every word. The limited scenery was well built, painted and effective and I particularly liked the opening to Act 2 … the deck of the pirate ship and the desert island. The casting of this pantomime was good, but the performance of Dick Whittington and his Cat must take the plaudits for the evening; they worked extremely hard and achieved a high standard. Weston Super-Mare Operatic Society GUYS AND DOLLS 14th April 2011 Director: Robbie Burns Musical Director: Matthew Tilke Choreographer: Marina Fairhead The Playhouse, Weston Super Mare Weston super Mare Operatic Society presented Frank Loesser’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ in the very skilful manner that I have come to expect from this talented society. It is a classic musical, so well known that to update it would be a crime. This was a clear-cut presentation of an excellent company show where each performer gave their best. I was pleased to see the orchestra back in the pit, a lovely atmosphere is created when you can see and hear the musicians. The leading players were all experienced and talented performers who offered humour and song and dance in abundance. The star of the stage was the very staging itself, the mobile set from Scenic Designs was a masterpiece and the director used it to create interesting and intricate settings with ease. This was the luxury of seeing a performance in a professional theatre, the luxury of which is not available to many amateur societies, but undoubtedly it comes at a financial cost. I do hope WSMOS will continue to display their undisputed talents in this delightful venue. Congratulations to WSMOS for giving us another impressive production.

Worle Operatic and Dramatic Society ‘HONK’ 5th May 2011 Directors: Sam Boyd ad Kate Emmery Musical Director: Carol Kenway Choreographer: Charlotte Clark Blakehay Theatre, Weston super Mare The production team had worked hard with this company; it was a slick, well-acted production with good pace. The Blakehay Theatre limits the amount of scenery, but scenery was effective, well painted and moved quietly and efficiently by the crew. The limited lighting was good. The costumes were suitable for a farming community but I would have wished for more indication of character from each costume. The music was in the very capable hands of the MD. The small band made an excellent sound, well rounded with good support to company and soloists. The cast was well drilled musically with some very nice harmonies coming through. I suspect this music was not as straightforward as it appeared so the excellent company singing was the result of hard work. Without a doubt, the talent and charm of ‘Mother Duck’ Ida held the whole show together she worked hard to achieve a believable story of a lost ‘duckling’ and her scenes with Ugly were touching and funny. Her excellent voice added charisma to her role. Although there are leading roles, this was a good company show, made possible by excellent teamwork and shared aims. Nailsea Musicals AN AUDIENCE WITH NAILSEA MUSICALS 21st May 2011 Directors / Musical Directors / Choreographers: Emil Waller and Paul Jennings-Webb Nailsea School This production was a joy to watch from start to finish. I sat smiling as I was taken down memory lane and brought bang up to date with the latest West End hit shows. The jam-packed and imaginative programme was a winner. Act One gave us lots of musical and film hits, liveliness from ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, fun from the junior’s and mini’s with ‘Wizard of Oz’ and ‘ Joseph’ and ‘The Sound of Music’. Nostalgia and romance from the movie musicals and exuberance from ‘High Society’ and ‘Anything Goes’ Act Two was a triumph… ‘Blood Brothers’ was awesome; ‘Avenue Q’ was saucy and fun and ‘Glee’ from the juniors was great. ‘Sister Act’ was a delight and the show finished with the enormously popular ‘Les Miseables’. The solo performances were excellent; the company singing was first class both from the juniors and the seniors. The direction was first rate, interesting groupings, and a company so well drilled they moved on and off swiftly, therefore the pace was good. The choreography was very good, perfect for a cast of mixed ability and I congratulate everyone for the inspiration and execution of this show. I loved every minute. Bridgwater AOS SWEET CHARITY Reviewed by Andrew Carpenter on Saturday 16th April 2011 Producer/Director: Sue Pomeroy Musical Director: Tony Pomeroy Choreographer: Shelley Smith & Nikki Standerwick Bridgwater Town Hall, Bridgwater For any production of Sweet Charity to be successful you need an outstanding all round performer in the title role and in Katy Gunningham you had just that. Her performance in all aspects of singing, acting and dancing was near faultless and she acted as the bedrock for this superb production. Katy was aided and abetted by an array of talented supporting cast members none more so than Nikki Standerwick as Nickie and Dannielle Redman as Helene. Heartiest congratulations too for Dylan Cheasley as Vittorio Vidal, Martine Davies in the role of Ursula March, Gavin Roberts as Herman, Ben Filler as Daddy Brubeck (who excelled in Rhythm of Life) and a very talented ensemble. Completing the principal line up, Darren Oxman as Oscar Lindquist squeezed every ounce of comedy from this role and acted as a perfect foil in his scenes with Charity. Sweet Charity is a musical comedy in the true sense of the words and the ‘musical’ side of this production was in the capable hands of Tony Pomeroy. One of the most impressive parts of this production was undoubtedly the self-constructed set. I offer my sincere congratulations to Director, Sue Pomeroy, cast and crew for a first class production.

DISTRICT 10 - EAST SOMERSET & SOUTH WILTSHIRE MR. ANDREW CARPENTER Salisbury Amateur Operatic Society 42ND STREET Tuesday 7th December 2010 Producer/Director: Barry McIlroy City Hall, Salisbury It was my first experience of this society as they delivered a spirited, first-night performance of the familiar musical to an appreciative near-full house at the capacious City Hall. After a tentative start, punctuated with the occasional continuity glitch, the pace picked up progressively, and the action developed an impressive momentum that went particularly well in the second half – for me the Lullaby of Broadway routine was best-in-show. A competent cast was well and truly led by the authority and experience of David Coxon playing Julian Marsh, while in contrast, the freshness and youthful enthusiasm of Katy Sibbald as Peggy and Matt Sparkes as Billy shone through. Helen Lovett-Turner, hitherto behind scenes as stage manager, showed versatility with a creditable performance as Dorothy. In the knowledge that tap dance is an important feature of this show, the cast had worked hard on their technique to produce some highly accomplished

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routines. Clearly there had been much done backstage to prepare the colourful settings and costumes that, together with the efforts of John Dempster’s musicians, made major contribution to this production. Broad Hinton Amateur Dramatic Society DICK WHITTINGTON Saturday 22nd January 2011 Producer/Director: Sally Cartwright Village Hall, Broad Hinton There was an air of anticipation from this Friday night audience and they were not to be disappointed. We knew we were going to have an excellent production the minute King Rat, superbly played by Nick Moakes, entered the arena. Tinkle, Fairy of the Bells was wonderfully portrayed by Maddie Kromer and I was particularly impressed with her clear speaking voice. The appearances of each of the main pantomime characters were very good. I particularly liked Idle Jack as his/her ability to interact with the audience was most impressive. Alice Fitzwarren was beautifully played by Chloe Hughes as was Dick Whittington by Steph Moakes. Ian Flemming, in the role of Sarah the Cook, was always at home talking to the audience and I loved it when he had sweets lobbed back at him. It was obvious that George Horton is a cult figure in Broad Hinton because the reaction he got every time he entered was worth being there alone. Tommy the Cat was extremely well played by Hannah Denny. All in all this was a very enjoyable evening for me and the audience. The atmosphere created was superb and will live with me for a very long time. I thank you all for your hospitality and entertainment. Devizes Musical Theatre CRAZY FOR YOU Friday 8th April 2011 Producer/Director: Kim Pearce Musical Director: Chris Anderson Choreographers: Jacqui Davison, Bryony Cox and Cassandra Smith Dauntsey’s School, West Lavington With such a wonderful musical score you can’t really go wrong, in terms of musical theatre, with Crazy for You and DMT soon had an appreciative Friday night audience eating out of the palms of their hands with this vibrant production. In terms of principal performances, obviously the show centres on Bobby Child, admirably played by Craig Fisher. Playing opposite Craig (and also his real life partner I’m led to believe) Cassandra Smith as Polly Baker was the perfect foil. Here was one feisty woman and the contrast between the two worked really well. I got the impression that the cast were really enjoying themselves in this production and that enjoyment spilled over the footlights and into the audience. I appreciated Kim Pearce’s direction and there were some particularly nice touches in the way she dealt with the many and varied relationships between cast members. Choreography was just right for the piece and I congratulate everybody for learning to tap dance and take on challenging new skills, some I suspect for the first time. All in all a fine performance of which DMT can be very proud. Devizes and district inhabitants are very fortunate to have such a dedicated and talented team of people prepared to give up hours of their time to entertain them in this fashion – long may it continue and I congratulate all concerned. Frome Amateur Operatic Society SWEET CHARITY Reviewed by Sue Pomeroy on15th May 2011 Director: Andrew Carpenter Musical Director: Kerry Bishop Choreographer: Debbie Haines Memorial Theatre Frome Sweet Charity is a great show with an excellent story - there isn’t a duff song in the show and many of them are showstoppers. It is a great pity that it doesn’t seem to resonate with audiences and thus many societies struggle to get ‘bums on seats’. The direction of this production was slick, fast paced and drew out emotion and humour from the bizarre situations in which our heroine finds herself. This production was obviously the result of teamwork and everyone looked to be giving of their best and enjoying themselves. The choreographer worked hard and imaginatively to use a large company in routines written for smaller numbers. Brass Band was loud, tuneful, well sung, eye catching, brassy and fun.The scenery and props from Scenic property Hire and Bridgewater Amateur Operatic Society were excellent. The costumes from Stageworld Ltd were good, the Hostesses looked suitably sleazy and sexy and the period of the costumes worn by every character was accurate. The large orchestra was excellent, almost never overpowering the soloists and the MD used the orchestra sympathetically to follow the performers This was a very entertaining production from a talented and adventurous company. Salisbury Amateur Operatic Society THE GONDOLIERS 14th May 2011 Director: Alistair Donkin Musical Director: John Dempster City Hall, Salisbury The combination of Salisbury AOS, Alistair Donkin and Gilbert & Sullivan is proving to be a very successful one. After my visit to see The Mikado in December 2009 my expectations were high for this production of The Gondoliers and I was not to be disappointed. The singing was crisp and clear throughout, with not a note dropped or a word unclear and the staging spectacular. The principal line-up excelled and the ensemble work was of the highest calibre. ‘Dance a Cachucha’ was undoubtedly THE number of the show, just as it should be, with the stage being used to its fullest and best extent. All in all this was another fine production from a company with a very proud

reputation that can only be enhanced by the quality of this performance. Director Alistair Donkin treated us to an array of beautiful ‘pictures’ that were most pleasant on the eye together with the odd pieces of detail, like the inclusion of ‘Clegg, Cameron and Milliband’ in the patter number that really set this production apart from most others I see. Couple with that John Dempster supplying an orchestra of the highest calibre you find Gilbert and Sullivan at its very best. Trowbridge Amateur Operatic Society FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 24th May 2011 Director: Matt Heaton Musical Director: Helen Heaton Choreographer: Allison Moore Arc Theatre, Trowbridge Trowbridge AOS provided another winner with this production of Fiddler on the Roof. Phil Courage as Tevye took every opportunity to use a very amusing script to best advantage and brought out every ounce of comedy that was available together with a depth of acting that was most impressive and he was the bedrock for this fine production. The scenes involving Tevye and his three eldest daughters, in particular, were very well acted with deep emotion evident for all to see and admire. Phil was ably assisted by Tina Duffin as Golde and Jacs Brady as Yente. TAOS are indeed fortunate to have two ladies with such stage presence and sense of timing. Andrew Curtis too as Motel deserves a special mention and was a sheer joy to watch. His rendition of Miracle of Miracles was one of the highlights of this production. The quality of singing throughout was impressive as one has come to expect from TAOS. I congratulate Matt & Helen Heaton, Allison Moore and the cast and crew for their sterling efforts. Having performed in this musical myself three times I know only too well what an emotional roller coaster it is and you bottled that emotion and delivered it for Trowbridge audiences to enjoy and appreciate. Zenith Youth Theatre Company THE ROSES OF EYAM 3rd June 2011 Director: Scott Rogers Assistant Director: Natalie Gillard Music Composed by Roy Page Music Arranged by Michelle Tucker and Roy Page The Mission Theatre, Bath It was a brave decision and a high risk strategy for a group that normally performs musical theatre to take on such a powerful play as ‘Roses of Eyam’, but it was a risk that paid off in spades. This was a performance with a depth of acting that belied the age of the participants. Director Scott Rogers is to be congratulated for drawing out every ounce of drama and emotion from his young actors during Zenith’s gripping production. Reading the notes in the programme it was evident that this was not merely a play that was ‘put on’ but more of an overall experience that will live with these young people for a lifetime. The depth of acting was obviously brought about by the young actors understanding the lives of the people of Eyam during that terrible period in their lives and that understanding was there for all to see and admire in their individual performances. Acting in the round is not an easy thing to achieve but the members of Zenith Youth Theatre Company really pulled it off with a performance of The Roses of Eyam that was both very moving and thought provoking . Well done and heartiest congratulations to all concerned. Broad Hinton Amateur Dramatic Group BLITHE SPIRIT Wednesday 29th June 2011 Director: Jane O’Neill Assistant Director: Marilyn Martin Broad Hinton Village Hall, Broad Hinton As the programme notes stated, Noel Coward was nothing short of a phenomenon and it is no small undertaking to take on such a well-known piece. However it was in safe hands with BHADS as the audience was treated to a first class production. Jo McCombe as Edith showed excellent comedy timing throughout and extracted everything possible from this cameo role. Sally Cartwright and Nick Moakes as Ruth and Charles Condomine really shone and held the play together beautifully as the bedrock characters of this piece. Chris O’Neill and Rose Aves as Dr and Mrs Bradman gave the leading characters excellent support as did Jenni Moseling as the eccentric Madame Arcati. This is a gem of a part for any female to play and Jenni grasped the opportunity with both hands in producing a first rate performance. Finally of course one has come to expect fine performances from Sarah Kromer and we were not to be disappointed as she produced an excellent portrayal of Elvira. The scenes involving Elvira are of course some of the cleverest and most amusing in the play and Sarah was perfect for the playful character. All in all another fine production of which BHADS can be justifiably proud and I congratulate all concerned. Bradfordians Dramatic Society THE CRUCIBLE Thursday 30th June 2011 Director: Kate Courage The Tithe Barn, Bradford-on-Avon The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is of course a very well-known play that takes its audience on a roller coaster ride of emotions. In my short time as NODA SW District 10 Representative I have come to expect great things of The Bradfordians and this production was no exception. Al Brunker as John Proctor gave a very commanding and powerful performance in the lead role. Playing opposite Al in the role of Elizabeth Proctor, Louise Tavener was suitably subservient and contrite and the relationship between the two characters was very real and expressed

with skill and great observation. I was particularly impressed with Lucy Callaghan as Abigail Williams and it is impressive indeed to see one so young extract such deep and meaningful characteristics from any role and I congratulate her for her quality of acting throughout. Millie Watson too excelled as Mary Warren and indeed ‘her scene’ in the courtroom was one of the highlights of this production. I would finally like to make special mention of Andy Creed as Deputy Governor Thomas Danforth whose performance in the courtroom really held that scene together. Director, Kate Courage, teased out a wonderful array of characters from her talented cast all of whom added greatly to this masterpiece. My heartiest congratulations to you all for yet another stunning production.

DISTRICT 11 - WEST DORSET MR. PETER WHEELDON Weymouth Operatic Society NEXT PLEASE & CHRISTMAS TREES Tuesday 14 December 2010 Producer/Director: Lynne Mullins Hope Church, Weymouth This delightful concert, expertly composed and directed by Lynne Mullins, turned out to be the perfect precursor to Christmas. An explanation for its intriguing title became evident as the evening progressed. The first half, after an opening mixed medley involving the entire company, was run as a series of audition pieces for a make-believe show, while the second half comprised a selection of songs appropriate to Christmas. There was a convivial, informal atmosphere as the Society welcomed its patrons with a warming beverage prior to entering the body of Hope Church that was most beautifully decorated with a cascade of Christmas trees and a myriad of lights. The content of the show gave ample opportunity for this talented company to show off its wares and its versatility with a wide selection of songs ranging from the comical to the dramatic, from spirited solos to sweet harmony, many of which, when appropriate, involved some nifty choreography. For most numbers, accompaniment was provided by the capable hands of Lucinda Pillow on keyboard. When it was over, we all went on our way imbued with a festive warmth and spirit that had not existed before we arrived. South Coast Ballet THE NUTCRACKER Saturday 8th January 2011 Producer/Director: Caron Yardley Pier Theatre, Bournemouth The staging of a full-length classical ballet is a massive task in itself, so it is much to the credit of Artistic Director, Caron Yardley and her company of students (drawn from dance academies in the Dorset locality) that they should venture to undertake such initiatives. Mores the pity therefore that a larger audience than attended Saturday evening’s ‘Nutcracker’ performance was not present to witness the fruits of their labours in this colourful production and to applaud their efforts in taking on this most-exacting of art forms. The structure of the traditional ‘Nutcracker’ is very much in two different parts. Act One is all about story-telling, and this was done well, from the party scene, through the dream sequences, and culminating in a crisp Snow Flakes routine. Act Two, however, is very much about dance and comprises a series of formal ‘divertissements’. Here, intense concentration on the intricacies of the choreography tended to suppress the theatrical projection of the characters portrayed by the eager young performers. South Coast Ballet is new to the NODA fold and brings with it an artistic discipline additional to the more-usual musical and dramatic companies that form the bulk of the membership. Bridport Pantomime Players GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS Wednesday 2nd February 2011 The Electric Palace, Bridport For their forty-sixth consecutive annual pantomime, the Players chose one from the NODA collection and made a very good job of it. In fact it was probably the best show that I have seen from this society to date. As colourful as ever, the wardrobe ladies have come up again with an amazing selection of costumes that must have taken an age in the making. All credit too, for their considerable contribution to this bright and cheerful production, must go to the scenic artistry, lighting design and sound engineering. The cast were in very good form and played well to a receptive audience – always an essential in pantomime. As well as being a ‘tour de force’ in the production team, Teresa Grinter made the quantum leap from principal boy in previous shows to the gormless comedy character – a role that I suspect she will take again – and was well supported by her comedy partner, Jess Ives. Tom Staple’s debut as Dame went well, and the bear trio were very engaging. Romance came from Goldilocks, (Emily Deer) and her prince Edwin, (Amy Day), and there was the usual sprinkling of treachery from Sue Farrant and Stephen Light. All-in-all, it was an entertaining evening, well sustaining the longstanding tradition of the Players. Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatic Society BABES IN THE WOOD Friday 11th February 2011 The Exchange, Sturminster Newton This proved to be another pantomime of quality from SNADS. Crafted by the energetic director, Craig White, and his three assistants, Val, Robert and Linda, the entire cast lived up to his stated objectives admirably by creating a host of distinctive, colourful characters for audiences to enjoy – and enjoy them they did! Friday’s capacity house entered in to the spirit with great enthusiasm. Pantomime is always very much of a visual thing, and Jenny Powell’s scenery, together with a superb suite of costumes from Joy Cake and Sally Court, met this requirement very nicely. In the ‘pit’, musical

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director Elaine Korman’s group was literally music to the ears, while some interesting and varied choreography from Val Cox and Annie Henschel made full use of the Exchange’s unusually wide stage. Giles Henschel led the cast excellently as an endearingly wicked Sheriff, supported by the comedic antics of Toby Greenfield’s Dave Nave and Ian Grieg’s dame. Anna Neville was an authoritative Robin Hood, and Anna Jay made a promising debut with the society as an engaging Maid Marion. Kelly White’s contemporary Fairy was an intriguing variation to the norm. Cast and audiences alike had a great time, with benefit too for SNADS chosen charity. Encore Theatre Club DANCING AT LUGHNASA Wednesday 30th March 2011 Producer/Director: Miles Bell Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport This play poses a stiff challenge to any aspiring company. Its charm and subtle appeal lies in the effective portrayal of a rural Irish homestead in 1936 within which the dramatic interplay between the family members becomes increasingly intriguing as the tale unfolds. In less-than-competent hands, it could easily become a yawn. But as staged by Encore, it was simply spellbinding from beginning to end. An excellent set, with close attention to realism, made major contribution to the creation of the required atmosphere, together with costumes well matched to the period and setting. All the members of the cast – to name one would be to name all eight – were just superb in every way. The development of the very distinctive characters was exquisitely detailed, and much study must have been devoted in rehearsal to their realisation at such a very high standard. Collectively, the interaction between them, in particular the five sisters, was a delight to behold. The sure touch of director Miles Bell, already with several notable presentations for Encore behind him, was evident throughout. The evening flew by as we sat totally absorbed in a production that could have comfortably graced any professional stage. Marvellous Amateur Dramatics OUR HOUSE Friday 1 April 2011 Producer/Director: Bernie Fallon Musical Director: Bernie Fallon Choreographer: Jane Hutchins The Electric Palace, Bridport Youthful enthusiasm and vitality are the first words to spring to mind in describing this musical. The mainly young performers sang and danced their way through the fast moving, quite complex structure with good pace and continuity that was maintained throughout the show. This was much to the delight of the predominantly youthful, near capacity audience who ‘whooped’ their encouragement and stood in appreciation at the end. All credit to MAD for promoting live theatre among young people. Two fifteen year olds, Alex Hall and Grace Keeler, shared the lead roles and were both clearly very comfortable and confident in performance. They were well backed by the 25-strong supporting cast most of whom were taking multiple parts. Interspersed between the many and varied snapshot scenes was some eye-catching and well-rehearsed choreography. Prominently embedded into front-of-stage, the band was a principal performer in its own right, over which those on stage sometimes had to work hard to be heard. The ‘hi-tech’ mobile lighting was spectacular, although it did not always enhance the action on stage. This was Bernie Fallon’s debut as overall director and on this form, all bodes well for the future of MAD.

an entirely different sort of challenge, but the young dancers coped well with the mood swings and drama of this sombre tale. Miss Yardley sets out to source the best theatre facilities, scenery and costumes that she can muster in order to provide the opportunities for her student dancers to experience and perform in such conditions. In this objective, she succeeds - and her dancers are very fortunate.

involved, together with a play structure that calls upon the audience to fill in deliberate gaps between narrative sequences for itself, made for an allabsorbing, thought-provoking experience. In recent times, audiences for the more-conventional fare at the Spring Production have tended to be on the sparse side, so this was a brave, and perhaps a little provocative, attempt at ‘breaking the mould’. Watch this space!

WOW Youth Musical Theatre WOW! THAT’S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 4 April 2011 Director / Choreographer: Scott St Martyn Assistant Director: Martine Burt Musical Director: Heather Reed The Pavilion Theatre, Weymouth I have learned by now that a WOW show is always a good show. This one was no exception – a real cracker - and arguably the best of the four song-and-dance compilations so far. On stage were fifty-two bundles of electrical energy, cavorting in complete harmony, as they made their way through the spectacular, well-drilled routines with obvious relish and glee. Their high spirits were infectious, and the audience was galvanised into enthusiastic response. A range of musical styles and moods, constituting the seven sections of the show, provided widely contrasting variety that amply demonstrated the quality and versatility of these talented young people in both voice and movement. Vigorous, up-tempo dance sequences interspersed with calmer cameos from classic West End shows – there was even a little opera – riveted our attention, giving welcome light and shade to the whole proceedings. In the pit, Heather Reed as ever, was in complete control of affairs, aided by her small but excellent band. The company has strength in depth and, even though some of the top performers sadly have to leave, there are plenty more coming on behind. The show was a triumph for all involved. Well done WOW.

Weymouth Drama Club THE TEMPEST Reviewed by Nick Lawrence on Tuesday 14th June 2011 Nothe Fort, Weymouth The director’s comments concerning the necessity to speak directly to the audience of today were well played out in this presentation. The choice of modern costume quickly placed the actors. This presentation was immediate and absorbing, demanding involvement at the time and posing discussion on the drive home. The story was well told and the humour brought to the fore. The fort provided a wonderful amphitheatre in which to perform and many of the actors used this to their advantage bouncing sounds off the walls to great effect. The “stage” was well positioned and the seating was appropriate for viewing and hearing. The simple but direct set was very effective. With the small stage area within the much larger circle of the fort the concept of the isolated island was effortlessly achieved. Everyone had clearly had good leadership in all aspects of the production: from the pleasant but unfussy welcome of the front-of-house team, to the technical department and the actors. There was a calmness in the air brought about by teamwork and commitment of many members. The Club and its technical team should be proud of the total achievement as well as of the play. This was presented in conjunction with the RSC Open Stages project.

Swanage Musical Theatre Company GUYS & DOLLS April 2011 Director & Choreographer: Brenda Ridout Musical Director: Isabelle Butler The Mowlem Theatre, Swanage This was a very good production and one of the best that I have seen from Swanage MTC. Everything went well in all departments from start to finish, thereby resulting in a most enjoyable evening for an appreciative, if a little sparse, audience. It is often difficult to find men who can play New York ‘hoods’ with conviction but this group, led by James Chelton as NicelyNicely, made an excellent job of it both in song and characterisation. Victoria Jones revelled in her amusing role as Miss Adelaide, and the essential romance came from Karen Woolley (Sarah) and Adrian Lane (Sky). Brenda Ridout’s choreography was crisp, fluent and well-rehearsed – the Cuban night club scene in particular. An energetic and enthusiastic supporting cast, from mission band to scantily-clad showgirl, made a valuable contribution to the success of the show. Simple but striking scenery, centred on a most interesting perspective of Manhattan skyscrapers, provided a fitting background, aided and enhanced by some effective lighting. The small orchestra supplied first class accompaniment to the performers throughout the show. The Director could afford to feel well pleased with the support that came from all quarters – an excellent team effort.

Amateur Players Of Sherborne BUSMAN’S HONEYMOON April 2011 Director: Bev Taylor-Wade The Digby Hall, Sherborne. There’s nothing like a ‘whodunnit’ for holding the attention of the audience, (first time round, that is), until the culprit is revealed, usually right at the end. This is one of those plays, and it takes its time getting there. The cast was made up of well-seasoned players, other than 17 year old Adam Rice on his second appearance with APS. Rob Stephens and Sylvie Lord took lead roles as Lord Peter Wimsey and his new bride Harriet – hence the honeymoon. There was some entertaining character acting from Stuart McCreadle as Mr Puffet the sweep, and Gilly Savage as the indignant housekeeper. Also in evidence were the obligatory butler, vicar, police superintendent and shifty gardener, the latter being the eventual villain. An excellent classic set straight out of the Charles Napier stable, with the now customary external view through the window, was rather sparsely furnished, thereby leaving plenty of room for much thoughtful pacing by Wimsey. This was a valiant attempt by debut director, Bev Taylor-Wade, but the play was too long and would have derived benefit from more pace and perhaps, were it to be permitted, some red pencil.

Ranger Productions LA GRANDE FETE April 2011 Production, Direction and Choreography: June Ranger and Caroline McCrory The Mowlem Theatre, Swanage The mother-and-daughter combination of June and Caroline are a formidable team when it comes to staging a dance compilation spectacular such as this. Classical dances created by June, together with explosive modern routines from Caroline, collectively showcased the extent of talent and versatility that exists in students from the Ranger School of Dance. The cast list totalled 92 names, most whom were involved in the dances. A demure first act, structured to show off traditional and classic styles of dance, was graceful, fluent and well-disciplined. After the interval, the mood changed and the main emphasis was on energetic modern dance delivered with great verve and high precision, although this was punctuated with sequences involving a short classic piece and a choral medley from ‘Les Miserables’ in which we saw some familiar faces from Swanage MTC. I’m not sure about the use of comperes to provide continuity between the Act 2 dance routines, although this seemed to go down well with the audience. The Ranger shows are normally biennial events and invariably serve to demonstrate convincingly how a large number of young people within a community can be effectively schooled and motivated into producing really entertaining theatre.

South Coast Ballet GISELLE / THE MAGIC TOYSHOP April 2011 Artistic Director: Caron Yardley The Lighthouse Theatre, Poole. It was an evening of compatible contrasts as the young student dancers performed, firstly, a light-hearted work created and choreographed by the Artistic Director, followed by the formidable classic, ‘Giselle’, the latter having been carefully tailored to suit the capabilities of the performers. Enhanced by the professional facilities and surroundings of the Lighthouse Theatre, the overall result was very agreeable and deserving of better support than it got on this first of four performances. The Magic Toyshop is structured as a series of solo dances for mechanical dolls, in a variety of guises, displaying themselves prettily in an attempt to attract the attentions of a group of potential purchasers. As such, it is a simple but engaging showcase for the students to show what they can do. Giselle, of course, is

Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatic Society CLOSER May 2011 Director: Toby Greenfield The Exchange, Sturminster Newton This was a remarkable production for several reasons. Firstly, the play itself, as winner of a Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play, is a remarkably convoluted tale of emotions and sexual proclivity between four young people, and is very explicit in its telling. As such, in spite of its critical pedigree, it was a remarkable choice on the part of its director for an amateur dramatic group in a remote rural community where the necessary broadmindedness on the part of the audience would inevitably be in significantly shorter supply than in the big city. Remarkable again was the dedication and effort applied by the four young cast members, Jenny Hill, Alice Ralph, Ben Court and Jack English in their delivery of a most engaging performance. Their distinctive portrayals of the characters

Knollsea Productions A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED Thursday 23rd June 2011 Producer/Director: Pat Jones The Mowlem Theatre, Swanage It was my first visit to this newly-joined NODA member society, and a very pleasant experience it proved to be. The portents were good at the start of the evening as the house filled to a creditable level for a drama production in Swanage and the parting of the curtains prompted a deserved round of applause for a nicely appointed, 1950-period set that made good use of the Mowlem’s capacious stage. A Christie ‘whodunnit’ featuring Miss Marple, puts her at the centre of the plot, and in this capacity, the role was most plausibly played by Brian Travers with a definite gleam in his eye. The lion’s share of the dialogue fell to Ro Smith, playing lady of the house Letitia, as she orchestrated the convoluted happenings within the household and, in the process, kept the action moving along nicely. All the other diverse characters in the twelve-strong cast were well delineated and clearly portrayed. From the timid Dora, (Jacqui Chater), to the volatile Mitzi, (Katharine Bailey), and the mysterious Phillipa (Mandi Jones), to the belligerent Inspector Craddock (James Chelton), all these, and their co-players, each made telling contribution to the effective weaving of an intriguing tale.

DISTRICT 12 - EAST DORSET MR. BRIAN OLIVER KCA Players DEATH WATCH 25th March 2011 Written & Directed by Annie Robertson Kinson Community Centre KCA stalwart Annie Robertson wrote and directed this Agatha Christie style thriller, with the story line based on a local neighbourhood watch group. A tale of murder and deceit with many twist and turns throughout the play, which kept the audience intrigued until the identity of the murderer was revealed at the end (although my partner told me who she thought it was at the interval and got it right!). I thought it was an excellent play. As ever the set was built to a high standard and the cast made a superb team with fine performances throughout. Zenith Theatre Company LET’S CELEBRATE 26th March 2011 Written and Directed by Ann Whitaker St Aldheims Church Hall Zenith will have their 20 year anniversary party in July. This excellent compilation show gave us a selection of songs and dances from the 31 musical productions that company have performed over the last 20 years. Although with a somewhat smaller ensemble than usual, the standard of the performance rates as one of the best productions I have seen from this talented and enthusiastic group, Poole & Parkstone Productions JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR 18th May 2011 Director: Jo Legg The Lighthouse, Poole Very few amateur companies ever get the opportunity to put on this cult musical and, after cancelling last year’s show due to a shortage of men, P&P took a gamble that men would flock to join them for “Jesus Christ Superstar”. It certainly paid off. This production, with a first time director at the helm, blew me away. At the end of this powerful production, I was left feeling stunned, emotional and a little overwhelmed by the magnificence of it all. Without a doubt this was one of the best amateur productions that I have had the pleasure of seeing.

