Reviews

How refreshing to see a brand new one act play written and directed by KP’s own. I am sure a lot of people will have had experience of the weekly slimming club meeting in the local village or church hall so what better place for this play about a slimming club, aptly named Guttbusters, than St. Matthew’s Community Centre, so no scenery needed – perfect.

The action takes place on a slightly raised area of the hall and they did make use of some tables and chairs. Lighting and sound were minimal but adequate.

Enter the bubbly and enthusiastic leader of the slimming club Kay (Nicole Bellhouse) to set up ready for the session, helped by Dave (Richard Howard) followed by his partner in crime, as it turns out, Lee (Caroline Smith) dressed all in black and looking very sinister. Then Dee (Gaye Robinson) who likes to sit and do her knitting whilst giving her opinion about things! Phil (Ryan George) bursts in and can’t quite stop himself putting his foot in his mouth by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Other members Anna (Francesca Grant) confesses to being a stripper which rather stops conversation and Dawn/Joanne (Isabella Pemble) seems to be the quiet one and then we have the man of few words Keith (Gordon Harris) but delivers some amusing lines. There we have today’s members of the slimming club, each having their own agendas.

The meeting is going well until suddenly there is a loudspeaker announcement from the Police who are outside. Lee panics and pulls out a gun to hold the rest of the members hostage. Lee eventually leaves the building, leaving Dave in charge with the gun and the bag of the, presumably, stolen money. After discussion among the rest of them, Keith eventually volunteers to take the money away hidden in packets of Frosties. The end comes when Dave has the gun, threatening suicide. Kay wrestles with him and the gun goes off! Black out.

Paul and Caroline Ferguson have cleverly written a play about an everyday community event and given it a twist. Eight excellent characterisations by the cast made for a very enjoyable evening.

We are taken back to the 80’s when would be rock star Robbie Hart is earning a crust as a Wedding Singer. He is about to marry Linda but she jilts him at the altar. He compensates by ruining other wedding parties that is until waitress Julia Sullivan catches his eye but she already has a boyfriend, city slicker Glen Guglia. Robbie and Julia’s friendship is spurred on by Robbie’s unconventional Grandma.

Good lighting (although I did have a problem with the continuous strobe lighting!) and a simple set worked well as did (as far as I can remember) the 80’s style costumes. Choreography was well thought out by Caroline Ferguson and executed by an enthusiastic cast. Sound generally worked well, solo and ensemble singing was fairly clear. The twelve-piece band led by Siobhan Walls was good.

Charlie Grant takes the lead giving a brilliant performance as Robbie, he has you on his side from the start. A great vocal talent. He played opposite Alice Kattner in her first lead role as sweet natured Julia Sullivan striking up a perfect on-stage relationship with Charlie. Adam James and Richard Howard are both really entertaining as Robbie’s bandmates Sammy and George. They guide and support him through his romantic turmoil, great performances from both. Elizabeth Ellis as Holly was lovely in her support for her friend. Another good performance from Ben Smyth as the smarmy Wall Street high-flyer Glen Guglia more interested in financial gain than his forthcoming marriage. Game for anything stalwart Linda Russell as Grandma Rosie had lovely comic timing and performed the rap ‘Move that Thang’ with hilarity and gusto.

The supporting principals and the rest of the cast all gave strong performances and in her debut as a director Caroline Ferguson, made the whole show exuberant and fun for both cast and audience. All in all, a fast-paced musical comedy with the feel-good factor.

Based on the 1980’s film, this high energy stage show tells the story of Alexandra Owens, a welder by day and nightclub dancer by night but whose ambition is to go to the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy to become a trained professional dancer. Love and a lack of belief in herself get in the way but in the end, encouraged by her elderly friend Hannah, (played wonderfully by Astra Beadle) Alex wows the audition panel at the dance school and her future is set.

Scenery was very industrial with multi layered scaffolding which was used to great effect and with neon signs used to denote either the nightclub or the dance studio. The lighting was also important as this is an open stage and the use of roaming blue lights over the audience made sure we couldn’t see the changes of scenes. A small band of six competent musicians conducted by MD Siobhan Walls was all quite loud but that is really expected from 80’s music, there were hits like Gloria, Maniac, I love Rock and Roll and What a Feeling. ensemble and solo singing was flawless. This show stands or falls on its dance numbers and I must say that Caroline Ferguson’s energetic, tricky choreography was superb and needed good all-round dancers – which she had.

What a great part for Francesca Grant as Alex. She is hardly ever off stage and was accomplished as a singer, dancer and actor. Her love interest, her boss Nick, is Francesca’s real life husband Charlie so no wonder they had that chemistry. Alex’s friends at the nightclub, Gloria (Elizabeth Ellis), Kiki (Kay Wright) and Tess (Isabella Pemble) were also accomplished as singers/dancers/actors and were a good support to Alex. Alongside Alex’s story there are some other sub-plots going on which I did find a bit difficult to follow but all the supporting characters gave substance to the show.

