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Highcliffe Charity Players Regent Centre Christchurch September 2002 Now, to celebrate their 30th anniversary, they are re-staging one of their previous successes – and the show, which is filled with glorious Cole Porter classics, is just delovely. And if a few elements of pantomime have crept into director Matthew Smith’s bubbly & witty production, which is choreographed by Jane White with Ian Carter as musical director – well, it’s hardly surprising and, after all, anything goes! The costumes are as sparkling as the score, and in a uniformly strong principal line-up Tracey Barrington is perfectly cast as evangelist turned night-club singer Reno Sweeney, contrasting well with Michele Moulin’s innocent debutante, Hope Harcourt, while Nick Hayes is an appealing, if slightly young-looking, lovesick stowaway, Billy Crocker. I also loved David Gillard’s show-stealing performance as “Public Enemy Number 13”, Moonface Martin, in which he displayed an obvious talent for comedy as well as an impressive ability to think on his feet when faced with a jammed door. If you want to see a show that fizzes like champagne then this is the one for you – but leave the dog at home, unless it likes to swim! Linda Kirkman Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo |