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West Moor Singers DIE FLEDERMAUS 27th May 2011 Director: Sue Oldrey Barrington Theatre, Ferndown The West Moor Singers did what they are best at by reviving another old favourite for this year’s annual Spring Concert. Johann Strauss’s “Die Fledermaus” made an excellent choice. It was well sung throughout and with a narrator filling in with a brief explanation of the story it was a very enjoyable and very entertaining concert. This group always sing their heart out with great enthusiasm and as always were supported by their stalwart and excellent accompanist, Jean Lugsdon. Bournemouth & Boscombe Light Operatic Company CABARET 16th June 2011 Director: Martyn Knight Musical Director: Ian Peters Regent Centre, Christchurch After last year’s outstanding production of “The Producers”, which unfortunately did not achieve the audience numbers it deserved, BBLOC had to cut their costs and move their 2011 production to the smaller venue - the Regent Centre. I also understand that like many groups, male chorus members were difficult to attract for this year’s show. However, overall, I thought that “Cabaret” was another outstanding production. The set, though very sparse, to keep down costs, looked and worked very well. The show had some excellent choreography with a superb team of dancers. The principal cast members all gave very powerful performances and in places it was very moving and thought provoking. The small Orchestra, under the baton of Ian Peters, was very impressive never once did they over power the cast and I was sat close enough to read to MD’s Score. KCA Players KINDLY LEAVE THE STAGE 24th June 2011 Director: Jack Snell Kinson Community Centre This very good comedy is a play within a play. Unfortunately, I think it took a while for the audience grasp what was happening, because the first half felt a little slow, losing some of the comedy because of poor delivery of lines and rather strange accents, not quite up to KCA’s normal high standard. However, after the interval it was a different play. This was perhaps largely due to entrance of director Jack Snell as the drunken Shakespearean actor. His excellent performance seemed to inject energy into the cast, which lifted the overall standard of the play.

DISTRICT 13 - BRISTOL MR. TONY WINSTONE Bristol Musical Youth Productions RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET Friday 22 October 2010 Producer/Director: Vicki Klein Musical Director: Kerrie Duce Choreographer: Vicki Klein Redgrave Theatre, Clifton, Bristol This musical is based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and taken into the future, although the music was Rock and Roll. This was “a professional amateur “show. We were greeted by stewardesses who handed out travel sick pills, and when the curtain opened we were on board a Starship. The set was one of the stars of the show with flashing lights, and a crew going about their daily routine - well done to the set designers. Costumes were colourful and looked just right. Jane Black and her helpers must have worked so hard. Again I must criticise the sound as at times the orchestra was a little loud. The Choreography was excellent, with so many people to move around the stage, and so many different routines congratulations to Vicki and Tina. The cast worked well as a team, all of them using the stage well and confidently, good strong speaking and singing voices. All the main parts were well cast and interacted with each other, you believed in each one of these characters - this was amateur acting of the highest degree. It is difficult to single out anyone person as they were all so good, but I must just mention the six stewardesses who were “perfectly perfect poppets in pink” and were one of the stars of this show, with good singing, acting and dancing working as a team. Congratulations to each and everyone of you and to Director Vicki Klein for such an excellent show. Thank you for such an entertaining evening, and for your kind hospitality, I was even privileged to be sat next to …..Nick Lawrence, our South West Regional Councillor St. Anne’s Players JACK AND THE BEANSTALK Friday 3 December 2010 Producer/Director: Karen Gaunt Musical Director: Ruth Price Peter’s Churchdown, Bristol This was a traditional family pantomime with a few twists, and it was Karen Gaunt’s debut as Director. She brought out the best in her cast. When the curtains opened we were immediately transported to “pantoland” with a colourful set, complete with a “climbable” beanstalk - well done to the backstage crew. Costumes were again colourful and in keeping with tradition, the Dame being costumed with all the appropriate outfits. Musical Director Ruth Price played piano at just the right level for each actor, so that everyone could be heard. One or two of the cast were a little hesitant and quiet in their singing, and needed a little more confidence. I must mention Nick Bailey who so ably played Dame Trott. He was the perfect Dame, always in control when on stage and in touch with the audience. Costumes were unusual and imaginative and we even had a send up of a Celebrity

Chef” with James Morgan’s portrayal of Gordon Ramspeed. The Giant was never seen but only heard and played by Scott Todd who also made an appearance as Gary - a Gorilla with attitude. We even had a magic chicken played by Kayleigh Gray, and lastly there was Windy the Cow - complete with flatulence; a gem of a part played with much enthusiasm by Toni Hutchinson and Carol Saunders. There was good chorus work, with support from the rest of the cast, and everyone worked well together as a team. An enjoyable evening, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself and it was obvious that the audience did as well. BLOC BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 27th October 2011 Director: John Cousins Musical Director: Ian Henderson Choreographer: Jacquie Bell Bristol Hippodrome I was looking forward to seeing this production as BLOC produce a show that is worth watching. Congratulations to John Cousins and his team for their hard work, which paid off. The Setting was a muted effect, allowing the colourful costumes to be seen at their best. Much use was made of gauzes and swathes of curtains to represent different locations, with all the scene changes being quick and quiet. As with any Disney show you have to hire their costumes, but not everyone is “Disney sized “, so some had to be made. Some of the actors must have been hot in their costumes, representing teapots, candlesticks, wardrobes, feather dusters, a clock and a teacup. On occasions the Orchestra was a little loud with some of the singing and when used to underscore dialogue, - this I feel could have been corrected by the sound engineers. The Choreography was well handled and the dancing of the wolves was excellent. The make up was well done and must have been a headache with some of the complicated effects, but it always looked right. Props were always in place and right for the period of the show. The company as a whole worked well as a team with good strong singing and speaking voices. I feel I must mention Brendan Casey who played the Beast, Emma Watkins who played Belle, Alex Milner who played Lumiere, Natasha Green who played Babette and Dylan Jones who played Chip these were all excellent performances Thank you for your hospitality, and warm welcome, and it was nice to go backstage at the end to meet some of the cast and crew. Starlite Productions ALADDIN 22nd January 2011 Director: Andrew Ford Musical Director: Russell Crann Choreographer: Mandie Love-Williams The Redgrave Theatre Aladdin is one the few pantomimes that has a thin story line and needs to be padded out but Starlite Productions made this a traditional family pantomime with the usual Baddie, Hero and Outrageous Dame. As soon as the curtains opened we knew by the superb scenery that we were in Pantoland and in Old Peking. The costumes were colourful and well thought out, especially the Dame’s, which were as they should be outrageous and over the top. Congratulations to Jane Porter, Andrew Ford and Tash Crew. The musical accompaniment was just at the right levels never drowning the singers, although the percussionist was at times a little enthusiastic!! There were excellent performances from the cast, especially Andrew Ford as Widow Twankey, Terry Davis as The Emperor of China, Yvonne Young as Aladdin and Kirsty Baker as the perfect Princes So-Chi. Craig Weaver as Abanazer was the typical villain but we lost some of his dialogue as he did not wait at times for the hissing and booing to die down. They were ably supported by the rest of this talented cast, and a happy and enthusiastic chorus which included several children, who as always stole the show from the adults – never work with animals or children! Congratulations to Andrew Ford and his talented cast and crew for a thoroughly enjoyable evening, BMYP BILLY ELLIOT March 2011 Director/Choreographer: Vicki Klein Musical Director: Kerrie Ducie The Redgarve Theatre Where to start, this was breathtaking - there was so much energy and enthusiasm coming from this talented cast. This production definitely had the WOW factor and deserved the standing ovation that it received at the end of the show. Vicki Klein really knows how to get the best out of her cast and to achieve such a professional production in only eight weeks! The scenery gave the right impression of a northern town, with muted colours. Scene changing was done in full view of the audience and never once detracted from the action on stage. Costumes were in period and we even had “Barbie Girls”. The Musical Director, Kerrie Ducie kept a rein on her band and they were excellent - always playing at the right levels. Choreography, as always was excellent, with the cast really enjoying themselves – well done to Vicki and Tina for all their hard work. I must mention Ben Richer who played Billy Elliot. This was an outstanding performance. H was always in character and was obviously enjoying the role. The audience were with him from the moment he stepped on stage to the breathtaking finale. There were strong performances from Rhys Batten who played Michael Caffrey, Emillie Smith who played Mrs Wilkinson, Euan Shanahan who played Jackie Elliot (Billy’s father) and Jess Carter who played Grandma. They were ably supported by an exceptionally talented cast

