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Ferndown Phoenix Musical Society Barrington Theatre Ferndown September 2003 The company does not use an orchestra, but the show’s rousing numbers do not really lend themselves to the rather synthetic keyboard sound that replaces it, with several played in a slow, stately fashion that was, I believe, possibly responsible for the disappointing vocal standard of most of the principals. However, director Sarah Vandervelde more than proved her worth with some excellent, innovative ideas - I particularly liked her highly original curtain call - that were well complemented by Suzi Mollet’s effective choreography. The standard of acting among the principals was high. Alan Colclough was a comic delight as wide-boy Luther Billis, Syd Young every inch the lonely Frenchman, Emile de Becque, and Lizzie Feltham, although a little too young looking, perfectly cast as his girlfriend, Nellie. There was good rapport too between Colin Pile’s love-lorn Joseph Cable and Gina Birch’s appealing Liat, although I found Trish Ruff rather too scary as her mother, Bloody Mary. Full marks too for a most effective waterfall - perhaps, given the temperature in the theatre, they should have offered interval showers…… Linda Kirkman Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo |
