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REVIEWS
BEAUTY & THE BEAST 2011
As always, the company
performed this show extremely well, this was a very talented cast and most of
the performances were extremely good.I
would particularly compliment Jon Buxton for his performance as Gaston,
although I found some of his movements a bit too suggestive for an audience
with a high proportion of children.Les
Cannon (Cogsworth) and Neil Eighteen (Lumiere) were both brilliant
characters.Sam Donaldson (Beast) has a
beautiful voice and Serena Dunlop (Beauty) played the feisty heroine perfectly.Jim Hooper stepped in mid rehearsals to
play Lefou and he gave an outstanding performance.I must also mention Samuel Phelps Jones, who
played Chip in the performance I watched.It cannot be easy delivering lines when you are cramped inside a piece
of scenery and Samuel did an outstanding job, well done.
The society’s ensemble
always produce good performances and this show gave them the opportunity to
shine.I was disappointed with Gaston’s
pub scene, here was an opportunity to really go to town and there was only half
the company on stage.I was also
disappointed that a company as prestigious as SODS avoided using the same actor
to play both the Beast and The Prince.For me this is the magic of the show and, by using 2 different actors,
with two distinctive voices, I felt the show failed to deliver the magic I had
anticipated.Other companies, much
smaller than SODS, have achieved this, so I think they missed a golden
opportunity.
The scenery was nice but
the changes seemed to interrupt the flow of the performance.Lighting and sound both worked well, however
I did find the pace a bit erratic through the production.Of course the audience loved it although I
did hear someone behind me comment that they didn’t realise there were Martians
in Beauty and the Beast!This was in
reference to the costumes worn by the two servants in the Beast’s castle.
Overall I thought the
company did a very good job with their performances, but I found some of the
direction out of keeping with the concept of the show.
Tessa Davies
FAULTLESS SODS IN SUPERB
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society can be seen at
their very best at Southend Cliffs Pavilion until Saturday, November 19, in a
virtually faultless production of the Disney stage version of Beauty and the Beast. Much of the success must go down to the return to SODS
of Sallie Warrington as artistic director for this production. Sallie is without doubt the best director of amateur
musicals in South Essex and probably over a much wider area. Not only is she a superb choreographer and dance
director, she has a special ability of getting great performances from
performers in the smallest of roles as well as the leading ones. In this production the three smallest principal parts
of three Silly Girls, Becky Eighteen, Kerry Hayes and Emma Tout, are as
beautifully defined and played as the excellent Serena Dunlop as a feisty Belle
with an American accent, the heroine who learns to love the Beast, played with a
lot of feeling both evil and kind by Sam Donaldson, in the familiar fairy story
when a handsome prince is turned into a furry beast in a castle where only the
magic of true love can release him and all his friends and servants from a
terrible spell.
There are some really great performances in this
production with Jon Buxton scoring a great triumph as the all-American type
comic strip hero Gaston, who expects all females to fall for his manly charms
and cannot believe it when Belle turns him down flat as a possible husband. Then there are all the characters in the haunted
castle including that SODS stalwart Les Cannon, the leader of the servants,
Cogsworth, who is rapidly assuming all the characteristics of a clock, and looks
like finding a place on the mantelpiece, while the rest including the excellent
Neil Eighteen as Lumiere, who is set to spend the rest of his life with a
French accent lighting up the proceedings, have a fate worse than death before
them.
A special mention as well for Suzanne Walters as a
chirpy, charming Mrs Potts, who is always willing to dispense tea to cheer up
her friends with numbers like Is This
Home? Jim Hooper is a wonderfully comic bouncy Lefou, Gaston’s
sidekick, while Dick Davies makes Belle’s eccentric inventor father a rather
sad old man caught up in a world which he cannot quite understand.
I very rarely write that an amateur or even
professional production is faultless but this Beauty and the Beast is the exception and Sallie Warrington is
greatly assisted by Rachael Plunkett’s musical direction and Stuart Woolner as
the conductor of a large pit orchestra of 15. Congratulations to Southend Operatic for an
outstanding evening in the theatre.
JOHN
GILES
HALF A SIXPENCE 2011
Southend Operatic chose
to perform the newer version of this well loved show and I can see why.The original was primarily a vehicle for
Tommy Steele at the height of his popularity; however this version provides the
other members of the cast much more opportunity to show what they can do.And show us they did!
Neil Eighteen, as the
lead role Arthur Kipps, produced a performance that was consistent, believable,
very likeable and very polished.Even
when alone on the very large stage at this venue, he had the audience’s attention.Serena Dunlop, in her first lead role as
Ann, looked lovely and sang beautifully.
Les Cannon as Henry
Chitterlow was a delight to watch, this seasoned performer made the most of the
many comic lines that he has.Jon
Buxton was perfect as Young Walsingham, I loved the interaction between him and
Chitterlow, it added a dimension to the production that made it even more
enjoyable.
I would love to mention
all the main characters but I would run out of space.They all produced excellent performances and
the ensemble had, clearly, worked on bringing their particular characters to
life.There were some lovely vignettes
in the big chorus numbers and I must commend the children in this production.They performed extremely well and, when they
had lines or singing, we heard every word.
David Street produced
some innovative choreography and the company performed it very well.The dances were well rehearsed, slick and
perfectly timed.There was a lot of
extra comedy and interesting moments that, I am fairly certain, were not in the
script.This made the whole show
thoroughly enjoyable.
The minimal set also
worked well, changes were smooth and, thanks to clever use of lighting, almost
unnoticed.The lighting was
particularly good in this production, creating the right atmosphere.
Costumes, as always with
this company, were excellent; although I would recommend a little more
attention to detail for one or two members of the cast.Forgetting to put on hats or gloves just
takes the edge off the production.
The orchestra, under the
direction of MD Andrew Denyer, produced a well rounded sound which supported
the singers without overpowering them.
It was clear that
everyone in the auditorium had a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining evening,
I look forward to the next production.
Tessa Davies
Operatic society turns Half a Sixpence into gold
Childhood sweethearts, an orphan boy and an orphan girl, are separated
when the boy is sent off to become a draper’s apprentice.
The lad presents the little girl with half of a sixpence he has
painstakingly sawn in half, and keeps the other half himself. “It’s a
token of our eternal love”, the title song of Half a Sixpence
tells us.
It’s a great metaphor for this most feelgood of musicals. Somehow you
know that whatever pitfalls befall the hero and heroine, both they, and
the two halves of the sixpence, will eventually be
united.
Fans of the dark and the bitter should be warned absolutely no one in
the cast gets knifed or turned into a meat pie. Everyone else will lap
up the exuberant songs and high good humour of the
story, not to mention the gold-plated performances it gets from
Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society’s (Sods) cast.
More than most shows, Sixpence hinges on its lead character. So Sods
has done well to rescue Neil Eighteen from the golf course, where he has
spent the past five years, and return this talented
performer to the stage where he belongs.
As the downtrodden draper’s apprentice Arthur Kipps, whose life is
transformed when he inherits a fortune, Neil pretty well defines what is
meant by X-factor. The gutsiness and swagger he brings to
the role eclipses any lingering memories of Tommy Steele, for whom
Half a Sixpence was created.
It’s a great lead performance, but it doesn’t overwhelm the show, as Steele tended to do.
This revised version of Sixpence bolsters the supporting characters,
and allows a whole range of Sods players to show their talents.
The 18-year-old Serena Dunlop, in her first lead role, is lovely as
the grown-up version of Kipps’s childhood sweetheart Ann. Sods also has
another promising new presence on its team strength in
the shape of Hannah Marsh, who makes a strong debut as Helen, the high
society lady who almost succeeds in stealing Kipps from Ann. Ms Marsh’s
other life is as a feature writer for the Echo, but
hey, everyone is allowed the odd skeleton somewhere in their cupboard.
Les Cannon and Jon Buxton, two Sods regulars who share a constant
ability to surprise with the roles they take on, provide strong comic
underpinning and keep the laughs rolling.
Overall, a group posy should go to the company ensemble, now riding a peak in dance and ensemble singing skills.
They ensure Half a Sixpence’s timeless production numbers, like What a
Picture and If I had Money to Burn, have lost none of their ability to
lift the spirits.
Tom King
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS 2010
This production was energetic and colourful with every member of the company performing to a very high level. This show was originally performed in a time when audiences expected breaks between each scene for scene changes. Consequently the script does not flow as well as today’s audiences would like. Having said that; David Street made every effort to keep the action going, by some clever use of cast placement to cover scene changes.
There were a few occasions when we were looking at an empty stage, particularly at the end of Spring Dance when everyone left the stage with quite a lot of music still going on. Some of the scene changes could have been slicker but I saw the show early in the week and I am sure that things will speed up as the show beds in.
The two principals Laura Hurrell (Milly) and Jon Buxton (Adam) were well suited with strong singing voices. All the ‘Brides’ and ‘Brothers’ performed well and, despite claims in their Biogs that some of them couldn’t dance, we would have been hard pushed to spot that. They have clearly worked hard to carry out the complex routines. This is a show that requires ‘lifts’ and David did not disappoint!
The fight scene was particularly well executed by everyone, I wanted to see it again as I am sure I missed a lot of the action!
The sound was well balanced although there were a number of occasions when the mics were turned on late, leaving us to miss the first lines of dialogue or song, but I am sure this will be sorted before the end of the run. The orchestra was just right under Andrew Denyer’s direction, allowing us to hear the performers.
The scenery was good, if a little wobbly and the costumes were absolutely right for the period. Milly had a couple of very quick changes which must have made it interesting back stage! A little more attention to detail in dressing would be good. We were treated to views of the brothers underwear when the blankets were not fastened enough. However these are very minor points and did not detract from the production in any way.
Overall another good show, well done SODS.
Tessa Davies
N.O.D.A. Representative
Good Performances in SODS’ Competent “Seven Brides
There are some very good performances by the likes of Laura Hurrell and Jon Buxton in Southend Operatic Society’s production of that old musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which is at Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion until Saturday, November 20.
Artistic director for the production David Street can be proud of his achievement in getting more than 14 young men and literally the whole cast dancing and singing together without any obvious awkward “left feet” showing.
In fact, the whole of the first half of the show is thoroughly enjoyable with its hit songs from the past like Bless Your Beautiful Hide, Wonderful, Wonderful Day and One Man receiving outstanding performances from Laura Hurrell andJon Buxton.
Musically, the show has a very good sound and other performances of quality come from Hardus Niemand as Benjamin, Darius Vapiwala as Gideon and Serena Dunlop as Alice.
The story is simple enough with Adam (Jon Buxton), the eldest of seven brothers, all with biblical names who are left running a remote farm in the turn of the 20th Century Mid-West deciding he needs to get married and sort out the chaotic home life of his family.
He travels to a nearby small town and discovers Milly (Laura Hurrell) working in a local restaurant, the perfect candidate to be his bride.
In a whirl-wind day long romance he sweeps her off to the farm but does not tell her about the other six brothers.
Milly is a feisty, practical girl and decides that the uncouth brothers should be changed into eligible swains and tests her training by a trip to the church social and dance in the town.
The boys love her for it and quickly find their own girls but all of them have already got suitors in the town where there are 12 males to every female and trouble follows.
As the lads mope about their beloveds, Adam proposes that they kidnap the girls and bring them back to the farm but neglects to tell Milly of the plan and they are all stranded at the farm in the winter snows and there is not a preacher in sight.
As in all good musicals the show has a happy ending but only after the sounds of shooting and fighting and an avalanche.
The short second half of the show is always very tricky for the director, cast and backstage team for this show was originally a film and there is no easy way to stage its dramatic winter scenes of snow, ice and devastation on stage and this again is where the production really fell down on its opening night with long and embarrassing gaps and some very inadequate staging.
These difficulties will undoubtedly be conquered in later performances but the staging really is impossible to solve and in truth I have only seen two really good enactments of these very photogenic scenes in two money-is-no object professional productions.
John Giles (Southend Arts Council)
THE PRODUCERS (2010)
Director - Sallie Warrington
Musical Director – Andrew Denyer
Choreographer – Sallie Warrington
Performed at The Cliffs Pavilion Westcliff on 16 May 2010
Having seen this show in the West End I was aware of the content of the show and some would say it was brave of SODS to take it on.However they rose to this challenge extremely well and produced an entertaining evening.It was a shame that they had such poor audiences early in the week.However the excellent reviews they received and word of mouth must have made a difference as, when I visited on the Saturday, the house was quite full.I hope that SODS manage to recoup some of the major costs they must have incurred in this production.
The set and costumes were, clearly, brand new and this made the overall look of the show pleasing to the eye.It was a very technical set, so full marks to the Stage/Production Manager Dave Howell and his team for getting the scene changes done so well.
Some excellent performances from all the Principals, as always I don’t have the space to mention them all but I would, particularly, like to commend Les Cannon for his excellent portrayal of Bialystock.Nick Bright played his first major role (Leo Bloom) with aplomb and he was completely believable in the part.His singing voice did not quite match his acting talents but I am sure this will improve as he gains confidence, there must have been a lot of pressure on him and he handled it extremely well, I look forward to seeing him again in the future.Jon Buxton (Franz Liebkind) and Paul Tarrant (Roger De Bris) were both excellent and their timing and characterisation brought some excellent moments of comedy.
This company has an excellent chorus, many of whom have played Principal roles in the past.Consequently they created some great characters within the show.They have good spatial awareness and, although the stage was often quite full, we never felt that they were overcrowded.Their singing was extremely strong and the harmonies worked well.The orchestra supported the singing well and had just the right balance of volume.
Well done SODS for taking up this challenge; Sallie Warrington has, once again, produced a show to be proud of.
Tessa Davies
MY FAIR LADY (2009)
This ever popular show with its well known tunes and brilliant dialogue is a sure-fire winner for societies, as indicated by the 13 different productions that I have seen the last 3½ years, easily the highest number for all other shows seen. It has been rewarding to see in many of these the effort that has been made to explore meanings and emphases in the production and not simply to rely on the film’s interpretations.
The SODS production team followed this pattern and veteran SOD (but first time director) Les Cannon, notably gave Higgins an obsessive-compulsive tidiness, abandoned in the final scene when Eliza returns, leading to yet another different and acceptable (but not to Bernard Shaw I suspect) curtain sequence to add to the many variations that I have seen. Andrew Denyer brought out some excellent chorus singing (particularly the difficult servants’ music), and his fine orchestra pulled out all the stops. David Street’s choreography was good throughout bringing demeanour to the upper crust scenes and a real exuberance to those in Covent Garden, ‘Get Me to the Church’ being a notable highlight.
Laura Hurrell, in her second principal role for the Society, was a beautiful Eliza, and though just a touch constrained in early scenes, blossomed well through the play to a fine conclusion. This was a good role for her and I look forward to seeing her continue to grow as a performer.
Roger Davies was a most uptight and pompous Higgins, who finally thawed towards Eliza, but with indications of a few well masked dialogue problems along the way. Dick Davis was a Pickering of politeness itself. Daryl Kane enjoyed himself immensely as the best Doolittle that I have seen for some time, and the scenes with his two sidekicks (Jonathon Buxton and Brian Shaw) were beautifully timed.
A successful show is not just about the leads, however, and SODS pulled together an entire company of almost 60 committed and well cast players for this production.
Wardrobe was very good in all the walks of lives portrayed, though Eliza’s market clothes really did not justify Higgins’ description of them. (True of every production of this show that I have seen!). The ladies’ Ascot and Ball costumes deserve a very special mention. How could Eliza fail to act like a lady dressed in such stunning outfits? – and all the female chorus looked thoroughly aristocratic in these scenes. The effect was spoiled a little, however, by the rather large and very obvious head microphones; time for a rethink perhaps, with period costume especially?
An excellent show and many congratulations to all concerned in a production as good as I’ve seen from the SODS.
Report by John Warburton - Regional Councillor
NO FAIRER A LADY THAN LOVELY LAURA
Southend Operatic and Dramatic society have discovered a real star in Laura Hurrell, and they are giving her all the right vehicles for her talents.
