Press Critiques & Reviews By Show

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High School Musical July 2024

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

I am afraid I must confess to a gap in my knowledge of this show, it had completely passed me by, so this was the first time I had seen it. As the title suggests it required many younger performers, and this group has attracted a number over the last few years.

The set design had been well thought out to enable swift transition between scenes, with the raised level at the back of the stage giving an excellent area for the DJ/PA Announcer, and an attachment for the basketball hoop; the practical lockers, which were on stage throughout, were clever; with other furniture moved on and off stage as required; with props which were all in keeping with the show. There were some interesting lighting effects, with good use of gobos and well controlled follow spots especially for the phone conversations. Sound effects were well cued and sound balance was mostly good, with will cued microphones and well controlled live music. All the costumes looked appropriate to the style of the show with those worn by Sharpay very different to the other girls, and those of Ms Darbus suitably theatrical.

Good use had been made of the theatre for entrances and exits, particularly in the opening number, with people pouring onto the stage from different directions. It was full of enthusiasm and a taste of things to come, with lively choreography, acrobatics, and energy. It did take me a while to tune in to the American accents, dialogue and singing as some of it was indistinct and rushed. Musical Director, Julia Glaudot had taught the songs well and kept everyone together. There were some nicely sung duets, small group, and ensemble numbers, which had the appropriate energy and feeling, there was some really lovely bad singing in the ‘auditions’.

The cast was made up of mainly young people with a few adults in the older roles. I enjoyed all the performances but am only going to mention a few. Troy Bolton, star of the basketball team and very popular, was well played, with good display of his feeling towards his father, and his unexpected interest in music. He worked well with Gabriella; they made a believable couple. Gabriella Montez, the new girl in school, was played as an intelligent young lady who does not want to draw attention to herself until she has settled in; but finds an interest in singing through a holiday encounter with Troy, they sang well together. Twins, Sharpay and Ryan Evans, are lovely roles, they are people with big egos, always the ‘stars’ of the shows, and not above using underhand tactics to achieve their goals. Sharpay, the elder of the two by a few minutes, was confidently played, a real diva, she sang, danced, and acted with real attitude. Ryan, was also confidently played, showed he believed himself to be a star in the making, but also showed his exasperation with his sister. He also sang, danced, and acted well. Chad Danforth and Taylor McKessie, best friends of Troy and Gabriella, were strong characters and supported their friends well.

Kelsi Nielson, rehearsal pianist to the drama club, and who has composed a musical, came over initially as a shy character, who is easily discouraged, but later shows she is feisty when she stands up to Sharpay, lovely character development. Jack Scott, is an important role in the show, as through his role as school PA Announcer he keeps the audience informed as to what is happening. The role demands the actor has two sides to his character, the shy insecure character when with his peers but the dynamic, confident person when he has a microphone in his hand, this role was played confidently with lots of life, very animated and dramatic at times. Zeke Baylor, a member of the Wildcats Team, has two secrets, one, he is infatuated by Sharpay, and two, he loves baking. This role was well played, his devastation when the cake he has made for Sharpay is ruined and his delight when he manages to convince Sharpay that he likes her for who she is and not because she is a star were lovely. Ms Darbus, the Drama Club teacher, was rather quirky in dress and nature. She showed she had a passion for the theatre and performance but cared about her students and encouraged them to do their best, a well-defined role. Coach Bolton, Troy’s father, was played as a determined character, almost a bully, in his passion for The Wildcats basketball team to succeed in the championship game, and for Troy to live out the dreams he aspired to. His altercation with Ms Darbus was good, as was his change of attitude to his son when he realises, Troy can sing.

All other roles were carefully played with lots of energy and enthusiasm.Director, Ceri Winrow, had been well supported by the other members of the team and they had all encouraged the cast to give of their best, in singing, dancing, and acting. There were some lovely moments, such as the reaction to Ms Darbus reading from Romeo and Juliet; the madness of the detention; the auditions; and the appearance of the performance artists. Everyone on stage appeared to be confident and enjoying themselves, which in turn lead to the audience enjoying this feel-good show where everything turns out well and everyone is a better person. Well done everyone.

Sleeping Beauty February 2024

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

It was an honour to be invited to this 40th Anniversary production of Sleeping Beauty, it was a very special night, as on February 15th, 1984, Promenade Productions was established. This version of Sleeping Beauty was by Alan Frayn and was a truly celebratory production. It had all the elements you expect in a Pantomime, lively dances, lovely songs, colourful costumes, forces for good and evil, a Dame, a dashing Principal boy, a romantic heroine, comic characters and lots of bad jokes and audience participation.

It started with a prologue which introduced us to Fairy Lilac and Bad Witch Hazel, setting the story. We then met the villagers of Muddleby on March in a lively opening number which was confidently sung and danced, and everyone looked happy. All the hired backdrops were of a good quality and well painted, and with the addition of the classroom flats, free standing trees, and furnishings such as cot, thrones, sculptures, cauldron and spinning wheel, took us to the various locations. The lighting enhanced the backdrops and the costumes and added atmosphere to the locations. There was a lovely effect used for the fast forwarding of time, and the fire under the cauldron with steam pouring from it. I liked the lighting effect for the rhyme about the key. There were well operated follow spots which added extra depth to various scenes. Radio mics were well operated and controlled allowing the voices to be heard over the well-controlled levels of the backing tracks. Other sound effects were well sourced, as with the creaking door and footsteps going upstairs.

The costumes were excellent, they fitted well, were colourful and suited the characters, and their social standing. The regal royal outfits, the gorgeous attire, the appropriately dressed Muddles, the palace messengers dressed as postmen, the colour coded Rainbow Fairies, the debonaire Prince, Nurse Hettie Harpic’s zany outfits, the slightly unusual witches costume and the stylish suit for Fairy Lilac. Make-up looked good, and hairstyles and wigs all added to the visual effect of the show.

The choice of music which included a good mix of older and more modern numbers gave great scope for various dance styles, and with a dedicated team of dancers combined with chorus provided the opportunity for choreographer Ceri Winrow to devise lively and interesting routines, which worked well and were performed confidently. The opening number set the tone for the show; the schoolroom scene was very well done and energetic; the dance leading up to midnight had a real party feel; and the walk down and finale ended the show on a high.

MD Jodie Dwight had taught the songs well, creating a backing track is a complicated task, and singing to it is not easy as there is no leeway for anything to go wrong whist performing. Everyone sang confidently, with the ensemble providing the addition volume and support when required.

Everyone had worked well on their characters and there were strong performances. Fairy Lilac gave an excellent performance. This young man showed maturity beyond his years in stage presence, timing and performing skills, and was obviously enjoying himself. He sang well and never put a foot wrong in his dance routines, which was amazing considering the height of the heels he was wearing. His lullaby was powerful, and he really engaged with the audience whilst singing it. Bad Witch Hazel was a true baddy, and relished the fact, the audience had no problem booing her. I really liked the spell concocting scene. Her transformation when her power of evil ran out was lovely. Muddles was a strong character.