There were no weak links in this show - you forgot you were watching a youth group because of the maturity which they brought to their characters, and working so well as a team. There was no one star – they were all stars. As always Vicki makes her cast work hard and is rewarded with 120% effort. Thank you for an entertaining evening. I even had the pleasure of sitting next to our regional councillor Nick! Bristol Gilbert And Sullivan Society THE YEOMAN OF THE GUARD 7th April 2011 Director: John Telfer Musical Director: Eric Wetherell Choreographer: Joan Walke The Redgrave Theatre The Yeoman of the Guard is Gilbert and Sullivan as “Opera” instead of the usual comic opera with no happy ending as it finishes in tragedy. It was refreshing to see that this production was true to G and S in its purest form. There are moments of comedy as well as pathos and romance and these were brought out as necessary. This was G and S at its best! The set was excellent, depicting the Tower Of London perfectly and its muted colours allowed the colourful costumes to stand out. The wardrobe mistress, Janet Roxburgh must have had many a headache providing so many and varied costumes - I just hope that she had help with them. The Orchestra, led by Musical Director Eric Wetherell allowed us to not only hear the singers on stage with Gilbert’s witty lyrics but also allowed us to hear Sullivan’s music – this was a professional sounding accompaniment. Characterisations were superb particularly those of Adrian Cooper (Jack Point) Michael Ladomery (Colonel Fairfax), Elsie Maynard (Marjory) Gemma Dunster (Phoebe), Mike Pepper (Wilfred Shadbolt)and a very formidable Liz Wetherell (Dame Carruthers) and they were ably supported by the other members of the cast. Chorus numbers were well sung - they were well disciplined and reacted well with each other and other members on stage. This was a well polished performance with excellent singing and a good strong interpretation of the dialogue. BAOS JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR 8th April 2011 Director: Matthew Jeans Musical Director: Choreography: Lizzy Westney The Victoria Rooms I was a little worried about the updating of this musical to modern day, using the “rock star” image for Jesus. For me personally this did not work - the dialogue tends to the biblical story as are the songs and there is immediately a clash of modernity. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the show. This cast was so full of electricity, enthusiasm and energy that it could be felt by the audience. Honours must go to Choreographer Lizzy Westney, who really excelled herself with this large cast using a restricted area. This show is all singing all dancing and the cast were superb from the principals to the chorus. The Orchestra accompaniment was always just right, and the excellent lighting and effects set the right moods for each scene -even to the use of a smoke machine (which all too often tends to have someone who is over enthusiastic operating it!) gave just the right effect. The set consisting of varying levels using scaffolding worked well. It was solidly built, although when they nailed Jesus to the cross, the cross did shake a little. Michael Griffiths (Jesus) did not entirely convince me as a rock star, he was more of the softness of Jesus. Though it lacked the real charisma, his interpretation of “Gethsemane” brought tears to the eyes of many of the ladies in the audience. Tthere were good characterisations by Simon Vardkis (Judas) Ian Brooks (Simon), Brendan Casey (Pontius), supported ably by Lee Westney (Peter) Simon Ward (John) and Georgie Coles (Miriam). But praise must go to the performances given by Emma Watkins as Mary (she brought out all the complexities of the character and has a brilliant singing voice), Simon Gregory as Caiphas (an excellent portrayal and a superb voice) and Ruth Harries as Annas. Although this is normally a male role, this worked as a female, and this was such a strong portrayal that you felt the evil emanating from her. The Chorus played many different roles and worked well as a team with good singing and dancing. Congratulations to everyone involved in the production, on an excellent show. St Mary’s Player THE PRODUCERS 29th April 2011 Director: John Cousins Musical Director: Paul Woolley Choreographers: Jane Priddes and Jude Hyder The Redgrave Theatre Once again St Mary’s choose a newly released show, and I was looking forward to seeing this production. I was not disappointed, this was a professionally acted production. This was John Cousins first production for St Mary’s and it was the second night, but I did feel that the whole show could have been a little tighter. The multi-purpose set and revolve allowed the stage crew to change the scenes seamlessly. The costumes were colourful and in character, the music was on CD and at times was a little loud, and there was a slight technical hitch near the end when the CD stopped but the talented cast sang on with no accompaniment and when it did restart it was not really noticeable – however this wouldn’t happen with a live orchestra! There were outstanding performances from Steve Woolley as Max Bialystock. His was a professional performance one you could not fault - he was Max! Matt Wells as Leo Bloom,the mild mannered and neurotic accountant, also gave an excellent performance and he was a perfect foil for

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Max. Steve Williams as Franz Liebkind played this gem of a part to the hilt with perfect comedy timing - and he had to compete with singing pigeons! They were ably supported by Steve Hockett (Carmen Ghia) and Pete Woolley (Roger de Bris) as the camp producer and his friend. They worked well together with just the right amount of characterisation but never going OTT. This show is male orientated, but Emily Saunders in the female role of Ulla, the Swedish actress/secretary and she filled this role perfectly. I must mention the “little old ladies” who were the “oversexed pensioners” who provided the funds for Max. Their dancing, complete with Zimmer frames and despite their arthritic conditions was a joy to watch.As always there was strong and enthusiastic support from the chorus who had many different roles to play and worked well as a team. Congratulations to everyone concerned in this first class production and thank you for an enjoyable evening. Bristol Opera MANON LESCAUT 4th May 2011 Stage Director: Charlotte Monk Musical Director: Arne Kovac Olympus Theatre After seeing productions that were musically light, this was a change. Manon Lescaut was Puccini’s first opera that received critical acclaim, but perhaps not as popular as his other operas. Bristol Opera had decided to update the action from France in the 18th Century to the 1920’s Art Deco world and for much of the opera this worked well, although seeing dancers trying to Charleston, whilst matching the set and costumes seemed surreally incongruous to Puccini’s music. The black and silver scheme of the set was well thought out, with different levels, and visually the costumes were attractive and carefully chosen and designed. Under the capable and expert baton of Arne Kovac, the orchestra made a beautiful sound, with each section well balanced and the overall sound enhancing the singers performances. All principal characters were well cast. There was well rounded characterisation of Manon herself by Louise Merrifield, bringing out her exuberance and vulnerability to great effect with her singing and acting. This was supported by Richard Lloyd-Owen as Des Grieux, who we could really believe was head over heels in love with Manon. This is a demanding tenor role and on a couple of occasions the score did seem at the top of his range, but the overall effect of the performance was most effective. Brendan Casey’s Lescaut was played with just the right amount of lightness, Steve Harris as Geronte gave a convincing portrayal as did Guy Withers as Edmondo. There are no big numbers for the chorus, but they all blended well with each other and the principals, with the many roles that they were called upon to play. I must however mention the ladies who were the Madrigal Singers - they made a dramatic entrance with their wonderful black and white costumes and they sang the madrigal beautifully. Congratulations on a splendid performance. The Bristol Catholic Players THE MIKADO 25th May 2011 Producers: Louise White and John Laycock Musical Director: Geoffrey Wickham Choreographer: Donna Podesta Newman Hall From the very first chords from the orchestra, to the excellent set and the superbly rich costumes you immediately knew you were in Japan. The set was in muted colours and allowed the costumes to shine; at times they upstaged the actors. Everything about this production was perfect, every person on stage was well lit, every word of the songs and dialogue could be heard. The orchestra led by Geoffrey Wickham played at the right level allowing us to hear Gilbert’s words and Sullivan’s music, this was a professional sounding accompaniment. Matthew Toffolo gave a superb performance as Ko - Ko , his comedy was always well timed, this was a strong and confident characterisation, John Laycock (Pooh Bah) obviously enjoyed this part and he was always ready ” to take an insult no matter how small” and I loved the comedy touch of his dancing across the back stage singing “Buried Alive”! Chris Marsh (The Mikado) was suitably commanding in his regal costume. Kay Lacey (Katisha) gave a first rate characterisation, this was one lady you didn’t want to upset - even The Mikado was afraid of her. As the doomed lovers Charlotte Wheadon (Yum –Yum) and Jonathon Toffolo (Nanki- Poo) gave creditable and confident performances. They were ably supported by Laura Ann Davis (Pitti-Sing), Rowan Mackenzie (Peep-Bo) and Jonathon Edwards (Pish-Tush) and a good strong well rehearsed and disciplined chorus. It was nice to see a good mixture of ages in the cast, and although it was kept faithfully to the original, as always Louise managed to add her own little touches to this excellent production. I thoroughly enjoyed this production as did the audience. Bristol Musical Comedy Club SWEET CHARITY 8th June 2011 Director: Steve Blackmore Musical Director: Robin Davies Choreographer: Vicky Hartland The Redgrave Theatre This is an all singing and dancing musical which is essentially a one woman show; this actress has to be multi talented and full of stamina as she is on stage almost non stop. The show itself is rather ‘bitty’, having been adapted from a film and so it requires a lot of scene changes. This was not always handled quietly or efficiently, with noisy changes and lights coming up to reveal stage hands still setting. The lighting, which always set the mood was in the capable hands of Paul Lewis. The Orchestra was also in the capable hands of Robin Davies and the musical numbers had obviously been well

rehearsed. Costumes were colourful and imaginative, giving just the right feel to the period of the musical. Vicky Hartland had her work cut out with so many people to move around on the stage and so many different routines, but she handled this with ease and the cast repaid all her hard work. There were good portrayals by Mark Disamore (Oscar Lindquist) the uncertain lover, Craig Broadbear (Vittorio Vidal) the fading Latin lover, film star Jezz Granger (Herman) the creepy and oily pimp, who took centre stage with his song “I love to cry at weddings”, Simon Vardkis (Daddy Brubeck), who gave a strong interpretation of the song “The rhythm of life” and Amanda Mattocks (Ursula March) as Vittorio’s lover. The four “hookers” Faye Banks (Nickie), Amber Andrews (Betsy), Kayleigh Elliott (Helene) and Eva James (Carmen) all had the right attitude and gave us four believable characters. But the accolades must go to Ruth Harries as Charity. Ruth was Charity this was a professional performance. She could act, dance and sing and she brought out the many facets of the part with so much energy and enthusiasm it was infectious – congratulations! There were also impressive vocals and excellent dancing from the chorus in their many roles. I thoroughly enjoyed the production, but then with all the enthusiasm coming from the cast it would have been hard not to. Winterbourne Musical Theatre THE GOOD COMPANIONS 22nd June 2011 Director: Maggie Williams Musical Director: Heather Wren Choreographers: Maggie Williams and Maggie Campbell Winterbourne Community Centre This is a musical adapted from J B Priestley’s novel of the same title with music by Andre Previn. There are so many scene changes and a large cast of at least forty four characters, which is not often seen on the amateur stag, so congratulations must go to Director Maggie Williams and Musical Director Heather Wren for having the courage to tackle this and succeeding. The setting of twenty three scenes was dealt with by having representations rather than whole sets and these were achieved smoothly and quietly. Kate Robinson is a talented pianist and played at the right levels. This is not an easy musical for singer or pianist so Heather Wren had obviously worked hard with her cast to achieve the results. With so many costume changes and costumes, the wardrobe team must have had their work cut out, but there were no hitches and the costumes gave the right feel of the 1930’s. With a large cast to move around on the stage, Choreographers Maggie Williams and Maggie Campbell took it in their stride and produced some very good routines. With such a large cast there was the occasional doubling up of a part, and with so many characters it is difficult to mention all of them. However, Amanda Herrin as Susie Dean, Tony Worgan as Jerry Jerningham, Jonathon Stockwell as Inigo Jollifant, Vicki Seal as Elizabeth Trant, Peter Gibson as Jess Oakroyd and the three girls who played the Clowns all deserve a special mention for their portrayals. They were ably supported by the talented cast who danced and sang their way through the production. It was an enjoyable evening, which was down to the sheer exuberance and enthusiasm coming from the entire company.

DISTRICT 14 - BATH, NORTH WILTSHIRE, SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE MR. GRAEME SAVAGE Sodbury Players SLEEPING BEAUTY 22nd January 2011 Director / Producer: Julian Hinton Musical Director: Callum Webb Choreography: Kayleigh Rose, Sarah Dean, Brenda Allen and Lin Bowden Chipping Sodbury Town Hall Sodbury Players have set the bar very high in recent years with their excellent pantomimes, and their production of Sleeping Beauty was certainly up there with the best of them. Sleeping Beauty is not the easiest of stories to fit into a pantomime structure, but under Julian Hinton’s assured direction and Callum Webb’s excellent band (and some particularly well-selected songs) the evening was a great success. Charlotte Harris as the titular Beauty was a perfect pantomime princess, and in good voice during her duets with Katie Salt’s excellent, if slightly underused Prince Handsome. In the pivotal role of Nurse Pinchme, Simon Woollaston showed a much lighter and under-stated touch than we are used to with many amateur dames, and made the Nurse a much more rounded character for that. James Murden’s Oddjob did a sterling job of entertaining the children with bulk of the one-liners and gags. But the show was well and truly stolen for me by Ross Brown’s hideous Gormless, an excellent creation! The principals were all well supported by the chorus and dancers. There seemed to be fewer routines than usual, but some nice ‘dance theatre’ moments which were very well performed. Another excellent Sodbury Players production. Wootton Bassett Light Operatic Society MOTHER GOOSE Saturday 29th January 2011 Director: Ros Vickers Choreographers: Kayleigh Stanley and Ros Vickers Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall A lively performance of this oldest of pantomimes was presented to us by the enthusiastic company of WBLOS. Mother Goose is one of the more difficult pantomimes to produce, as it can easily slip into ‘one-man’ (or ‘onedame’) show territory without a strong director and a Dame who ensures

that the stage is shared rather than dominated, and in director Ros Vickers, and Stuart Dark’s Gertie Goose, WBLOS were fortunate to have both. The company made full use of the relatively small performance area available, spending almost as much time amongst the audience, much to everyone’s enjoyment! A large company – 14 principal roles supported by a numerous chorus – all entered into their roles with enthusiasm, especially Alan Fisher’s villainous Sir Seymour Snookup. The costumes and make-up were excellent, brightly coloured and perfect for the pantomime, and the set impressive without being too dominant of the stage. The director’s choice of music also made a distinct impression – a very varied selection, from a wide range of genres (everything from Gilbert & Sullivan to High School Musical, via Johnny Cash and Stephen Sondheim!), they worked well as a lot of thought had been put into making them suit the characters and situations. Keynsham Youth Theatre FOOTLOOSE Reviewed by Rich Newman on Friday 15th April 2011 Director: Graeme Savage Musical Director: Paul Israel Choreographers: Sarah Savage and Verity Brunwin Broadlands School This production of Footloose was a story very well told! Considerable thought had obviously gone into the individual characterisation. Rev Shaw and Ren, played by Will Stevens and Ed Hill respectively, impressed with this, but they were not the only ones. The costumes were spot on and the dance attire very colourful. The guys’ ties matching with the girls outfits at the finale didn’t go unnoticed. The two things to impress me immensely were the choreography and the involvement with the dialogue. Firstly the choreography: so imaginative: I loved the dance at the gym! Secondly I thought that the involvement with and reaction to the dialogue by the peripheral players were excellent. They were never overdone and always natural. At times the duologues between some of the characters were a little lost, because the actors faced one another, rather than out-front, so we lost a little eye contact. The band was superb! The stand-out songs for me were: ‘Almost Paradise’, Willard’s hilarious ‘Mama Says’, and the lovely ‘Learning to be Silent’. Most importantly, everyone looked as though they were enjoying their performance and this rubbed off on the audience, as you could feel their enjoyment. Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society GUYS AND DOLLS Wednesday 27th April 2011 Director / Choreographer: Alan Spencer Musical Director: Peter Blackwood Theatre Royal Bath After a brief excursion to G&S with last year’s The Gondoliers, the Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society returned to one of the all-time classics of musical theatre, and did so with some triumph. From the opening Runyonland sequence, through the hilarious trip to Havana and excellent Crapshooter’s Ballet, the chorus movement was crisp and precise, and the volume and harmony, under the musical direction of Peter Blackwood, was fantastic. The stand-out performance came from Danny Williams, as Nicely Nicely Johnston - an exceptional performance throughout, full of gestures and mannerisms which added to the character without upstaging his fellow cast. As Nathan Detroit and his long-suffering fiancé Adelaide, Geoff White and Carolyn Meade were perfectly matched. Arnie Richardson sang the role of Sky Masterson perfectly, but unfortunately seemed too young to really convince as the world-weary and highly respected gambler. At times, the pace did seem to drag and some of the musical numbers felt a little laboured – most notably Adelaide’s numbers in the Hot Box. The orchestra was very well-balanced against the singers voices and the choreography throughout was executed with precision and character. All was beautifully lit by Peter Blackmore and the whole atmosphere was complimented by excellent costumes. Sodbury Vale Musical Comedy Club THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE Wednesday 11th May 2011 Producer/Director: Dave Horseman Musical Director: Joshua Newport Choreographer: Wendy Weaver Chipping Sodbury Town Hall This was a challenging production for the Sodbury Vale Musical Comedy Club, but a lively company approached it with great enthusiasm and worked very hard to give us the tale of Millie Dillmount and her adventures in New York. Alison Gurney in the title role took a little while to warm-up on this opening night, but by the end of the opening number was in fine voice, which was well sustained throughout the evening. There was good chemistry with both of her love interests – Alex Weaver putting in slightly understated, but charismatic performance as Jimmy Smith, and Craig Weaver excelling as the pompous Trevor Graydon. Diane Newport gave an excellent pantomimeesque villainess as the hotelier Mrs Mears, her number with the two Chinese kidnappers being a real highlight of the evening. Josh Newport’s large orchestra were in the main well-balanced with the actors voices, and he should be commended on his control of both the orchestra and the voices on stage, in his first major production as MD. Overall, this was a solid opening night performance of a bigger show than it seems this company usually undertakes. I’m sure everything will tighten up, and make this a very memorable production.

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Bath Unity Players THE FARNDALE AVENUE HOUSING ESTATE TOWNSWOMEN’S GUILD DRAMATIC SOCIETY PRODUCTION OF MACBETH. Thursday 12th May 2011 Director: Lez Goodwin The Rondo Theatre, Bath Using the conceit of a performance for Townswomen Guild Drama Festival Area Finals, Bath Unity Players threw themselves enthusiastically into their intentionally shambolic production of Macbeth, with last minute changes of cast, witches in wheelchairs, missing props, sometimes too many props and much more crammed into a surprisingly short running time. The key to making a success of productions such as this is strong stage management and precise lighting cues, and here the stage crew, led by Paul Derrick, excelled! Lynda Tucker and Philip Thorpe both excelled and led the rest of the cast with confidence. Their delivery of the Shakespearean dialogue was also very confident, and ensured that the audience could follow whatever remained of Shakespeare’s original. Dan Hinchliff Walz’s rapid-fire delivery of the events of the final act was brilliantly executed - a real highlight. Overall, I will admit that I didn’t particularly enjoy the production – the script did not allow a talented company to really show us what they can do. However, the cast were clearly working hard and the opening night audience enjoyed the over-the-top characters and situations, which were just a little too removed from ‘real-life’ for me to do this company justice. The Court Players, Rangeworthy THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST 19th May 2011 Director: Gordon Jones Rangeworthy Village Hall To see Importance of Being Earnest performed in the round was quite an experience and certainly kept the actors on their toes during the opening night. Without the use of backdrops, simple set decoration of a couple of period chairs and a small table set the scene for Algernon’s flat in Act One and kept the stage relatively clear for the perpetual movement required by the actors to involve the audience on all four sides. While this constant too-ing and fro-ing meant that there was little time when the performers did not engage with the audience, it did become a little distracting, to the performers as well as the audience. The pace was a little slow to start off with, and was not aided by the unusually high number of prompts required. While this could be put down to the usual first night nerves, it did impinge on Wilde’s witty banter, which needs to really rattle along, especially in the opening moments between Rob Marlow’s otherwise excellently louche Algernon and Mark Gregory’s bumptious John Worthing. After the first interval, during which the stage was turfed to create the Garden scene, the pace lifted considerably with Rosemary Pearce’s Cicely and Dee Way’s delightfully dotty Miss Prism, and Eleanor Trapp’s Gwendolen really coming into her own as she and Cicely ‘ganged up’ on the boys in the final act. The pace again slowed a little in this third act, when all should have been steaming along to the dramatic denouement. However, despite needing prompts, the actors diction and storytelling was clear throughout, not easy when spending so much time facing away from a large part of the audience. The costumes were excellent, and credit to the designer for the simple yet effective sets – especially the turf. At times there lighting was a little stark – again, lighting a play ‘in the round’ is a rare challenge, but a little more colour, particularly in the garden scene of Act Two, a little less lighting of the audience may have added to the theatricality of the piece and put the actors a little more at ease, as the audience may then have seemed less imposing! Keynsham Light Operatic Group MOVE ON Wednesday 25th May 2011 Director: David Baxter Musical Director: Lee Tesdale Choreography: David Baxter, Tracey Dean and Lucy Ratnett Saltford Hall, Saltford. For their latest compilation production, KLOGs gave us a very interesting evening celebrating Stephen Sondheim and Bob Fosse. Sondheim (played by Neil Quilter) introduced excerpts from his shows, but gave us little in the way of real insight, bar some references to childhood friends and his maternal relationship. This reliance on information about Broadway openings, combined with a lavishly decorated stage, didn’t back up the conceit that these pieces were supposed to be ‘in rehearsal’ for Sondheim. The inclusion of Forbidden Broadway parodies at the expense of original songs and some extremely long sections from individual shows unfortunately began to seem like self-indulgence. Too often the singers were drowned out by the large onstage orchestra, especially disappointing in a Sondheim tribute, where the words are so clever and need to be heard. The lighting added to the overall glitzy feel of the production, with clever use of gauzes and gobos. The Fosse section started with a much more lively feel, but while all the songs were well sung, there seemed to be little Fosseesque choreography included, and wasn’t quite sassy enough to conjure up the atmosphere required. Overall, this was a very ambitious production, which when it worked, worked well. Sodbury Players ON THE RAZZLE Wednesday 25th May 2011 Director: Roy Whitlow Chipping Sodbury Town Hall Despite the phrase ‘rarely performed’ usually striking fear into the heart of theatre-goers and reviewers, Sodbury Players have unearthed a gem with their delightful and hilarious production of Tom Stoppard’s farce, On The

Razzle. Roy Whitlow’s zippy direction ensured that every obvious joke, subtle innuendo, mistaken identity and outrageous situation was handled with precision. Steve Crump as Herr Zangler set the tone perfectly, before handing over to the fantastic Grant McCotter’s Weinberl, whose desire to go ‘On The Razzle’ is the cause of the ensuing farce. Assisted by Katie Salt’s Christopher, who brought to mind Norman Wisdom with her innocent clowning and wonderful facial expressions, the scene was set for two hours of great comedy. The whole company excelled, in their timing and delivery,and complimented each other very well, although the show was almost (understandably) stolen by Pete Williamson’s fabulously earthy and ‘hands-on’’ coachman! The set was of the high standard, if a little simpler in its decoration, that we have come to expect from Sodbury Players and the potentially tricky scene changes were handled very well. The simple lighting, combined with the plainly decorated set, ensured that the focus remained on the performers throughout. Bath Gilbert & Sullivan Society THE YEOMAN OF THE GUARD Wednesday 1st June 2011 Director: Viv Jackson Musical Director: Kerry Bishop The Wroughton Theatre, Bath The Yeoman of the Guard is probably the most challenging of the G&S repertoire to approach. However, Bath G&S Society approached this with their usual great enthusiasm, in Viv Jackson’s faithfully traditional production. A simple set gave the performers plenty of space, and allowed the excellent costumes to fill the stage. There were many strong performers, but I would particularly highlight a few – Sarah Phillips was in fine voice as Elsie Maynard, joined by Adrian Cooper’s nicely understated Jack Point. The rest of the leading players all delivered their songs with strong conviction, and credit must be given for their projection over the orchestra, without the use of mics or amplification. Special mention must be made of the delightful Dame Carruthers – June Dymond may be retiring from the stage after a career spanning more than 60 years, but going out on a high! A delightful performance, mixing gravitas with a youthful sense of mischief and still in fine voice! Kerry Bishop’s musical direction was excellent - wonderful harmony, strong singing, clearly defined characters and the orchestra soaring, particularly in the Warders Are Ye chorus in Act Two and the powerful finale. Overall, an impressive performance from the whole company. Music is Life Productions THE DECENT ROGUES Wednesday 13th July 2011 Director: Petra Schofield Musical Director: Dan Lashbrook Fed up with juke box musicals and compilation shows, four years ago Dan Lashbrook and Rob Pratt set out to write a completely new musical – original story, new songs, their own words. If last night’s world premiere is anything to go by, this was 4 years incredibly well spent. They have, with director Petra Schofield, created a gem of a show. The basic plot – a pair of well-respected Edwardian gentleman take revenge once a year on one of the wrong-doing villagers – is strong in its own right, giving plenty of scope to create a believable village full of real characters. The songs, a blend of Gilbertian word-play with an occasionally Sondheimian disregard for traditional phrasings and harmony, give a sense that there is always something more bubbling underneath the surface. The cast were all well experienced in the local amateur musical scene, and certainly lived up to such high expectations. Natalie Remington’s gorgeous set succeeded in taking us from the cosy tea room to the open space of the village green very simply, all delicately lit by Luke Emmett. This must be one of the few occasions when I’ve wished a show could have been a little longer! However the pace was perfect, the comedy well-pitched and the energy of the whole cast infectious.

DISTRICT 15 - GLOUCESTERSHIRE MRS. FRANKIE TELFORD Gloucester Operatic and Dramatic Society DRACULA: THE PANTOMIME Sunday 12th December 2010 Producer/Director: Rowena Davies Musical Director: Joe Starr Choreographer: Claire Townsend Guildhall, Gloucester This was my first Pantomime of the season and although the title might not suggest it, it had all the elements of a traditional Pantomime, except that there was no principal boy, but a feisty daughter in the form of Buffy van Helsing, would-be vampire slayer. The action took place in London and Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. The opening scene took us to Piccadilly Circus in Victorian times and was colourful and had lots of energy. Then disaster struck with a series of attacks on unsuspecting victims, starting with a Flower Seller played by Shirley Wherrett, who was totally convincing as the unconscious lady being dragged across the stage. The action continued in a fairly predictable and amusing fashion, culminating in the demise of Dracula. The choreography was interesting and the dance team performed the ‘Bat Dance’ particularly well. Tris Dior, as Dame Plasma, worked the audience well and was a very glamorous dame with a wonderful new costume on every entrance. There were some excellent freezes from the whole company, but most noteworthy was the statue in Dracula’s castle. The cast were enthusiastic and this came across to the audience. This was a good evening’s entertainment giving everyone a Christmassy feeling.

Cheltenham Operatic and Dramatic Society SUMMER HOLIDAY Saturday 1st January 2011 Producer/Director: Sue Bennett Musical Director: Dave Whittle Choreographer: Antonia Coles The Playhouse, Cheltenham This toe tapping Musical adapted for the stage in the mid 1990s (from the film starring Cliff Richard released in 1963) was a real trip down Memory Lane. There are a few differences to the film, the main one being the inclusion of several other songs - ‘The Young Ones’, ‘Move it’ and ‘Living Doll’. The show naturally requires a number young people for the cast, which CODS attracted and who brought energy and enthusiasm to the production. The chorus rose to the challenge of frequent character changes. The dance routines and the costumes were in keeping for the era. The wellknown songs were generally sung clearly and in an appropriate style. The set was constructed to give maximum space on this small stage, with the static front half of the Red London Bus up stage right and a cosy booth for the band upstage left, with part of the front made from a gauze onto which images were projected, to help the audience identify the country the bus was travelling through. As with the film, it has a flimsy story line but a massive feel-good factor. It was a popular choice with full houses. I left the Theatre feeling happy. Promenade Productions ALADDIN Tuesday 11th January 2011 Producer/Director: Heather M. Newman Musical Director: Helen Harris Choreographer: Heather M. Newman with Kate Williams Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham This Pantomime by Peter Denyer had a good script and kept the interest of the audience throughout. Tim Jones, as Abanazar, delivered the Prologue at the Temple in Thebes, and we knew we were about to see some interesting variations to the story of Aladdin. The sets from Scenic & Property Hire were well painted with quick and simple scene changes. The lighting was generally atmospheric and well timed and controlled, particularly for the Slave of the Ring and Genie of the Lamp. The young dancers’ welcome to China was a little hesitant but I am sure they grew in confidence as the week progressed. The choreography was varied and well suited to the capability of the cast, with the dance group showing their extra talent performing more intricate routines, and so many lovely smiles. The costumes were colourful and had been well designed. The principal singing and acting was mostly good, with excellent support from the chorus. I really enjoyed the Ukulele band covering some of the scene changes; it showed that the cast really ‘owned’ the show. Well done everyone, your audience enjoyed the Pantomime. St. John’s Players THE DEEP BLUE SEA Wednesday 16th March 2011 Producer/Director: Martin Jones St. John’s Church Hall, Churchdown, Gloucester In this centenary year of the birth of Terrance Rattigan, St John’s Players staged ‘The Deep Blue Sea’. Set in 1952, it tells the story of Hester Collyer, wife of a High Court Judge; she has left him to live with an exciting former RAF pilot who is now jobless and a semi-alcoholic. The play opens with the discovery of the attempted suicide of Hester, by other residents of the flats, as she realises the relationship is failing and it is the only way out. The set, as always, was soundly constructed, well dressed and well lit, giving the feel of the period, as did the excellent costumes. Pat Manifold was confident as Hester, portraying her emotional rollercoaster convincingly. Andy Willcocks displayed the two sides of his character well, the failure he had become, interspersed with the old bravado. His drinking scene was a wellcontrolled master class. They were well supported by the other members of the cast particularly Jenny Morgan as the not so discreet landlady, Mrs Elton, and Pip Barber as the discredited doctor, Mr Miller, who proves to be Hester’s saviour. This was a good production and I enjoyed the brief return to a bygone age, which showed although conventions change, personal relationships do not. The Cotswold Players BROKEN GLASS Wednesday 23th March 2011 Producer/Director: Robert Penman Cotswold Playhouse, Stroud In this cleverly constructed but difficult play, Arthur Miller gives us much to think about. Set in Brooklyn in 1938 it explores the relationship of Philip and Sylvia Gellburg, who after years of marriage realise they hardly know each other. Philip is the only Jew in a Wall Street Bank, works long hours and neglects his wife, until she suddenly becomes paralysed from the waist down after seeing articles of the anti-Semitic violence in the newspaper (known as the ‘Kristallnacht’ when Jewish shops and Synagogues were destroyed in Berlin). The whole cast coped well with the detailed characterisation, each giving a well-defined performance. Tim Howard as Philip Gellburg showed well his inner conflicts of being a Jew who had made it; also his inability to communicate with his wife. Judy Couch as Sylvia Gellburg gave a fine performance as the paralysed wife; coping so well with the complexities of the role and the physical condition. Jonathan Vickers gave a convincing portrayal of Dr Hyman, and Melanie Palmer, as his wife Margaret, brought humour to lighten the themes of guilt, personal tragedy and love. Everyone maintained their accents whilst coping with some difficult dialogue. The inventive set, which gave the three areas of action without a set change, and a projection area for the ‘Kristallnacht’ images, was excellent. Director Robert Penman had obviously worked hard with his cast so that everyone really understood all aspects of their character. Well

