|
Anything Goes
By Dave
Smith (Fans
of Drama and Promoting Theatre)
The Rattonians
Congress Theatre
Eastbourne
20-30 July 2011
Performance seen 21st July
Cast
The Rattonians Company
As always I will publish the massive
cast in due course
but I don't want to use the programme
listing until the run is over
Well at the time of writing this I have
to say that Eastbourne has it made at
the moment having two superb summer
shows within a couple of minutes walking
distance of each other. Murder by
Misadventure at the Devonshire Park
and this wonderful staging of
Anything Goes here at the Congress
Theatre.
You could quite easily have a fantastic
day of theatre catching a matinee of one
show and then having a quick break
before seeing the evening performance of
the other.
It's always pleasurable, going to see a
musical you've never seen before. A
situation where you may be familiar with
the odd song but you haven't got a clue
about the subject matter. A tad of
cultural ignorance can be a good thing
at times.
For me this was the situation with
Anything Goes. Apart from being aware
that the music and lyrics are by Cole
Porter, that it's a comedy and that it's
based on a ship I knew nothing of the
subject matter.
So for the likewise uninitiated here is
a vague synopsis so avoid spoiling
anything. The tale is based on board an
ocean liner sailing from New York to
London. Madly in love with heiress Hope
Harcourt, Billy Crocker is a stowaway
desperately trying to stop her marrying
her eccentric fiance Lord Evelyn
Oakleigh. Famous nightclub singer Reno
Sweeney and gangster Moonface Martin aid
(and abet) Billy in his search for his
one true love.
The set is both impressive and
ingenious. The, always marvellous,
musicians were all dressed in
appropriate sailor suits on the top
deck. Meanwhile action amongst the cast
can also occur on the top deck, the
lower deck and in two "pull out" cabins
which can be changed for various
locations as the story unfolds. On
occasions we even see gangplanks
bringing 'guests' aboard from the
auditorium.
Funny? Incredibly so. I smiled and
laughed so much during the two and a
quarter hour show that my mouth
practically ached at the sides. There is
just so much great humour that I could
name so many of the cast members but
Peter Gurr as Sir Evelyn Oakleigh played
one of the best comedy roles I have ever
seen. He is honestly almost worth going
to see the show for in his own right.
Vocally, well The Rattonians have never
disappointed on this front and they
didn't fail tonight. Alex Adams and
Chloe Shearer play Billy and Hope and
work together beautifully.
James Hookway is always great in a
comedy role and there could not have
been a better choice to play public
enemy number thirteen Moonface Martin.
I don't think I've mentioned her in a
Rattonians review before but Jade Powers
as Mrs Evangeline Harcourt was
screechingly hysterical as she searched
for missing dog Cheeky (played by sweet
little Lola) . Also never mentioned
before Roger Tomlinson who made a
wonderful job of portraying the ship's
captain as he desperately tried to find
a famous guest to impress those on
board.
The whole cast, as far as I was
concerned were perfect. But I really
think I owe a mention to Lucy Anderson
who plays a girlfriend in this show. Now
I don't know quite how she did it but
only 3 weeks ago we watched Lucy's
incredible performance in the BLODS
production of Copacabana in Bexhill. Yet
here she is undertaking the demanding
vocal and choreography routines of
Anything goes without a care in the
world and without a foot out of place or
a note out of tune. That is commitment
and a huge well done to her!
The costumes were, as they always are
just perfect but I'm going to end on the
choreography. I have always been
impressed with the routines in previous
productions such as 42nd Street,
Copacabana, Fame etc. But the routines
in Anything Goes are really something
else. Leading into the interval there is
a massive routine to the title tune
"Anything Goes". It seems to go on for
an eternity. It has most, if not all, of
the company on the stage and it appeared
step perfect from everybody involved.
The routine received a massive reaction
from the audience and it leaves you
going into the break on a real high.
Jan Lynton I have reviewed many of the
shows you have quite wonderfully
choreographed in Eastbourne yet I don't
think I've ever given you the credit you
deserve. So I think I'd better make up
for it be saying this lady works so hard
and takes so much pride in her work that
you know you are always going to get a
well produced dance routine. She also
commands a huge respect from the
theatrical companies she works with and
from those involved in Eastbourne's
theatres. Jan is a huge asset for so
many shows, so well done your work is
incredible and appreciated by so many.
That's it on Anything Goes now except to
say do pick up a programme - they are
complimentary this year - but please
make a donation in the buckets for the
Rattonians chosen charities. Because in
addition to staging some of the best
musicals you could see in Eastbourne
they raise a heck of a lot of money for
good causes.
Thanks Rattonians for Anything Goes and
a thoroughly great evening's
entertainment.
I am ensuring this is published well
before the end of the run because I want
others to appreciate this production.
With top price tickets at just £15 and
matinees at just £12.50 you will not
find a better musical for so little
money at the Congress Theatre this year.
|