He was the palace handyman, and as the name implies was always making mistakes. He was a lovable character who the audience responded to with the cry of “Don’t get Muddled Muddles”. He worked well with Hettie Harpic providing many laughs. King Cactus, was a haughty character, expecting people to do as he said but with no parenting skills. Queen Marigold certainly knew her place in society but was not so domineering; again she had no idea how to look after a baby, which led to humorous moments. Nurse Hattie Harpic, nursemaid to Princess Rose and the village school mistress; a larger-than-life character who worked well with Muddles to provide laughs and flirted outrageously with a young man in the audience, returning to him several times. Fetch and Carrie, palace messengers: they were a comic duo, who worked well together, who were responsible for delivering invitations to the party, and the scene where they were reading out the addresses was very funny and extremely well timed. They were very good at making the audience laugh. Egor, Bad Witch Hazel’s assistant, was a lovely cameo role, this character was even more evil and heartless than Witch Hazel and the actress was obviously relishing it. The Rainbow Fairies, who were young fairies in training, handled their roles well and sang and danced as you would expect young fairies to. They delivered their lines well and put the sleeping spell on the Palace. There were two people playing Princess Rose one as a child and the other when she turns 16. Young Princess Rose, had good characterization, was a feisty young girl and was lovely in the schoolroom scene. Older Princess Rose is such a difficult role as she does not appear until well into the script and then falls asleep, but made her presence felt when she was awake. She looked the part and interacted well with the Prince in both his guises, moved and sang well and had the lovely duet with the Prince. Prince Alexis/Alexander was a complex role as Alexander was the great grandson of Alexis. This principal boy made an impact by entering through the audience, was gallant and brave. She had good stage presence and was commanding, moved and danced well, why wouldn’t Rose be smitten? Everyone was supportive of the main action, singing, moving and reacting well.

Director Ceri Winrow had taken this interesting script, with one or two unexpected twists and brought it to life. She had made good use of the talents of her cast and production team, who had all helped to deliver a joyous Pantomime, which the audience enjoyed. I heard someone say, “pantomime is not my thing but I enjoyed this one”. Well done everyone.

Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Promenade Productions Comittie Review

We are over the moon to share with you the success our latest show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, at the Playhouse Theatre Cheltenham.

The show was a phenomenal success, selling out all seats for the week-long run, and the audiences were blown away by the musical spectacle.

The show featured a magnificent cast of nearly 50people, including 20 children who added to the fun and excitement. Charlie Mutimer was brilliant as the confident and charismatic Joseph, while Anna Robinson and Jenna Vale were superb as the narrators who guided us through the story. The singing, dancing and costumes were all stunning, and the music was catchy and uplifting.

The children were especially incredible, as they sang and danced with passion and joy. They clearly had a blast on stage, and so did we in the audience.

We want to thank Helen, our director, who brought this show to life with her vision and creativity. We also want to thank David, our musical director, and his awesome team who made the music sound fantastic. A special shout-out to Vicki, who did a phenomenal job conducting the cast on stage. And of course, we can't forget the tech team

This has to be one of Promenade Productions' best productions to date, and we are so proud of everyone involved. But don't worry, we are not resting on our laurels. We are already preparing for our next production, Sleeping Beauty, which will be coming in February. If you want to join them on stage or behind the scenes, you can find out more about the pre-auditions and audition dates here.

Cinderella January 2023

Show Review By Simon Lewis

The King’s Own Cotswold Water Pistols and low-flying squadrons of chocolate fragments, some of which landed on my notepad as I scribbled away in the dark, assessing Promenade Productions’ latest instance of annual anarchy – if ever there was a case of the Cheltenham Playhouse becoming a hard hat area during a performance, this was it. Ceri Winrow’s upbeat adaptation of Cinderella ensured the godmother of all pantomimes got it squarely in the neck this time round, with no stone left unturned as Prince Charming, in a superb debut performance by Amy Benson, set about securing a bride. Meanwhile, a vulnerable glove puppet bunny spent most of the show hoping for some intervention from the Rabbits Protection League. No worries – the sell-out, highly responsive audience saw to that, alerting Bex Partlet’s animated Buttons and keeping all inquisitive interlopers at a safe distance.

Here again, was entertainment on a lavish scale. All present and correct were well-drilled young soldiers, The Great Desperate Dan Gag, enough spandex to kit out an entire football team, slick choreography, colourful costumes and a wheelbarrow full of corny jokes, some of them excruciatingly funny and featuring clever wordplay, others destined only for the royal privies, more than a few nods to daytime TV, with even The Great British Bake-Off, granted a look-in - this show had it all again (Oh, yes it did). But then, I’ve never known a Prom Prods show that didn’t.

The sprawling chorus of village maids was in fine voice, treating us to a pulsating rendition of Our House, and if there was one instance of everything meeting, nay exceeding expectations, it was the stunningly beautiful transformation scene. Suffused with white light reflecting off sparkling ball gowns, this was a champagne moment to savour, and you would be hard pushed to see a better one. Even so, the splendid interior of the Royal Palace ran it a close second.

As for the cast, this was another strong contingent treading the boards. Jodie Dwight made for a delightfully glitzy Fairy Godmother, Hannah Few and Sam Hughes were simply hilarious as the ugly sisters and let’s all raise a glass to Geoff in the front stalls who was never out of their firing line. What a thoroughly good sport! I loved Hannah Hayes’ performance in the title role, Nigel Oatway gave it all some backbone as the chirpy Baron Hardup sporting a highly suspect kitchen overall which I can’t really describe here. Charlotte Cox invested the role of Dandini with real glamour and spirit, and Maggie Preston brought a calm dignity to Chambers, the prince’s valet. Andrew Bullock and Ben Goodman chivvied everyone along as dodgy builders Bodgett and Leggett, reeling off more puns than you can throw a pumpkin at as the show’s Morecambe and Wise act. Well done to page boy Sam Galliers for providing the entire male chorus. Seriously, where have all the young men gone, long time passing? But resonant Peter “Red light spells danger” Hughes stole the whole show, commanding all attention, perched on high stilettos beneath a lurid crimson wig and pacing round the stage in black, white and scarlet as though he were standing in for Cruella de Vil.

Just a couple of minor concerns: some of the younger cast might try smiling a bit more, while others should face the audience to ensure their dialogue doesn’t fade away into upstage inaudibility.
But no matter. We’ll all be back for another basinful in 2024 when I will once more have the time of my life

Dick Whittington Feb 2022

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This was the first time this company had performed a Pantomime in this intimate venue, and the first time the Theatre had hosted a Pantomime in many a long year. It had all the elements of a family pantomime, good sets; lovely well-chosen songs; colourful costumes; some comedy scenes; a love story; a dame, a community song, lots of audience participation, good versus evil; a happy ending.It started with a prologue, which set the scene between Fairy Bowbells and King Rat. We were then transported to the streets of London with a lively chorus number. This scene had a well-painted street scene backcloth and a sign for Alderman Fitzwarren’s shop.All the backcloths and scenery were well painted, and there were insets against black cloths for smaller scenes allowing set changing behind. The seascape with barrels in front gave the impression of a harbour side and then later boards and a ships wheel were added to take us on board the ship, it all worked well. The lighting had been well designed and helped create the right atmosphere for each scene, brightness for the outside scenes, which contrasted with indoor lighting. King Rat’s sewer scene was suitably dark, and the scenes with Fairy Bowbells and King Rat were well lit giving a feeling of menace trying to subdue virtue. The sound effects were all well sourced and cued and added to the lighting to help create the sewers and the storm scenes. Mostly the microphones were well cued and the sound levels were good.All the costumes fitted well and mostly looked good on stage, with Fairy Bowbells and King Rat having a more modern take.

The sets of chorus costumes were all appropriate for the songs and everyone looked very smart in their sailor outfits. In the scene in the Sultan’s Palace, they were suitably colourful and exotic. The set of costumes after the shipwreck was beautifully tattered. The principal's costumes suited the characters, as did all makeup and hairstyles. There was an interesting choice of songs, which had been well taught by Musical Director Dave Whittle and were well sung. They were suitably short for a Pantomime with nice solos, duets, and ensemble numbers. The choreography was suited to the music and ability of the cast. I particularly liked the opening of Act 2, the combination of song and dance got the second half off to a rousing start.