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done everyone. Gloucester Operatic and Dramatic Society RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET March 25th 2011 Director: Kim Martin Musical Dirrector: Alistair Cameron Choreographer: Sue Kinsey Gloucester Guildhall That “Lift off’ occurred for this production was a minor miracle, as it was beset with so many problems, but the determination of Kim Martin, in her debut as Director of a Musical, sent it into orbit. It is a ‘Jukebox’ musical with many rock ’n ’roll songs; based on Shakespeare’s Tempest, complete with Shakespearean pentameter, and the 1950s Sci-Fi film, Forbidden Planet. Once the passengers (audience) were safely in their seats they were instructed on the procedure to be taken in the event of ‘Polarity Reversal’. We were travelling on a routine survey flight, when the ship was drawn off course to the planet D’Illyria, where mad scientist Doctor Prospero and his young daughter Miranda have been marooned. It was a well-designed set. The dancing was lively, and the company maintained pace and energy. They also coped with the varied and sometimes difficult music. Special mention must be made to Director Kim Martin in having taken on the role of the Science Officer at very short notice due to illness. This was a fun show, which the audience enjoyed. Well done everyone; you had worked hard as a team to pull it off. Manor Players of Tewkesbury ANYTHING GOES Friday 8th April 2011 Producer/Director: Lin Willerton Musical Director: Paul Hardy Choreographer: Val Lockley The George Watson Memorial Hall, Tewkesbury I looked forward to seeing this lively thirties musical and was not disappointed. During the overture we were introduced to all the characters in the bustle and confusion of embarkation onto the S.S. American, which was sailing from New York to England. The cleverly designed set with fold-out doors meant that there was very little scenery to be moved. The costumes were colourful, of the period and contributed to the ‘ship board’ atmosphere. Lin Willerton had worked hard with the cast to bring out the varied characterisation, both in principals and chorus. The scenes with Moonface are almost pantomime-like and were timed to bring out maximum humour. The small band supplied good backing to the vocals, never overpowering the singers. There were some difficult harmonies in some songs, which the cast attempted but occasionally did not quite achieve; but the unaccompanied singing at the beginning of Act 2 was lovely. The many dance numbers in this show were well choreographed and executed - how wonderful to see so many smiles. This production created many challenges for the Society on several levels; everyone is to be congratulated on working together as a team to make it so enjoyable for yourselves and your audiences. The Parish Players CAROUSEL Tuesday 12 April 2011 Producer/Director: Linda Evans Musical Director: Chloe Allsopp-Jones Choreographer: Jill Harris The Parish Hall, Tockington Rodgers and Hammerstein’s second show was an ambitious choice for this company and venue. Instead of trying to fit a Carousel onto the small stage, the effect was created by lighting and projection, with a single Carousel Horse for Billy and Julie, it worked very well. The whole company was involved in the opening of the show and maintained the freezes well. The costumes, supplied by ‘Costume Workshop Isle of Wight’ and the Society, ensured the company was suitably dressed. The concept of the set, designed by Andy Black, was interesting, and the lighting was effective. The principal’s characters were well depicted, and all spoke well, maintaining their accents, with the whole company supporting each other. The singing was of a generally high standard, with excellent diction and some good harmonies. The instrumentalists were well controlled and sympathetic to the singers. Choreographer, Jill Harris, had worked hard with the company to produce some interesting routines especially the Beach Ballet. Special mention must be made to the ‘Snow Children’ who showed great stage presence and were well disciplined. This proved a popular show with the local audiences, as it was almost a sell out. Well done everyone. North Avon Youth Theatre Company OUR HOUSE Wednesday 20th April 2011 Producer/Director: Lyn Bedford Musical Director: Arne Kovac Choreographer: Kelly Barton, Danielle Shadbolt and Lyn Bedford The Armstrong Hall, Thornbury ‘Our House’, based on the music of Madness, is the story of Joe, who after an event on the night of his sixteenth birthday has to make a decision to take the right or wrong path in life, and so we follow the parallel lives of ‘Good Joe’ and ‘Bad Joe’. It was written so that one actor played both parts but NYTC had two actors, which I think made it easier to follow. The whole production was filled with energy and enthusiasm. The set was well designed to cope with the large number of scene changes. The skilful use of lighting added to the overall picture, particularly the use of the gobo for the prison. The principals portrayed their characters well, and ‘the family’ created a cohesive unit. Everyone was in fine voice and had clear diction. The music was sensitively handled, but occasionally overpowering the young voices. There were so many dance numbers in this show that the

standard of choreography needed to be high and it was. The routines were interesting, energetic and had been tailored to suit the cast. This was Youth Theatre at its best. Congratulations must go to Lyn Bedford and all involved in this production. Cotswold Savoyards THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE April 27th 2011 Director: Simon Moss Musical Director: David Manifold Choreographers: Sarah Lowe and Simon Moss The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham From the moment Queen Victoria entered the ‘Royal Box’ and everyone stood for The National Anthem we knew this show would be different. During the overture we saw Major-General Stanley marry, become a father, a widower, and the whole family and entourage, travel by train from Cheltenham to Penzance. There were so many highlights and lovely touches in this production it is difficult to know where to start. The attractive sets from ‘Clifford and Brown’ were well complimented by the lighting. The costumes had been well designed, particularly those of the daughters, which depicted their various ages. The show had a strong cast and characterisation was excellent, both from the principals and chorus. The singing was of a high standard with excellent diction, apart from a few places with the ladies chorus. Hail Poetry was unaccompanied part-singing at its best. David Manifold skilfully controlled the orchestra who were never obtrusive. I enjoyed the musical Prelude of Pirates Music arranged in 1911; also the re-written reprise of Hail Poetry to Hail Majesty in the second Act. I think Gilbert and Sullivan would have approved of and enjoyed this production. Cirencester Operatic and Dramatic Society GUYS AND DOLLS May 17th 2011 Director: Chrissie Carling Musical Director: Malcolm Webb Choreographer: Rachel Wright The Barn Theatre This Show described as ‘A Musical Fable of Broadway’, with good triumphing over evil, is usually popular with audiences and this was no exception the night I was there. It opening was imaginative with a well-lit New York backcloth and the cast appearing initially in silhouette. This then erupted a colourful and very active Broadway. The cast was well dressed, with make-up and hairstyles adding to the overall picture. The sets were simple but effect with good use of travellers and enhanced by effective lighting, allowing smooth scene changes. The choreography had been well devised, was lively and mostly enjoyed by the cast. All the principals were well cast, had developed their characters and gave strong performances - I particularly liked the rapport between Nathan and Adelaide, they were very convincing. The big production numbers worked well with everyone totally involved, particularly in the scenes in Havana, and ‘Sit down You’re Rocking the Boat’. Both principal and chorus singing had good diction and was confident, as were the well sustained accents. The orchestra was well controlled, not overpowering the singers. There were good energy levels and much enjoyment on-stage and off. Well done everyone. Dursley Operatic and Dramatic Society MY FAIR LADY Reviewed by Malcolm White on May 19th 2011 Director: Ken Hitchings Musical Director: Roger Winter Choreographer: Val Lockley Lister Hall, Dursley The set designs were, as we have come to expect from this society, very cleverly thought out. The black, grey and white Covent Garden opening was very striking and the unfolding of all the other scenes were an entertainment in themselves. Congratulations to designer, Mike Graham. The opening scene gently came to life during the overture. With the Opera House spilling out, we were quickly reminded of the two social levels of Victorian London. The costumes, generally, were excellent. The detail in the Pearly King and Queen’s costumes was superb, and I did like the traditional black and white Ascot. There were some fabulous creations displayed and, I might add, worn well. However, I was disappointed in Eliza’s Ascot outfit and Ball gown, neither had the wow factor. Some of the company’s Ascot outfits were more stunning. Surely Eliza should take you breath away? Sharp, simple movement for the company numbers were well rehearsed and had energy. The grouping and patterns of the dance team were clear and attractive to watch. The 11 piece orchestra jollied along every number as if it was their favourite. There were some excellent performances from the principals. The Director created some lovely moments, particularly in the scene between Mrs Higgins and Eliza – beautifully intimate. His grouping of the company made the most of the stage and built some very attractive pictures.

always confident never precocious. The other characters, apart from Danny, his dad, William, and Dr. Spencer are all over the top and were well acted. The close relationship of Danny and his father was well portrayed and totally believable. We also knew that Dr. Spencer was dependable and could be relied upon. The costumes were all appropriate for the characters in the story. The many sound effects were delivered on cue. This was a production where everyone had worked hard, enjoyed themselves and it showed. Octopus Amateur Dramatic Society HELLO. IS THERE ANYBODY THERE? June 9th 2011 Director: Gil Gilroy Assistant Director: Phil Domaille Christ the King Church Hall, Thornbury It is a pleasure to visit this very enthusiastic group. This very amusing and totally ridiculous farce, written by Ian Hornby verged on pantomime in places, the audience almost becoming an extra character and you would not have been surprised if someone had started heckling. After dinner at Squire Grange while Sir Malcolm dozes in the chair, Lady Amelia is searching for new ideas for her latest mystery novel and family friend Freddy is persuaded to help. Meanwhile Vic Tim arrives to burgle the house and is promptly shot by an unknown assailant. This creates the problem of how to remove Vic’s body, not only is he making an untidy mess on stage, but he has to come back in Act II as a policeman. The absurdity continued from here until the end of the play, when Miss Marbles arrives to reveal ‘Who Dunnit’. As always the set was well designed, constructed and dressed. The cast was appropriately attired. The stage was well lit, and sound and lighting cues were spot on. The cast gave good performances. Everyone involved in this production had worked hard to make it a success. Well done Octopus on a very entertaining evening. The Cotswold Players SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER (or The Mistakes of a Night) June 15th 2011 Director: Peter Cluer Assistant Director: Celia Stringfellow Cotswold Playhouse, Stroud This is a wonderful comedy, from the 18th century by Oliver Goldsmith that is rarely seen on the Amateur Stage. It opened with a cleverly updated Prologue, delivered by character Bet Bouncer, and fairly romped its way through to the well-choreographed finale. The energy levels were well maintained and the cleverly co-ordinated entrances and exits maintained the momentum. The set was stylised, with three white flats, with what looked like pen and ink drawings, indicating the many features of the room, which remained throughout, with the addition of furniture to show where the action was taking place. The slick scene changes were carried out in full view of the audience and covered by appropriate music. The lighting had been well designed, and created a good atmosphere. The costumes and wigs fitted well and were confidently worn. The style of writing and language is quite different from that of today, and that of Shakespeare with which many are familiar; and so the cast had to learn a completely new way of delivering their lines, which they did successfully. It is hard to single out any individual performance as all the cast deserve praise. Peter Cluer’s interpretation and skilful direction ensured his cast performed this slightly alien genre with confidence.

Cheltenham Operatic and Dramatic Society DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD May 19th 2011 Director: Jason Blackburn The Playhouse, Cheltenham On the way to Cheltenham I wondered how Roald Dahl’s children’s novel would transfer to the Stage; but this David Wood adaptation made it a fun production to delight children of all ages. It would be a suitable production for Christmas time as there were elements of Pantomime in it, with lots of audience participation. Motherless Danny lives with his father in a caravan next to his garage. There was very little scenery or props with practically everything coming straight from Quentin Blake’s storybook illustrations, the cut-out cars, which visited the garage were all ‘man-powered’; the wood where William goes poaching was black drapes effectively lit with tree gobos. Young Tom Chisholm gave a mature performance as Danny,

SOUTH WEST NODA South West Augustedit 11.indd 19

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