Maria shone in the principal role of Maria in SODS’ recent West Side Story and shines again in the utterly different role of Eliza Doolittle.
The latest production of My Fair Lady sees her completely mastering the double challenge, achieved by few Elizas and certainly not by Audrey Hepburn in the film version, of conveying both the cockney flower girl and the dazzling high society lady that she is transformed into.
Ms Hurrell is also an accomplished comedienne, a skill she uses to specially good effect in the Ascot racing scene, as Eliza tries out her new voice for the first time.
There is also a splendid turn from Daryl Kane as Eliza’s ne’er-do-well dustman father Alfred Doolittle, The enjoyment he pours into the role ensure those great Cockney knees- up anthems A Little Bit of Luck and Get Me to the Church on Time, are among the highlights of the night.
Roger Davis as Eliza’s voice tutor Henry Higgins has the commanding voice and physical presence for the role, but on the opening night he didn’t muster the confidence and swagger, or the comic side of the charismatic professor.
Dick Davies as bachelor friend Col Pickering, Jacqueline Moffat as the housekeeper Mrs Pearce and Annette McGibbon as Higgins’s long suffering mother, embrace their roles with confidence.
SODS veteran Les Cannon, in his first directorial role, gets the best out of the story and music. But this is above all Laura Hurrell’s show, a fair lady indeed.
Tom King, 6th November 2009
CALAMITY JANE (2009)
ESCAPIST MUSICAL JUST RIGHT FOR RECESSION DAYS
Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society have made a great choice for these difficult days when so many people are worried about the effects of the recession for in Calamity Jane at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, until Saturday (March 28) they provide the perfect chance to get away from it all with a pure escapist musical from the past.
It is a show with great numbers like The Deadwood Stage, Windy City, the Black Hills of Dakota and Secret Love, which were standards of the time from the Doris Day film on which the show is based.
The show has a lovely happy ending with true love triumphing in a fictitious Wild West that is about as far from the documentary truth as you can get and best of all a cast including some exciting new talent and some old timers showing just how effective you can be at the Pavilion when directed by someone as accomplished as Sallie Warrington.
The plot is simple enough: Calamity Jane, played with gusto and drive by Suzanne Walters, rashly promises to bring international vaudeville star Adelaide Adams to the backwoods of Deadwood City in the Wild West of 1864 after a disastrous night in the town’s Golden Garter.
She travels to Chicago and believes she has got the famous star but does not realise it is just the star’s dresser Katie Brown, who has been given Adelaide’s costumes as her mistress heads off to the bright lights of Paris.
After nearly being lynched by the mob when the truth is revealed Katie eventually becomes Deadwood’s own star.
The two most eligible men in the territory, gambler Wild Bill Hickcok (Jonathan Buxton) and Lieut Danny Gilmartin (Bradley Thompson) from the nearby fort, are both at her feet with tomboy Calamity getting worried that she may be usurped in her secret love for Danny.
But Katie wants the best for Calamity and helps to show her that there is a lot more to life that buckskin trousers, shooting and stories of wild adventures.
Jonathan Buxton, one of the many newcomers to the SODS in West Side Story, shows that he has all the talents to become one of the stars of the SODS with his great singing and stage presence, while absolute newcomer Emma Longthorne shows just how much young talent there is around in the area by making a beautifully acted and sung Katie with a lot of real personality.
I was less happy with Bradley Thompson’s Danny for, though he looks and sounds the part, his singing seems a little weak for such a lead.
Also worthy of mention are Nick Bright’s nicely performed song and dance man, Emma Howson as Susan, who is to become his bride, and Alan McGibbon as the harassed Golden Garter proprietor. Nice to see you back on the boards, Alan.
Artistic director Sallie Warrington makes sure there is plenty of drive and pace in the show and successfully finds room for a cast of fifty, who make up a magnificent chorus for the big numbers without ever making the Pavilion stage look too crowded’
Musical director Andrew Denyer gets a nice sound from his orchestra besides ensuring that the whole production is excellent musically.
John Giles.
WEST SIDE STORY (2008)
SODS TRIUMPH WITH “WEST SIDE STORY”
Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society are making West Side Story one of their greatest productions at Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion this week.
Not only is this a triumph for the young cast with 17 of them making their first appearance with SODS after a search for talent throughout the Essex area but it is a triumph for artistic director and choreographer Sallie Warrington, who told me this was her toughest show to produce yet for many of the 17 young men who play the rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, had never danced on stage before.
Not only is this a rich vein of young theatrical talent but the ill-fated romance between Maria, beautifully performed and sung by Laura Hurrell and Tony, whose portrayal by Bradley Thompson, makes him a new young star and whose singing of some of the show’s great numbers is one of the best things in this West Side Story.
The whole production has a wonderful drive and pace with a basic set enhanced by smoothly running cameo sets on trucks plus effective and imaginative lighting.
The music department is just as strong with musical director Andrew Denyer navigating the 16 piece orchestra through Leonard Bernstein’s wonderful musical score and ensuring that the sound of the whole show is quite amazing.
There is hardly a weakness in the 40 strong cast with Jonathan Buxton as the leader of the Sharks, Bernardo, giving a particularly strong acting performance and Sarah Gallucci, guesting from LODS, bringing a lot of impact to the show as his girl friend.
But this is really very much an ensemble production with every member of the company dancing their hearts out and adding to its outstanding impact on the audience as the tragedy of young love as based on the Romeo and Juliet story is played out
Among the adults, Dick Davies shows just how much impact you can make with just a few lines but Les Cannon is just too laid back as Schrank.
Those great numbers like “Maria”, “Tonight”, “America” and “I Feel Pretty” show just why West Side Story is one of the great musicals of all time and SODS are doing it proud in every respect.
John Giles, 20th November 2008.
SODS REFRESH MUSICAL AT 50
Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society should choreograph a high speed pat on the back. It should land on the shoulders of just about everyone involved in Sallie Warrington's sizzling production.
It makes the 50-year-old West Side Story look as fresh as this week.
The company has landed an alpha league director/choreographer in Sallie, who offers a masterclass in dynamic, narrative drive and fluid stage movement.
Southend Operatic has also winkled out a generation of young performers, often wholly new faces, who rise brilliantly to the opportunities given by the genius of Leonard Bernstein's score and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics.
Laura Hurrell, in her first principal role, and company regular Bradley Thompson, achieve a mixture of strong emotional chemistry and terrific vocal delivery as the star crossed lovers Maria and Tony.
The Multi-Talented Sarah Gallucci as Anita punches out another knock-out performance. Sods newcomers Matthew Lee and Jon Buxton as rival gang leaders Riff and Bernardo show star quality and have all the marks of veterans in the making.
For anyone who has never seen West Side Story, this production will deliver a fan for life. For those who have seen it, this could be the version they remember.
Tom King. Evening Echo, 21 November 2008.
NODA REVIEW
By any standards Bernstein’s version of Romeo and Juliet, set in the 1950s, is a challenge, met by the Society with an injection of new younger blood. This mixture of experience and inexperience was strongly directed to provide some striking performances, starting with those important opening scenes fiercely expressing the gang rivalries central to the theme, on a set that very adequately depicted the essential bleakness of downtown New York.
Among the leads, Jon Buxton gave an accomplished performance as Bernardo, the angry leader of the Sharks, together with a protective nature towards his sister Maria. Sarah Gallucci (Anita), and Charles Tilley (Action) were both pleasing to watch and gave good performances. Darius Vapiwala played a convincing Chino and Hayley Cairns was well suited to the strong and eye catching portrayal of Anybody’s. Paul Alton was perhaps a more tolerant Krupke than expected.
Bradley Thompson gave a fluent and all round strong performance as Tony: maybe his opening number would have benefitted from a little more passion.
Laura Hurrell was a Maria convincingly confused but determined in her situation, but there were signs of strain in her voice in the upper register.
Lighting was mostly good, with one or two unexpected shadows e.g. in the shooting.
With a good orchestra that supported the action and performances well, together with convincing choreography and staging, this is a show of which SODS can be justly proud."
