ANYTHING Goes has a rather trite story line and my memories of previous productions were best forgotten as I headed with some trepidation to the Churchill Theatre last week to see West Wickham. Operatic Society’s presentation of the Cole Porter show.
But the company delivered a feast of fun-filled entertainment, making the most of the larger-than-life characters and the great songs.
Director Kevin Gauntlett set a slow fuse which fired up suddenly to fill the entire stage with two acts of colour. and energy that bubbled along seamlessly.
Jo Davies as the sassy Reno was a tour deforce as she belted out standards such as I Get a Kick Out Of You and Friendship. Her double act with Steven Day as the bankrupt broker Billy was a joy. Steven and Jo sang and danced so well I wondered whether maybe they were on loan from the West End.
No less a match for their, talents was Patrick Vincent as gangster Moonface Martin, a loveable rogue with impeccable comic timing and wonderful facial expressions.
More excellent comedy came from Robert Heather, as Lord Evelyn, who appeared to have stolen his character from Harry Enfield’s Tim Nice-But-Dim.
Julie Lockyer and Carolina Field also deserve much praise for the choreography, their work the icing on the cake in some of the best numbers, including Bon Voyage, Blow, Gabriel, Blow and the title song. Most of the cast had been turned into very able tap dancers.
Big and bold was the order of the day, and it worked well. lan Skipper and a band of sharp musicians provided the backbone of the show, bringing together one of the best WWOS has staged for some time.
Richard Sirot
Kentish Times
3rd June 1999.
Don't Miss This Show
THIS IS A HIGH quality show by West Wickham Operatic Society that any West End impresario would have been proud to have put on. See it if you possibly can.
Many of the tunes by Cole Porter have deservedly stood the test of time, remaining as attractive as ever 65 years since the first performance, and this production resurrected them in a setting fresh and sparkling, professional to the ultimate degree and immaculately presented.
Anything Goes is set on board a transatlantic liner, and director Kevin Gauntlett’s effective set has most of the action taking place on deck with the excellent ‘ship’s orchestra’, directed by Ian Skipper (no pun intended) sited on the upper deck.
Props were unobtrusively changed through the grand doors which led to the unseen lower decks and cabins. These doors and the steps sweeping up each side to the upper deck were also used to good effect by the cast.
The story is the familiar boymeets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy gets-girl-back, with the other main characters also getting paired off. The array of romantic, colourful and dubious characters were caught up in plot and counter plot.
This is pure musical comedy, the comedy laugh-out-loud humour with lots of very funny one-liners and silly walks.
I marvelled at this society’s ability to have among its ranks so many talented performers who seemed to be so suited to the parts they were playing, whether they were singing, dancing, acting or clowning.
As nightclub singer Reno Sweeney, Jo Davies held the stage in the role made famous by Ethel Merman, and her noholds-barred rendering of Blow Gabriel, Blow was a highlight.
The hero and heroine, Billy and Hope were sympathetically played by Victoria McCracken and Steven Day, and Day’s dance routines were models of style and grace.
Patrick Vincent’s performance as Moonface Martin had an endearing and very funny Norman Wisdom-like quality about it and, although in the original Guy Bolton/PG Wodehouse book Lord Evelyn Oakleigh must have been based on Bertie Wooster, Robert Heather took Harry Enfield’s Tim Nice-but-Dim as his model, and got him to perfection right down to the last incredulous snort.
The choreography by Julie Lockyer and Caroline Field was brilliantly conceived and executed, especially the set dance routines by the sailors and the girls.
Anne Slatford
The Advertiser
26th May 1999
The Production was a Masterpiece
For a non-professional company, like West Wickham Operatic, to mount a production on the scale of Anything Goes at the Churchill Theatre, needs an organisation of incredible competence. To put on shows at this theatre regularly over the past twenty years, shows a dedication that makes you wonder if they ever have time for regular jobs!
With 24 principals and a chorus line of 35 (all tap dancing when required) the production was a masterpiece. The setting was the forward part of a cruise liner, with the funnel and bridge high up in the flys, then a secondary deck running across the full width of the stage with stairways down to the main deck level.
On the upper deck were the full orchestra, facing forward with the Musical Director, Ian Skipper, conducting with his back to the audience - which is as usual, but also with his back to the cast. A great act of faith on
both sides! There was sufficient space between the musicians and the rail of the upper deck to enable much of the action to go on at that level.
Between the underside of the upper deck and the main stage, were a large pair of sliding doors which very smoothly open and shut to permit entries of the cast. For the first scene, a gauze with a projected picture of a New York skyline formed a backdrop to a “smoky Manhattan Bar”. Interior scenes on the ship were set by siding aside the doors and putting out screens, which worked well, but when it was supposed to be the Ship’s brig it was completely unconvincing with the chorus tending to get mixed up with the men who were s upposed to be in prison.
With a cast of 21 principal roles and the vast chorus it would be difficult to comment on any one member’s particular brilliance - they were all wonderful and very professional. Jenny Appleby as the gangster’s moll Erma was sensationally underdressed in what could be only described as a Liz Hurley outfit, almost distracting attention from her superb characterisation and Bronx accent.
Jo Davies as the night-club singer Reno came over extremely well as did her back-up group of Josie Simpson, Marisa Petrozzi, Lydia Porter and Louise Gauntlett. As the Captain of the liner was Terry Gauntlett (celebrating 50 years with the Society and now its Chairman) and the Director was Kevin Gauntlett, it was evident that this talented family provide a lot of support to the WWOS.
Robin Hazelton made a very believable Elisha Whitney, but the performance of his assistant Billy as portrayed by Steven Day, was rather spoilt by a microphone taped to the side of his head. We know they have to use them, but if other actors can conceal them, why cannot all try and keep up the illusion of their character? Julie Lockyer and Caroline Field did an incredible job as Choreographers, besides actually being in the show. To get 35 actors tap dancing in perfect rhythm, on the opening night like something out of “Chorus Line” was fantastic.
Derrick Graham
Words and Music
It would have graced any West End theatre
This musical was first performed way back in 1935 when it had a good run of 261 performances. Today it comes up fresh and bright and has definitely a lot to offer to a good amateur or professional company with it’s romantic story and lovely score.
You obviously chose well as West Wickham is packed with talent and there are some excellent numbers for you to all get your teeth into. “You’re the Tops” and “Blow Gabriel” are certainly two of these.
Director, KEVIN GAUNTLETT, had the style of the show exactly right and the set was marvellous and very accurate. It is hard to imagine these days, the sense of occasion that there was when a ship set sail for a voyage to and from America. Stars these days fly don’t they? However, there we all were rushing around to see who the stars on this sailing would be. There is no musical opening which perhaps makes it a little to difficult to get straight into the excitement but I certainly did not feel any of that here. The whole design was right. The costumes and make - up suiting each of the characters and the lighting showing the whole to perfection. 1 would really be nit-picking to mention the blacks on stage left which were slightly out of place and the lights which were a little slow on the changes at the end of Act 1. There I’ve done it but as these are really minor things, I’m sure you will not mind. Oh, yes also I did think that you could have had actual drinks in Act 2. Other than these extremely small points, this was a technically superb show with slick back stage work as much a part of it as what went on in front.
The orchestra, completely part of the action from the start, had a lovely rounded sound and was under the very competent direction of IAN SKIPPER. lan had also worked well with chorus and soloists to provide the tempo and style of this great music.
Some very lively and imaginative choreography had been devised by JULIE LOCKYER and CAROLINE FIELD who performed as well as they had directed. 1 am going to run out of adjectives by the end of this report, but some numbers, particularly You’re the Tops and Gabriel Blow certainly lived up to expectations and were brilliant.
This is a large cast for me to mention everyone in great length. If 1 only mention one of you in passing do not be offended. It was such a professional show and all of you contributed to this. If just one of you had not given your all to it then it would not have been the success it undoubtedly was.
Firstly, the chorus work was super, well controlled and yet full of excitement and energy. The movement was fluid and vibrant and a joy to watch.
I think the female roles are perhaps not as well written as the male ones. Reno Sweeney is obviously the best and JO DAVIES took it firmly by the scruff of the neck and gave it absolutely every thing. It was a riveting performance, sexy, brash and up front. Jo has a good voice and gives every thing so much expression. Her movement is sensual and so much in the style of the time and character.
Hope Harcourt, in contrast, can be rather uninteresting. 1 do not think that that is how VICTORIA McCRACKEN felt about it. She made a striking contrast to Reno in her perfect young lady of the 30’s trying so hard to fall in love with an acceptable man but failing. She and Billy did make such a lovely pair though. Their singing together especially It’s De-lovely, was charming and well balanced.
She was well chaperoned by her mother BRENDA JORDAN who quite up set me when she lost Little Cheeky (BECKY). Despite the stage maxim, not to work with animals, this did not deter Brenda. They both were charming.
ROBERT HEATHER was the very epitome of an English aristocrat it was easy to see why Hope didn’t really want to be his wife but then he ended up with the sexy gospel preacher! Robert has good comic timing and an excellent physical appearance for his role.
The partially sighted Elisha was well cast. Despite the programme notes, ROBIN HAZLETON, was most believable and managed the “optical impedimenta” admirably. His characterisation was first rate. I certainly, think it reasonable of the director to expect a high level of performance from such an experienced actor.
Billy Crocker has every thing as a part, comedy, romance, farce and drama. It needs an actor who can sing, dance and act brilliantly and, boy, did you have one of these. STEVEN DAY has a really beautiful voice with splendid top notes that soared round the theatre. He danced with grace and poise and his breath control was remarkable. He also handled the comic, farcical moments with out taking them over the top, When he had the lead he was in charge yet he was not selfish and in all his duets, he gave to his partner and matched them in all they did. Brilliant.
PATRICK VINCENT was delightful as Moonface Martin, really enjoying himself and bringing many nice touches to this part. He made me smile; in fact it was hard not to stop bursting forth into gales of laughter. His solo Be Like the Bluebird was good and his duet with Billy Friendship masterly. JENNY APPLEBY was his completely suitable dumb partner, Erma. She looked and sounded the part at all times I’m sure she had a bal I. It looked as if she did.
Henry T Dobson and his Chinese converts (BOB FAINT, TIM MAUNDER and CHRIS CAHILL) were nicely thought out. The two Chinese were very funny and their ability to maintain characters and humour throughout made for some delightful moments.
The showgirls with the unlikely names of Purity, Chastity, Charity and Virtue were pure as driven snow, - well to look at any way. JOSIE SIMPSON, MARISA PETROZZI, LYDIA PORTER and LOUISE GAUNTLETT handled these not so perfect young ladies splendidly. They managed to give each a difference while maintaining an overall similarity and danced and sang well.
TERRY GAUNTLETT who was assisted by his Purser, PETER FIORINI, ably commanded the SS American. They both took their opportunities to take control of the stage as well as the ship and gave a good performance in Public Enemy Number One.
1 said at the beginning of this report that 1 might not manage to mention every one by name. 1 will just give mention to those at the end of the cast list, ANDREW BROWN, DAVID KINCH, SIMON WARD, GEORG TORMANN, ANDREW HOWARD, BRENDA NOBLE, GRAHAM COPELAND, all of whom added, in their small way, to the overall excellence of this production. It is so easy for a very small role to ruin the hard work of everyone else but you did not let anyone down.
As you can tell I really enjoyed my evening and found the standard of work most professional. It would have graced any West End theatre and had a longer run than the production of 1935, I’m sure. Thank you for inviting me and for the warm welcome I received on arrival in the Churchill. Please don’t forget me for the next show.
Congratulations on the excellent programme, by the way.
Judith Paris
NODA London Area 4a Rep
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