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Christchurch Gilbert & Sullivan Society Regent Centre Christchurch October 2002 
Director and musical director Nigel Finch kept to a traditional production, albeit one with plenty of innovative touches
– I particularly liked his on-stage sprites and fiends, and his chorus sang well and with spirit,
even though their faces sometimes failed to register the joy of which they were singing.Without exception the principals were beautifully characterised and larger-than-life, from the elderly Sir Marmaduke Poindextre and Lady Sangazure (Mark Ward & Sue Higgins) to the young, love-sick Alexis (Robert Eshelby), Aline (Ruth Hastings) and Constance (Olwen Kieser). There were delightfully appealing performances too from John Love, skilfully playing his own ‘flageolet’ as Dr Daly, and Judy 
Broom (Mrs Partlett). And Zachary Higgins’ show-stealing John Wellington Wells was as shady a character as you’d find this side of Petticoat Lane, although his ‘disappearance’ was just a little too obvious & could have been better staged.The show was also excellently costumed, but quite what a Cossack –seemingly- was doing in a small English village remains a mystery. Conjured up by Mr Wells, perhaps. Linda Kirkman Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo The photographs are Nigel Finch, Mark Ward, Sue Higgins, Robert Eshelby, Ruth Hastings, Olwen Kieser, John Love, Judith Broom and Zachary Higgins. |