The best moments have to be the dance numbers together with the energy of the large ensemble and the toe-tapping music. For lovers of modern dance and music lovers, co-directors Bethany Harding and David Beaumont certainly made this a memorable, feel good, fun performance.

Doreen Grierson. NODA representative. District 7

Following the success of the 2003 film and the 2009 play, Gary Barlow and Tim Firth teamed up to turn the beloved tale of the calendar girls into a musical. Yorkshire pride is at the heart of this show and the opening song ‘Yorkshire’ is a fitting tribute to the county.

The scenery was cleverly constructed to represent the rolling Yorkshire countryside, easily transformed into the interior of the WI meeting room. Scene changes were a little slow with, what seemed, long blackouts, especially when we were left wondering if it really was the end of Act 1. Props and lighting could not be faulted. The band, led by MD Siobhan Walls did a fantastic job. I was a little disappointed that the quality of the sound was not better as some of the humour in the dialogue and songs was lost but all the soloists and ensemble did an incredible job. Choreography by Becky Beaumont was kept simple but effective.

There were many outstanding performances in this production but Chris (Caroline Ferguson) and Annie (Estelle Burfoot-Reed) worked well together and Caroline’s rendition of ‘Sunflower’ was heart wrenching as was Estelle’s ‘Kilimanjaro’. Cora (Rosie Bass), whose song ‘Who Wants A Silent Night’ was one of the most humorous in the show. Another highlight was Celia (Astra Beadle) and her song ‘I’ve Had A Little Work Done’. Ruth (Francesca Coote) had good comedic timing. Jessie, (seasoned performer Linda Russell) played the role of the retired schoolteacher and gave an excellent rendition of ‘What Age Expects’. Each of the women get a chance to shine as did Nicole Bellhouse as Marie. The men are not to be outdone either and Richard Howard as John really pulled at the heartstrings. The trio of ‘teenagers’, exploring first love and are mortally embarrassed by their parents, all gave good support to the rest of the cast.

My admiration for any women brave enough to (almost) bare all on stage in front of an audience holds no bounds. In the show this scene comes at the end and was all very tastefully and modestly done. The surprise comes when the ‘Tea/Coffee’ ladies (Beth Harding and Sadie Brown) appear in the serving hatch with their tea and coffee pots strategically placed.

Director Phillip Reed can be really proud of this company and how they were able to cope with a rollercoaster ride of emotions through love, loss, parents, children, families and of course how we cope with whatever life deals us. A thoroughly enjoyable production that deserved the standing ovation.

Doreen Grierson. NODA representative. District 7

Our House was a first for me. This is a musical by Tim Firth with songs exclusively by the 1980’s band Madness. This production was packed with drive and energy from start to finish with 100% commitment by the whole cast, due to the direction by Jimmy Marabello-Weighell and inventive choreography by Caroline Ferguson and Francesca Coote. The set was uncomplicated but very suitable with white and black doors turned round by cast members to denote when Joe was ‘good’ or ‘bad’. The band led by MD Siobhan Walls by the very nature of the music was loud at times making dialogue difficult to hear. Lighting design by David Beaumont, as always so important, was well executed.

The plot is somewhat complicated and at times unclear. It follows the life of Joe Casey (Charlie Grant) starting on his sixteenth birthday. He is trying to impress a girl he likes and breaks into a building. This is where there is the clever concept of splitting the narrative into two intertwining outcomes, with Good Joe dressed in white and Bad Joe dressed in black. Charlie had the difficult and demanding task of portraying Joe following two different paths but his energy, especially with all those quick changes, and commitment to this role was admiral. He was well supported both vocally and dramatically by his girlfriend, Sarah played by Elizabeth James. Ben Smyth was impressive in the difficult role of Joe’s deceased Dad. Ryan Blackamore as bad boy Reecey even had a few boos at his curtain call so he must have convinced some of the audience! Particularly watchable were Paul Ferguson and Adam James as Emmo and Lewis. They provided the comedic element and they worked well together. All the other supporting cast and in fact every member on stage, with the many changing characters, added so much to the production.

You have to draw your own conclusions as to whether the Madness songs fit in with the script but there is no denying that this is an enjoyable energetic show which the cast must have had great fun putting together.

Congratulation to everyone – cast, crew backstage and all the unsung people who help in many guises and thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality.

Doreen Grierson. NODA representative. District 7

Spamalot
2018

Venue: Central Theatre, Chatham, Kent
Director: Francene Harris
Musical Director: Owen McColgan
Choreographer: Bethany Kember
Date: Friday 29th June 2018

I must confess that I have never particularly been a Monty Python fan so I thought that perhaps this musical comedy adapted from the 1975 film ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ would be lost on me. This being my first ‘Spam’ experience, the silliness, laugh out loud comedic moments and brilliance of the cast might have just changed my mind – slightly!