Characters

King Rat was suitably dark and evil, especially with Rat out of Hell
Fairy Bowbells exuded sweetness and light, they worked well together
Alice Fitzwarren was a dutiful daughter, with a mind of her own and had some nice duets with Dick.
Mike Fitch did an excellent job as Dame Dolly Dumpling, this was his first time on stage and he brought out the fun and innuendo of the role.
Idle Jack, her son, was a larger-than-life clown of a character, who engaged well with the audience trying to get them to shout out ‘Pull your socks up Jack' every time he came on stage and led the communal song. He was fun.
Captain Cuttlefish, who captained Alderman Fitzwarren’s ship, seemed to have to spend most of his time trying to keep his second mate in order, and was a good ‘straight man’ to Scupper’s nonsense.
Scupper the ship’s mate was a comic character always full of fun, making jokes and never being serious.
The role of Dick Whittington was played by a principal boy and was an ambitious character, who does not give up easily, and who falls in love with Alice. They worked well together and had lovely duets.

Director Ceri Winrow had encouraged her cast to approach the show with energy and enthusiasm, which they did, and although there were several prompts given the evening I was there they did not interrupt the flow. She also made sure that a large number of very silly jokes were all well-emphasized and that the audience was given time to respond.

This was a real team effort with everyone working together, especially on the technical side as the ‘lighting man’ had tested positive for covid and been replaced at the last minute. Well done everyone for a fun-filled evening.

Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates Jan 2020

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

Once again the Bacon Theatre buzzed with excitement as the audience waited for the Pantomime to start. This was a traditional family Pantomime with a Principal boy, a beautiful girl, a villain, a Dame, not too bright son, forces of good and evil, a comic duo, colourful costumes, lovely sets and lots of singing and dancing.

The first character to appear was Coral, the Spirit of the seas, who set the scene and was there to make sure everything went well for the seafarers. She was then joined by Davina Jones, an evil schemer up to no good who wanted to cause trouble for sea travellers, so we have the conflict between good and evil. Then the curtains opened and we were taken to a bright and colourful Brazil for the opening number.

This is a large stage and the Company usually hires backcloths as they did on this occasion from Scenery Hire, Newport. They were all well painted and took us to most of the locations required by the story, with the addition of items of scenery and set dressing. The ship and Davina Jones locker scenes were very effective.

The lighting had been well designed and operated and enhanced the sets and the costumes. There were well-
timed sound effects such as the sound of the sea on the ship.

The microphones were well cued and the sound balance was good. The costumes were colourful, well-fitting and suited to Pantomime and combined with good make-up helped create the characters. Particularly impressive was that of Pretty Poll, Robinson’s pet parrot.

The music from the duo of Paul Hardy and Keith Brain was well played, and as there were a number of young voices, a small band worked very well.

The songs had been well taught and were well sung on the whole. I felt the opening number in Brazil was a little quiet but the volume increased as the show progressed. The choice of songs was interesting and there was some lovely solo singing and duets.

The show had a troupe of young dancers who belonged to the Phoenix Dance Studios, who supplied the major dance routines, including a well co-ordinated, tap routine. The choreography for the general cast was tailored to their ability and looked confident.

There were some strong performances from the principals with brilliant support from the chorus, with everyone working well together. The Immortals were Coral, The Spirit of the Seas, played by Tessa Champion, who delivered her lines very clearly and exuded peace and tranquillity.

The other Immortal was Davina Jones, a female version of Davy Jones, played by Angie Aston, with a lovely accent, who was Coral's arch-enemy and a force of evil. We then had the regular seafarers, Andrew Bullock who looked the part, but I think he could have shown a little more

authority as Captain Salt; Hannah Galleries was his confident daughter, Juanita, she sang well and worked well with a convincing Dominique Yates as Robinson Crusoe.

Then there was Margarita Juicilita, the outrageously over-the-top ship’s cook, once again played by John Pannett, with Samuel Taunton as her son Nutty Nick. The name says it all, not the brightest button, but he did well encouraging the audience to protect his bag of nuts and they did.

We then had the Pirates, who were in direct contrast to the others. Ben Goodman made a dominant, ruthless buccaneer Cut-Throat with his somewhat foolish but amusing companions Skull-Duggery and Cross-Bones played by Frank Dalton and James Meekums, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of them.

Then on the desert island, we had Maggie Ansell as the scary Witch Doctor, Vickie Talbot as a feisty cannibal Queen, and Claire Enstone as a helpful, considerate Girl Friday. But I have to say the one who stole the show for me was Maggie Preston as Robinson’s pet parrot Pretty Poll, this was only a small part with very little dialogue but so beautifully portrayed.

There were lots of expected bad jokes and puns, which come with Pantomime but I did not think it was one of Alan Frayn’s best scripts. The actors encouraged the audience to respond and they were well rewarded. There were a few places where things could have progressed a

little faster but I wonder if first night nerves had set in and the cast needed to gain a bit more confidence, which I'm sure happened as the week went on.

Heather Newman had worked hard with her cast and dancers, and the result was a pleasing evening of entertainment, which the audience enjoyed, and responded well, especially the young Brownies sitting at the front. Everyone on and off stage seemed to be enjoying themselves.

A Funny Thing Happend On The Way To The Forum July 2019

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This musical from the pen of Stephen Sondheim is a witty, irreverent romp and I do not understand why it is not more popular. Set in Ancient Rome and based on the plays of the Roman comedic playwright Plautus, it is a farce, complete with pimps, courtesans, slaves, young lovers, old men, a self important army captain, who end up chasing each other round the stage as a result of mistaken identity.

The Playhouse venue was a new one for this company and they certainly made themselves at home. The action takes place in a street in Ancient Rome outside the houses of Erronius, Senex and Marcus Lycus, as there is much coming and going into the houses, the doors need to be sturdy. Stage Manager Dave Herbert had designed and constructed a very sturdy, workable set; he had even managed balconies on the houses, which is no mean feat as there is very little height on this stage; it was all well painted and transported the audience to Ancient Rome. The lighting complimented the set helping to give a feeling of sunshine and warmth. The follow spots were well positioned and operated with steady hands. Wigs and makeup worked well with the costumes to create a visual delight. The props were all in keeping and used well.

As with all works by Sondheim the music for this show is challenging. Musical Director had worked hard to produce a score for a reduced band using 2 keyboards, bass guitar and percussion. The music and songs had been well taught and were mostly well sung with the musicians always sympathetic to the voices. The ensemble numbers were sung enthusiastically, and ‘Everybody ought to have a maid’ was well delivered. The microphones were well cued, and the balance between music and voices was good.

The show had a strong cast who were comfortable in their roles. Everyone had developed well-rounded characters, who worked well together; there were no weak links. There is so much humour in this show, which was well delivered and kept the audience entertained.

Ceri Winrow, who is a seasoned performer, took on the role of Director and Choreographer for the first time, and brought an enjoyable production to the stage. The choreography suited the abilities of her cast, and the production, with everyone looking confident. She had helped her cast discover the humour, there are so many funny lines, and deliver it to the audience. This was a real team effort with everyone involved working together to develop an entertaining piece of theatre, in fact ‘something for everyone, comedy tonight’. Well done everyone.

Snow White January 2019

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This version of Snow White had obviously been re-written and brought up to date with the introduction of modern technology with tablets and laptops, which gave rise to many jokes and misunderstandings with the associated terminology. Also the Dwarfs names were slightly different and there were a few unexpected twists in the story, such as the stepmother sending for Prince Ferdinand with the intention of marrying him herself, but he falls in love with Snow White. There was the inclusion of local references, plus this year the inevitable mentions of Brexit.

The show opened with Fairy Fortune telling us, in verse, the history of Snow White prior to her 18th birthday, and with characters acting it out on the other side of the stage. We were then taken to the Palace Courtyard and a lovely dance number. When the villagers came on and started singing they were a little tentative but they moved well. All of the hired in backcloths were beautifully painted and transported us to the various locations. The sound effects were appropriate and well cued, and there was a good sound balance between voices and band. The lighting had been well designed, differentiating well between indoor and outdoor scenes, was atmospheric, and enhanced the set and costumes, and created a lovely effect for the mirror. The wardrobe department had worked hard to provide a set of costumes of a high standard, and combined with interesting makeup presented a colourful, overall picture.

There was a good selection of well-chosen songs and dance music. The well-performed songs under the musical direction of Paul Hardy, were of a suitable length holding the attention of the children in the audience, and mostly performed with good diction, although I felt the chorus sometime lacked confidence. The show had been well choreographed by Heather Newman and Kate Williams, with group of dancers performing intricate routines, with some lovely smiles. The whole cast had worked hard on the routines they were in and looked confident. The dance when Snow White was laid to rest after eating the poisoned apple was beautifully performed and very poignant.

The show benefitted from a confident set of principals who were well supported by minor principals and chorus, although it was a little slow in places due to the lines not being picked up quickly, but I am sure this would have improved as the week progressed. Seven young ladies played the Dwarfs, renamed Brainy, Smiley, Grumbly, Dozy, Snoozy, Sniffle and Blushful, superbly. They worked together as a team, were confident, clear, with excellent timing, they pointed the jokes beautifully and waited for the audiences laughter to die down before giving their next line, they showed a maturity beyond their years.

Director Heather Newman and assistant Daphne Herbert and made sure that all areas involved in the show had worked well together to bring about this Pantomime; that everyone was confident in their roles; that the stage was well used; and that the audience was well entertained and had a good evening. Well done everyone.

For The Love Of Musicals July 2018

Review By Lin Willerton

There was a buzz about the Bacon Theatre where we were welcomed by John and Helen.
The programme said it was a mix of the musical genre showing the changing face of Musical Theatre over the past 70 years.

The staging was a two-tiered rostra plus a screen for projected scenes. This worked well but I felt the edges of the rostra could have been covered to soften the lines., and the company wore black, with flashes of colour added to depict various scenes which ensured the busy cast was not worried by numerous costume changes.

A great deal of planning had gone into the programme with changing moods and tempo with numbers chosen to reflect the versatility of the Society.

There's No Business Like Show Business, followed by Oklahoma which gave us a taste of what to expect.
Young Promenaders were excellent in Bugsy Malone's Fat Sam's Grand Slam with Ella Blackwell's 'Tallulah'

West Side Story and Chicago gave a chance for soloists to shine with Tonight, beautifully sung by the ensemble, the Cell Block Tango certainly delivered, nicely contrasting with Dave Herbert's gentle Mr Cellophane.

Beth Gilbert shone in The Life I Never Led from Sister Actfollowed by the ensembles Whistle Down The Wind.

Scarlet Pimpernel is not well known but has some wonderful music. Madame Guillotine, a robust number with strong solo parts was contrasted by the reflective When I Look At You before taking the audience into The Riddle, again a demanding number for all.

Act 2 started with Skid Row from Little Shop Of Horrors, performed by a very enthusiastic cast and followed by the lovely Somewhere That's Green.
Gregory Aston, a guest soloist brought in to replace an unwell cast member gave a terrific performance of Fiddler's If I Were A Rich Man portraying the irony and pathos of the number, Matchmaker was fun and Anatevka sang.

Seussical lifted the audience with the Young Promenaders getting into top gear, how they enjoyed this section, especially Green Eggs and Ham.
From Kiss Me Kate we saw Where Is The Life Of Late I Led well performed by Samuel Taunton followed by Brush Up Your Shakespeare.
Miss Saigon's Movie In My Mind and Last Night Of The World and Billy Elliot's, Electricity performed by Ella Critchley were all excellent.

'Les Miserables'. The arrangement was a beautiful piece encompassing every emotion through strong soloists and ensemble until it's dramatic conclusion, the cast richly deserved the standing ovation.

Finally, Hairspray's You Can't Stop The Beat sent everyone home on a high.
Congratulations to all the Production Team for guiding this very talented group especially David and his musicians, always supportive, never intrusive.
To Daphne, Kate, Heather, and Ceri for bringing your talents from page to stage.

Thank you for a super evening and your hospitality.

Aladin Jan 2018

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

I liked this revised version of the Alan P. Frayn Pantomime; it was up to date and slightly shorter. There were all the expected Pantomime elements Dame; good and evil characters; the not very bright one; the young man interested in a young lady above his station; lots of colourful costumes; and plenty of audience participation.

As always with this company they had hired in beautifully painted backcloths. The set dressing had been well thought out and was well used. The stage crew worked efficiently to give swift scene changes. The lighting was well cued and showed the sets to good advantage and created good atmosphere. It also enhanced all the lovely costumes and makeup.

There were many well-executed routines from the dancers. The choreography by Heather Newman and Kate Williams, and had been tailored to suit the dancers, with the opening number getting the show off to a good start. I enjoyed the choice of music for this production and MD Paul Hardy had taught the songs well and accompanied the singing sympathetically. The performers and audience were enjoying the music.

The sound effects were all well cued and appropriate, the waterfall was very effective. Although there were one or two problems with microphones, they were mostly well-operated and the balance was good.

Everyone worked well together, with the chorus giving good support to the action. On this opening night I felt there was a degree of hesitancy and holding back but confidence grew as the show progressed.

There were some lovely moments in this Pantomime, a few of my favourite were the opening dance certainly set the scene and feel for China; there were good freezes when Abanazar and the Spirit of the Ring were in conversation; the whole of the Cave scene from when he arrives outside the cave, to finding the treasure and the spirits of the cave who were guarding it, their choral speaking was excellent. Heather Newman had worked well with her cast encouraging good characterization and use of the stage. It was a traditional family pantomime, full of interesting music, silly jokes and plenty of colourful costumes. The audience, particularly the Brownies certainly seemed to be enjoying it. It was a good evening’s entertainment.

A Musical Journey July 2017

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

Promenade Productions decided on a Compilation Show this year instead of their usual summer show.

This type of show often creates more organising than a full show but it does give opportunities to people who would not consider taking on a lead role and also being able to perform songs from shows not available to non-professional groups. On this occasion, it was an extremely varied evening with the adult members combining with The Young Promenaders and the Phoenix Dancers in support of Sue Ryder, a local Hospice.

The evening began with the Young Promenaders and a selection from Oliver! starting with ‘Food Glorious Food’, which was followed by a moving rendition of ‘Where is Love’, finishing with a lively ‘Consider Yourself’ with the adults joining the youngsters.

It was simply set with a raised area towards the back of the stage with steps leading to it and a screen onto which relevant, well-chosen images

were projected, the Victorian street scene for ‘Consider Yourself’ in the Oliver! selection was evocative.
The programme had obviously been carefully planned with an enjoyable mix of items from the youngsters, adults, and dancers, with choices from modern shows and old favorites, with the first half brought to a close with an ensemble number ‘You’ll ever Walk Alone’; and the second half opening and closing with two lively numbers ‘Putting On The Ritz’ from Putting on the Ritz, and ‘Razzle Dazzle’ from Chicago.

It is often difficult to deliver songs in a meaningful way when out of the context of a show, but the directors had managed this. Diction was excellent throughout. The singing was of a high standard and chorus mistress Jodie Dwight had worked hard in rehearsals.

The Young Promenaders demonstrated what a wealth of young talent the group has with their selections from ‘Matlida’ and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’. The evening had many highlights and it was a delight to hear again the selection from ‘Chess’, which the Society had performed in its entirety two years ago, and ‘The King and I’ from last year.

I understand there had been difficulties on the musical front with people stepping in at the last minute but the team worked well together, with Jacqueline Adams on piano, Keith Brain on percussion and Alan and Karen Gillespie conducting.

The whole evening was most enjoyable with the dancers supporting several numbers and their lovely interpretation of the music from ‘The Lion King’. The whole company must be congratulated on their contributions but my personal favourites were Olivia Sheldon and Jodie Dwight with ‘I Know Him So Well’, Gary Lines singing ‘Bring Him Home and Olivia Sheldon with ‘Unexpected Song’.

Everyone had worked together as a team contributing to the success of ‘A Musical Journey. Well done everyone.

Sleeping Beauty January 2017

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This was the first Sleeping Beauty I had in a while and it was a delight. It was full of well-painted backcloths, colourful costumes, well-loved characters and lots of fun. Fairy Lilac, who was soon interrupted by Bad Fairy Heather, introduced us to the story and so the battle of good versus evil commenced.

This Theatre does not have sufficient height for flying in backcloths, they have to be drawn across the stage and those from Scenery Hire, Newport were excellent, helping to depict each setting well, particularly that of the sumptuous Palace. They were all well-lit, with well-designed and cued lighting and good use of follow spot. I thought the lighting for the wicked fairy and the forest growing was very evocative. The scene changes were executed smoothly and efficiently, with everyone working well together.

The choice of music was appropriate for the story, with some good singing. The duo of Helen Harris and Keith Brain accompanied the cast well, keeping up a good tempo. The dances had been well choreographed and were not overlong, they either added to the energy of the show or as with the ballet routines, helped to tell the story.

There were some well-defined characters, Fairy Lilac and Bad Fairy Heather contrasted well. Fairy Lilac was good-natured, enjoying life and the company of the delightful little Rainbow Fairies; whereas Bad Fairy Heather exuded malice with every syllable she uttered. King Cactus and Queen Marigold were an amusing pair of kindly but clueless parents and made you think it was a good job they had Nurse Dottie Dettol to look after their baby. Although you did wonder if the Princess would survive long enough to reach her 16th birthday in the hands of Nurse Dottie, who truly lived up to her name. Dottie was a lovely, outrageously dressed Dame, who engaged well with the audience, particularly with one young gentleman, whom she repeatedly returned to and whose name she kept getting wrong. Princess Rose was a lovely young lady well suited to the role giving a confident performance, both with singing and acting. Palace Servant Muddles certainly worked hard to encourage the audience to participate. This character was full of fun and energy, portraying a ‘muddled’ character well, and keeping the show moving at a good pace, the audience loved him/her, especially when sweets were being distributed. The comic duo of Palace Messengers Fetch and Carrie showed their incompetence well, but once or twice I felt they needed to pick up their cues a little quicker. Our Hero Prince Alexis, who saved the day, played the role with confidence and worked well with Princess Rose.

The Chorus of Villagers and Courtiers worked well supporting the action throughout, they sang and moved confidently, reacting appropriately in each situation. The young people in the chorus were self-assured and well-disciplined. The dancers were well rehearsed with poise and elegance in their movements in the ballet. I especially liked the growing of the Forest of Thorns.

Director and choreographer, Heather Newman, had worked well with her cast encouraging them to confidently bring this well-loved story to the stage. The script had been adapted to include many local references and the scene place names, was well timed and very funny. Musicians, backstage crew and wardrobes, had admirably supported the enthusiastic cast to give audiences a colourful, well-coordinated evenings entertainment, which lifted everyone’s spirits. Congratulations to you all.

The King & I July 2016

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This musical is derived from a novel by Margaret Landon and based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowen ‘The English Governess and the Siamese Court’, and tells of the time she spent as Governess to King Mongkut’s many children. After we had settled into our seats the overture reminded us of the songs we were about to hear, and we prepared to be transported to Siam in 1862. When the curtains opened we saw a well-painted seascape from the deck of The Chow Phya as it arrive in Bangkok, this was to be the first of several excellent back cloths from Scenic and Property Hire, which helped create the splendours of the East. The costumes were equally exotic, with amazing headdresses. Anna’s hooped dresses were splendid but must have caused a problem trying to manoeuvre around the stage.

This large stage gave the space to create the feel of palatial spaces and absorb the large cast without being overcrowded. The stage crew worked well to change the set quickly and efficiently and not slow down the pace of the show. The costumes, apart from those of the Westerners, were all exotic and well worn, and the difference in dress between the two cultures left no doubt as to who was who. Make up and hairstyles all contributed to the overall picture. The production had been well lit with appropriate changes for indoors and outside and the more intimate scenes; although the ‘follow spot’ was not always focused properly or operated well. The sound was well balanced and operated with good sound effects.

The Orchestra under the Direction of David Manifold was well controlled and did not overpower the voices, it produced a well-balanced sound and numbers were taken at a good pace. There were one or two slow entrances into songs, and there were a couple of places when a little music to cover a scene change would have been nice. The standard of singing from both Principals and chorus was high.

This is an older style show which requires a large cast with all the wives and children, but when I realised how many children were in the show I was a little concerned how long The March of the Siamese Children would take as sometimes it can be a little tedious, but it was lovely, well timed and each child presenting themselves in their own way to ‘Mrs Anna’. The perception of this show is that apart from the King there are no parts for men, but there are several very important male roles, albeit small in comparison to the King. The Kralahome, The Interpreter and Captain Orton all help to put the story into the context of the time helping us to understand the protocol and manners of the time, and the vast differences between the two cultures and they all did it very well. Sir Edward Ramsey a British Statesman and old friend of Anna’s, was every inch an English gentleman and again showed the differences between the cultures. Lun Tha, the Burmese scholar and envoy, who brings the slave girl Tuptim to the Siamese Court, and falls in love with her, was played a little hesitantly and I felt there was a touch of ‘first night nerves’ but he sang his duet with Tuptim well. I am sure he would relax into the role as the week went on. The two youngsters who played Prince Chualalngkorn, the King’s son and Louis Leonowens, Anna’s son were both very confident in their roles. Prince Chalalngkorn emulated his father in every way, and Louis was a good contrast with his western ways and concern for his mother. They worked together very well and their duet ‘A Puzzlement’ was a delight. It was a tribute to the grounding from Young Promenaders. The Priests and Guards are very minor roles but very necessary to the story and action.

The large number wives and children were well dressed and all moved, sang and acted well. The scene with Anna ‘Getting to Know You’ was a delight; also ‘Western People Funny’ with Lady Thiang was well sung and most amusing; and I really enjoyed ‘The Small House of Uncle Thomas’ it is a deceptively difficult play within a play but was well executed. Lady Thiang, the head wife of the King, was portrayed sensitively with a good mixture of subservience to her husband, dominance of the other wives and Tuptim, and curiosity of Anna and her Western ways. It was well sung and acted. Burmese slave girl Tuptim, who had been sent as a present to King Mongkut was played exceptionally well by this talented young lady, she displayed her sadness at being in a strange land and her affection for Lun Tha very well, with a lovely voice and wonderful diction which enchanted the audience. The well matched pairing of Anna and the King was a joy to watch. The King was very dictatorial and in total control of all those around him, but beneath this hard exterior there was a softer side which came across with his very small children and Anna. Anna was a very strong and uncompromising character who knew what she wanted, and was quite a match for the King who was used to total compliance from everyone but particularly his women folk. They complimented each other beautifully and displayed the many facets of their developing relationship. They both spoke and sang with very clear diction their ‘Shall We Dance’ was lovely.

The choreography from Heather Newman was full of ‘eastern promise’ and all performed confidently. Director John Pannett had brought out a great deal of humour in the production. He had encouraged his cast to use the stage well had worked with the strengths of his cast, choreographer, musical director and backstage team to provide a well rounded production which this first night audience really enjoyed.

Jack & The Beabstalk January 2016

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This was a traditional family pantomime with a ‘baddy’ to boo, a fairy to keep the balance of good and evil, a principal boy in love with a girl above his station in life, a silly brother, tax collectors, an outrageous dame, colourful costumes, corny jokes, lots of audience participation and of course in this one, the loveable cow Buttercup.

The backcloths from Scenic and Property Hire were carefully chosen, all well painted and took the audience to each new scene in the story. The stage crew dealt with the scene changes swiftly and efficiently. The Giants castle with the extra large table, chair and teapot gave an indication of the giant’s size. The lighting had been well designed and was well cued; I particularly liked the effect with the ‘Tap Dancing Ghosts’ with smoke and lighting.

The costumes were colourful helping to create that special Pantomime feel to the show. As ever, the ‘dame’, in this instance Dame Tilly Trot, out shone everyone, with the many changes of costume, wigs and accessories. That of Grotviler, the Giant’s sidekick really helped him exude pure evil. The sets of costumes for the young dancers were lovely, especially the silvery white with trailing leaves, that they wore for the ‘Beanstalk Growing’ dance; the costumes for the finale were impressive, particularly Jack’s.

The music had been well chosen and in some places gave a very modern feel to the show. The music supplied by keyboard and drums complemented the voices. Helen Harris and Jodie Dwight had worked hard on the singing resulting in lively chorus numbers and pleasing solos and duets.

As always with this company there was a mix of ages and experience of performers, with everyone working with enthusiasm. The Trot family with mother, Dame Tilly, sons Jack, the sensible one and Simple Simon (well, it is all in the name), along with Buttercup their cow were a lovely unit. Mum, Tilly, showing a ‘maternal side’ and a great deal of experience in engaging with the audience. Principal Boy, Jack was confident in the role and working well with Jill, the charming daughter of the snobbish Lady Lotsadosh. The both sang well and with feeling. Then there was Simple Simon, beloved by the children in the audience as he rewarded their responses by lobbing packets of sweets their way with his tennis racquet. Of course Buttercup the cow won the hearts of everyone. She moved very well and created lots of fun when she was milked and produced lots of ‘cream’, which ended up in people’s faces. The audience enjoyed booing the very evil Grotviler, and were entertained by the efforts of a very green ‘Fairy Haricot Vert, who worked to combat evil. This was a nice twist on the usual fairy as she came complete with French accent, beret and magic wand that, instead of the usual star on the end had a variety of objects, which kept changing, including croissants and the Eiffel Tower.

The Mayoress was the cause of a big problem for the Trots, as she was demanding the taxes they owed, but of course such a distinguished personage could not stoop to actually collecting them, that was left to Grabbit and Leggitt. They worked well together, but their inexperience showed in their lack of projection, I missed some of their lines. The other principals gave solid performances especially young George, Simple Simon’s friend, who had excellent diction and stage presence. The chorus supported the principals, reacting well, singing and moving with enthusiasm. Generally the lines were well delivered but there were occasions when projection and diction were poor; there were some issues with the delivery and timing of jokes; and the picking up of cues was a little slow in places. I am sure these would have improved as the run progressed.

The young dancers performed confidently, with interesting choreography, although I felt some of the dances might have been shorter, as they added to length of the show. They had lots of smiles and were an excellent start to the show. Their scene as ‘tap dancing ghosts’ was unexpected and enjoyed by the audience.

There was a great deal of audience response the evening I was there, and the young Brownies in front of me certainly enjoyed the pantomime and left the Theatre on a high. Everyone had worked very hard.

Alice - The Musical Young Promenaders October 2015

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This was my first visit to Young Promenaders, the Junior section of Promenade Productions. It was also to the Parabola Arts Centre, what a delightful evening it was. The group gives young people between the ages of 6 and 16 the opportunity to develop performance skills, including singing dancing and acting.

The set was very simple, an open stage with a set of low rostra at the back to give a second level, an area for projected images for scene changes, and furniture as required. The series of projections when Alice was becoming smaller were fun and the moving graphics for Alice falling down the rabbit hole were very effective. The proscenium arch had been decorated with large playing cards, pictures of watches and other ‘Alice’ related images.

The production had been well costumed with characters such as Alice, the White Rabbit, the Duchess and Queen of Hearts being instantly recognisable. All the ‘animals’ were well represented by their costumes, which I am sure helped with character and movement development, I loved the rather zany ‘Cheshire Cat’.

The music was provided digitally and Musical Director Vicki Beauregard had taught the songs well, the cast all sang enthusiastically. The soloists were all tuneful, had good diction and used the microphones well. Choreographer Mollie Champion-Pinchin had devised routines, which the cast performed and enjoyed.

The company worked well together and it was lovely to see the more experienced members of the group helping and encouraging the younger and less experienced members. Everyone performed enthusiastically and are all to be commended. The principals had worked hard on characterisation and gave confident performances.

Director Paul Webb had encouraged his young cast to perform confidently. There were interesting ideas such as using the chorus to make a human ‘rabbit hole’ for the White Rabbit and Alice to go down and the lovely croquet match with human hedgehogs and playing card hoops. The painting of the rose bushes was well done and the ‘Tea Party’ was very disciplined with the rearrangement of chairs and people rushing around all the time, it worked very well.

Well done everyone involved with the production and especially the Young Promenaders themselves on providing your audience with an enjoyable evenings entertainment.

Chess July 2015

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This was the first non-professional production of Chess I had seen and as this was so very different from this Company’s usual choice of show, I was a little apprehensive when I arrived. I need not have worried it was an excellent show. With Music from ABBA’s Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus and storyline and Lyrics from Tim Rice the material the company had to work with was exciting. The story centres around a politically driven cold war era Chess tournament between Grand Masters from Russia and America; but also their fight over the love of a woman, who is in a relationship with and manages the American, but falls in love with the Russian who is estranged from his wife.

Staging this show is not easy and stage manager Alan Gaskins and team certainly rose to the challenge and provided a simple but very effective set. The floor of the stage was a Chess Board with rostra at the back on several levels and steps accessing it on three sides. There was a large screen at the back of the stage for location and other projections and Russian and American Flags permanently suspended over the stage; furniture taken on and off as required. The lighting had been well designed and along with the projected images always on cue. The images projected onto the screen had been well chosen, immediately changing the location. They made it very easy for the audience to follow the story, especially in the song with the names of the chess players. The control of the microphones and quality of sound was excellent, not a crackle to be heard, but on this first night one or two apparent slow cues so we lost the beginnings of some songs. The ensemble costumes had been well coordinated with the Chess theme in black and white, and were effective in differentiating the Russians and Americans. All other costumes fitted well and were appropriate to the characters; the dancers costumes in Bangkok were vibrant.

Choreographer Liz Warner had assessed the abilities of the company and had tailored the dances accordingly, she was able to achieve more complex numbers with her team of ‘dancers’, and had drilled the chorus well in their in their movements. I especially liked the choreography for Bangkok. Everyone looked confident with very precise movements when the choreography called for it.

Musically this show is challenging and Musical Director David Whittle had assembled a fine orchestra for this production. He was always in total control of the musicians which gave a well-balanced sound, although too loud at times, overpowering the singers. The singers had been well trained and were always in time with the orchestra. Although this is not perceived as a show with big chorus numbers, the ensemble were kept busy throughout, with the men’s chorus giving great amusement when gradually succumbing to the effects of alcohol.

The principals in the show were all very strong and had developed individual personalities. It was only after reading the programme notes that I realised I had seen some of them in other roles. I had not recognised the actors from previous stage performances. They all embraced the challenge of the show singing and acting with confidence, and always in total charge of their character. But I must make special mention of Olivia Sheldon, as Florence Vassy, who gave an all round outstanding performance, conveying such emotion with her fabulous singing.

Director Daphne Herbert had certainly taken the company completely out of its comfort zone with this choice of production and it worked. Everyone clearly understood what was expected of them and had produced well-rounded characters, interesting choreography, appropriate costumes and hairstyles. Together with a good orchestra and well-designed set this was a production any society would be proud of, with everyone working together to produce quality entertainment for its audiences.

Ali Baba and the Forty Theives January 2015

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This Production took us to the colourful world of Pantomime from the opening number, unmistakably set in ‘Old Bagdad’, to the grand wedding of the finale. This Theatre has a large stage but does not offer facilities for flying in backcloths, and so all cloths are on a series of tab tracks, which are pulled across. All of the backcloths from Scenic and Property Hire were impressive and well painted. The cloth for the outside of the cave with the hole and moving part was well operated with the cave interior set behind it, so that you glimpsed the interior before it was revealed. The costumes were colourful, fitted well and suitably ‘eastern’. The lighting had been well designed helping create the various exteriors and interiors, with atmospheric lighting inside the cave and subtle use of the follow-spot. The sound effects added to the atmosphere, with that of the opening of the cave very effective and well cued. The music was a mixture of live performance from keyboard and drums and taped music for the dance routines.

Musical Director Helen Harris had taught the songs well and they were performed with enthusiasm and good diction. There were good chorus numbers and individual songs. The duet between Dame Baba and Mustapha Lot was extremely amusing. The production had some interesting choreography from Heather Newman and Kate Williams. Both the Junior and Senior Dance Teams provided entertainment, which was of a high standard and in keeping with the show, always looking relaxed and happy, executing their routines energetically. The choreography for the rest of the cast was appropriate to their abilities and they all looked confident.

The production opened with a well-delivered prologue from Scheherazade, which set the scene. We then had a departure from the usual Pantomime format of a big chorus number to open and had a dance number instead which was ‘full of Eastern Promise’. The action continued with the evil Mustapha Lot, the Prince of Thieves and his men, which gave the audience many opportunities to boo and hiss. Elbow and Elbent, Mustapha’s henchmen, provided the usual silliness, this was a good combination of an actor with the more experienced giving support to the

younger less experienced, I am sure he learnt a great deal. We had principal boy Ali with his friend Salina, the slave girl, who is obviously in love with him, but he at first, has designs on the Sultana’s daughter. Then we have the Sultana and her daughter, Princess Jasmine, a stroppy ‘modern’ teenager glued to her mobile; the so important Hoo Wazee, the Sultana’s Wazir who keeps announcing her arrival; the Genie, who has taken early retirement and can only grant one wish; Camilla, the camel who belongs to Ali Baba and of course the outrageous Dame Barbara Baba, Ali’s mother. The lack of male members in the cast was overcome by having mostly female thieves and changing the Sultan into a Sultana, which worked well, this was a strong performance with the character always in charge. The principal characters were well supported by the Senior and Junior choruses.

This was a traditional family Pantomime with colourful costumes and sets, interesting songs, plenty of audience participation, which everyone seemed to enjoy.

The Wizard of OZ July 2014

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

This was an excellent choice of show for the 30th Anniversary Year of this company, as it gave everyone of whatever age an opportunity to perform. It was unfortunate on opening night that many in the audience did not appear to be aware of theatre etiquette and continued chatting throughout the overture; which meant much of it was lost to those who wanted to listen.

The opening scene took us to a farm in Kansas where there is concern that a ‘twister’ is on the way and young, daydreaming Dorothy has not returned home from school. After singing the famous song, ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’, she goes inside the house, while everyone else goes into the storm cellar, the twister strikes and she is carried, along with the house, to Munchkinland, which is at the rainbows end. Everything contributed to create a fantasyland, the set and costumes, which were a complete contrast to the farmstead, and all the Munchkins being played by children.

There was an array of lovely sets and backcloths, which were changed smoothly and efficiently taking us to the various locations.That of the Great Forest was very intricate with well-lit gauzes giving a 3D effect, as the intrepid travellers set off along the Yellow Brick Road. For me the most outstanding set was Emerald City, very angular, green and sparkly.

The show calls for some difficult technical effects with the ‘twister’, rotating bridge, snowstorm, the witch, watching the progress of our four friends from her castle and the audience with the wizard. These were all handled extremely well, partly with clever lighting and sound for the ‘twister’, lighting for watching the friends, and part practical, with moving the set around in the ‘twister’ and the rotating bridge. The audience with the Great Oz made a big impact with exciting lighting, plenty of smoke and the amplified voice. The lighting was well designed and operated with lights set to dissolved the gauzes perfectly, and ending with the lovely rainbow effect.

I enjoyed Heather Newman’s choreography, it was not overlong which kept the interest of the children in the audience, had been well rehearsed and was performed accurately; although I was disappointed with the Ghost dance as it is usually done with skeletons under U.V lighting, this one did not have the same impact. The Changing of the Guard was well presented and the Jitterbug was very energetic.

The costumes contrasted the two parts of the story, with the plain Kansas folk and the fantastical inhabitants of Muchkinland and Oz. The Munchkin costumes were so colourful and defined the different ‘guilds’ as they welcomed Dorothy. Those of Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Woodman did not cover their faces so we did not loose facial expressions, nor did they restrict movement. The dress worn by The Sorceress of the North helped create a real ‘fairy godmother’ character. The attention given to makeup and hairstyles enhanced the overall pictures.

Musical Director David Manifold had control of his orchestra, who played particularly sympathetically for the young Munchkins who did not have microphones, but could still be heard. Everyone sang clearly and with enthusiasm, particularly in Ding Dong the Witch is Dead. Principals sang well throughout, with a lovely, wistful rendition of Over the Rainbow.

So many people have seen the film and so have certain expectations of how the main characters should be portrayed, but this was no copy cat production; everyone brought different elements to the characters making them their own. I must make special mention of The Scarecrow who stood tied to his post for a very long time without moving, and when he did there was a gasp of surprise from many in the audience. After standing for such a long time how he managed to then fall and move as though he was made of rubber is a mystery to me, such a good performance. Under the direction of John Pannett everyone had created individual characters, which helped make this a successful show. The young people playing the Munchkins were superb. The Mayor was certainly in charge and delivered his lines with amazing clarity. There was loss of pace in a few places on this opening night, but everyone had worked hard to bring this colourful production to the stage of the Bacon Theatre. Well done everyone.

Robin Hood January 2014

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

The opening of this show had maximum impact, with young dancers with beaming smiles, confidently performing an energetic routine. It immediately lifted the spirits and took the audience to the magical world of Pantomime. The opening song from the chorus, backed by a colourful set, continued the feel good factor. Though the cast was large the stage was never overcrowded, and everyone was totally involved.

The chorus always supported the principals and were always engaged in suitable activities, which did not detract from what was happening at the front of the stage. They engaged with and responded to all the action taking place, as in the classroom, with the launching of paper planes and pulling faces at each other. The young chorus members were confident and had taken direction well. The principals had been well cast and worked well together and seemed to be enjoying themselves. We saw a feisty Maid Marion, with a lovely singing voice; a suitably outrageous Dame Nora Tittle-Tattle her nanny; a well characterised Soothsayer, with good diction and her crystal ball; a confident Enchantress of the Forest, trying to overcome evil.

Robin Hood was a suitable hero, smitten by Maid Marion, with the rest of his ‘Merry Men’ to keep him company, particularly a ‘Frank Spencerish’ Much the Miller’s son, who did well in warming up the audience so that they were ready to participate. The Trainee Merry Men were fun; I liked their ‘attitude’, and keeping in character in the walk down I felt The Sheriff of Nottingham was too nice most of the time, although there were moments, which were more evil; and King Richard was suitably authoritative at the end.

How the Sheriff managed to continue with his song in the bedroom scene, with such antics going on around him I do not know, it showed great concentration. There was much slapstick humour, particularly in the schoolroom scene, which was mainly engineered by Nickit and Scarper, the Sheriff’s Tax Collectors, with excellent comic timing. They were my three-year-old grandsons favourites.

There was an interesting choice of songs, which were well delivered, and not too long. The choreography was interesting and was well tailored to the cast. The costumes were colourful and fitted well. There were a few late entrances, which were mainly well covered, and occasionally it was lacking pace; but the main criticism I have is that over two and a half hours for a pantomime is too long.

Everyone had worked hard to bring this to the stage. The music had been well taught; the dancers were confident and there were lots of smiles; the lighting and sound were well cued; the sets all gave a good ambience to the show and were changed efficiently. Director Heather Newman had helped her cast create their roles and encouraged them to make full use of the stage. You all worked hard and the audience enjoyed it.

Oklahoma! July 2013

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

The temperature outside the Theatre certainly put the audience into the right frame of mind to be taken to the hot, dusty American Prairie. The opening set, of this much loved musical, showed Laurey’s farmhouse and the bunkhouse, with picket fence upstage leading to open spaces beyond, with Aunt Eller churning butter.

Curly’s opening number ‘Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ ’ was well sung, but the volume should have built gradually as he approached the farmhouse and ‘surprised’ Aunt Eller, not at full volume from the outset. Aunt Eller, Curly and Laurey quickly established their characters and held the interest of the audience in the long opening scene.

Tegwen Minett, as Aunt Eller, watched and reacted, in a ‘knowing way’, to the banter between the other two. In fact, everyone had developed good characters, both principals and chorus. Jenna Surman, as Ado Annie, was suitably flighty ending up in romantic dilemmas through her inability to say no, a lovely performance.

Jack Overington, as slow-witted Will Parker, in love with Annie, portrayed beautifully the confusion of having obtained the 50 dollars needed to enable him to marry Annie, but then having spent it on gifts, so once again unable to marry her.

Jodie Hemming as Gertie Cummings of course had ‘that laugh’; you felt quite sorry for Ali Hakim eventually having to live with it. Two characters I was doubtful about when they first appeared were Jud Fry and Ali Hakim. Jud looked far too young to cope with the brooding, dark character and Ali Hakim did not, in any way, look Persian. They both surprised me; Sam Forbes as Jud Fry gave a mature performance as the brooding loner, who it is hinted at, takes bitter revenge if he is slighted. He followed the story created by Curly in ‘Pore Jud is daid’ and showed, by his reactions and facial expression, that he was totally absorbed. He was menacing enough to make you believe that Laurey was uneasy to be alone with him, but not too much as to make you wonder, if she felt that way, why she had hired him at all. Good characterisation.

Rightly or wrongly the expectation created by references to Ali Hakim, the Persian peddler, is of someone with a swarthy complexion; so that the arrival of Keith Swinford with a pale complexion seemed wrong. Once he started it was clear he was relishing the role of the womanising peddler, and brought the character to life, and maintained his ‘Persian accent’ well.

The part of Andrew Carnes, Ado Annie’s father, is often overshadowed by other characters, but Colin Bennett played ‘the backwoods man’ with gusto.

Kate Aston-Williams as Laurey was feisty and confident, and sang well. Curly, the swaggering cowboy with a soft spot for Laurey, was well portrayed by Ben Perkins and these two created a good rapport.

All the named characters worked well together and were given strong support by the chorus, and maintained their accents. The choreography had been well devised and was appropriate to the abilities of the cast. The ‘Dream Ballet’ was effective and the opening of the second act was energetic, creating the atmosphere for the ‘Box Social’.

There was good attention to detail in costumes and hairstyles. The sets worked well and the scene changes were carried out efficiently. The lighting for the opening and dream ballet were effective. Everyone sang the well-loved songs with feeling and good diction.

I felt the orchestra was possibly under rehearsed, as there were several times when singers and musicians were not together, particularly in ‘All or nothing’, probably first night gremlins. Director John Pannett had worked hard to develop a well-paced show, which was enjoyed both by cast and audience.

Cinderella January 2013

Malcolm White for Frankie TelfordTelford Regional Representative SW District 15

Promenade Productions are well known for the quality of their pantomimes, and this year was no exception. This particular script is well written and full of traditional panto fun, without moving away from the fairy-tale story that the audience wants to see. The sets, supplied by Scenic & Property Hire, were colourful and bright. The stage crew are to be congratulated on the speed and smooth transition from each scene.

We were treated to a lively and vibrant opening number, full of enthusiasm from the large company. Their energy on this final performance demonstrated how much fun they were having, which was passed on to the audience. The choreography was sharp and well rehearsed. The discipline of the dancers of all ages is to be admired. Well-done girls. The costumes were delightful, rich and well fitting. The Ugly Sister’s creations were imaginative to say the least.

The band only consisted of a keyboard and set of drums, but this was ample and we were able to hear the performers clearly without being drowned by a large orchestra. This again proves that simple is often the best. There was also a good choice of music.

The whole company were well disciplined and animated…… and they smiled constantly! It does make all the difference. There were some very strong performances from the principals. JACK OVERINGTON made a superb Buttons. He connected with the audience and gained their support immediately. I have watched this young man develop over the years and he goes from strength to strength, with his confidence growing as much as he is!

A delightful performance from HANNAH DAVIES, in the title role, was balanced beautifully by her Prince Charming, JODIE HEMMING. This in turn was matched by a Dandini who was full of zest. The ugly sisters worked well together, pulling all the comedy out of the piece. Both suitably outrageous, they were entertaining to children and adults alike.

TESSA CHAMPION as Baroness Hermione Hardup was excellent. She captured the essence of this character beautifully, and her makeup was wonderful. Congratulations to everyone involved with this excellent piece of family entertainment.

The Sound of Music July 2012

Frankie Telford Regional Representative SW District 15

The Theatre was a buzz of anticipation on the second night of the run, with members of the audience already singing snatches of songs from the show.

The excellent singing from the Nuns chorus gave a good opening to the show. The costumes and sets were appropriate to the production. The lighting had been well designed helping to create the correct atmosphere in each location, with all the changes on cue. The sound effects were well cued and the voice amplification was competently handled. The choreography had an authentic Austrian feel and was well executed.

Performances were generally of a high standard, with the younger members of the cast singing, acting and moving with energy and showing confidence in their roles.

The whole cast spoke and sang clearly, with good diction. The nuns are obviously very important in this story with opportunity of lovely songs, and certainly the choral singing was impressive throughout. Musical Director David Manifold had obviously worked extremely hard with everyone on the singing, particularly the harmonies and choral pieces. The orchestra, played confidently.

Director John Pannett, ensured everyone performed with enthusiasm which meant the audience left having enjoyed a good evenings entertainment.