The stage was set very simply with back projection and either side of the balcony utilised as ramparts. Use of the large stage was maximised well. Lighting was all important, but my usual gripe – please don’t swing the lights round to suddenly shine in the audience’s eyes! Costumes were absolutely stunning. Musical Director Owen McColgan kept everything running in perfect time but music too loud in places, especially over speech.

The show set off at a fabulous pace with Richard Burfoot-Reed leading the way as King Arthur on his invisible horse and clip clopping behind (with his coconuts), came faithful servant Patsy, played by Benjamin Smyth whose facial expressions spoke volumes, especially in King Arthur’s song ‘I’m All Alone’ and his rendition of the iconic ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’ was superb. Estelle Burfoot-Reed was outstanding as the Lady of the Lake managing to have the right amount of sass without overacting and adding some great comedic value.

Although not mentioned separately, the whole cast should be applauded, from Knights of the Round Table, fish slapping Fins to glitzy showgirls, flatulent French Knights and the Knights who say “Ni” even Dennis’ Mum! Bethany Kember’s choreography gave us tap dance routines and high kicks, all notably outstanding.

To produce something this silly takes a lot of talent and to perform that silly piece, requires skill and commitment to the roles. Director Francene Harris and Kentish Players gave a slick, well rehearsed funny show. Something for which they can be justifiably proud.

Doreen Grierson. NODA representative. District 7

To put on a show that few people know can be a risky business but Kentish Players gamble I hope, has paid dividends. The show is funny, full of catchy songs and a choreographers delight. Set in the French Riviera where casino culture is rife, the twisting and turning tale of decadence and deception includes kidnap, romance and faked paralysis. It is based on the 1988 film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine, the musical had its Broadway première in 2005.

The show has five main principals plus a delightful cameo performance by Rosie Bass as Jolene Oakes. Much depends on the quality of the quintet however. The two conmen, played by Ben Smyth as Lawrence Jameson and Charlie Grant as Freddy Benson were excellent and sparked off each other throughout as they try to outdo one another when it comes to getting money out of wealthy women. Claire Knapman as Christine Colgate is the perfect foil as the ‘little innocent’ American heiress, who becomes the target for the conniving duo. Richard Howard as policeman Andre Thibault, Lawrence’s bodyguard, and Estelle Burfoot-Reed as Muriel Eubanks lent much to the success of this production with two very fine performances. There isn’t a great deal for the chorus but having said that it shows great direction when they are all given a part to play whether it be nuns, hotel staff or sailors. Along with some excellent dancers they do add colour and support to the show as did the fine (sometimes loud) band under the direction of Siobhan Link. There are no well known numbers in the show but the music is catchy enough and was well sung by the principals. Back projection provided an insight to the different scenes together with good lighting (apart from when the audience get the lights in their eyes!). Numerous costumes were good – even the shoes Gordon!

Director Jimmy Marabello-Weighell and Choreographer Caroline Ferguson must have been equally delighted and proud of what they achieved between them. The best musicals make you wish you could get up and join in, pity there were not more in the audience to appreciate it. It was a blast!

Doreen Grierson. NODA representative. District 7

The plot of this modern musical, based on the 2001 film, sees blonde sorority queen Elle Woods dumped for not being serious enough, so she takes the opportunity to turn this around and heads of to Harvard to complete a law degree.

Watching this production takes your breath away, packed with action from the start. Terrific choreography by Rebecca Beaumont had flair and imagination. Great support from the Orchestra, led by MD Siobhan Link, whose tempo needed to be spot on to drive the show, which demands pace. You would marvel at the speed of the numerous costume changes, excellent by the way. My goodness how hard the company and backstage crew must have worked with moving the very large pieces of scenery performed efficiently and swiftly, all enhanced of course by a good lighting plot.

Caroline Ferguson as Elle is a seasoned performer and she absolutely nailed the role of a blonde with a big heart. She looked sensational and what a lovely smile! In contrast, Elle’s two love interests, Charlie Grant as Warner and Jordan Brown as Emmett are both on stage for the first time, they can certainly be proud of their performances.

Inspired casting and wonderful to watch was Estelle Burfoot-Reed as Paulette, Elle’s best friend, she had great sense of comic timing and sense of fun, especially the scenes with Kyle the UPS guy (Richard Burfoot-Reed) the ‘River Dance’ style number was a stand out performance.

All the other named supporting parts were very bright fun characters with belting voices. In Act 2 we see Claire Knapman as Brooke, the fitness instructor. Phew, I was definitely out of breath watching this clever slick routine, which involved skipping ropes. Smaller parts, too numerous to mention all added to the story line and well played.

I must not forget the smallest stars of the show, Bruiser (Gizmo) a Chihuahua, very laid back performer and Rufus (Zeus Burfoot-Reed) whose tail wagged all the time, especially when there was a treat or two in the offing.

This demanding musical is a credit to Director Paul Ferguson, which the audience absolutely loved. Well done K.Ps

Doreen Grierson. NODA representative. District 7

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