20th-24th November 2001 Winston Churchill Theatre, Ruislip NODA Review

Cast Sally Durant Plummer Buddy Plummer Phyllis Rogers Stone Benjamin Stone Young Sally Young Buddy Young Phyllis Young Ben Roscoe Dimitri Weissman Emily Whitman Theodore Whitman Solange La Fitte Hattie Walker Vincent Vanessa Young Vincent Young Vanessa Stella Deems Young Stella Carlotta Campion Heidi Schiller Young Heidi Major Domo Burlesque "Margie" Burlesque "Sally" Christine Donovan Kevin, a waiter Jackie Lack Andrew Taylor Clare Basinger Jonathan Hassell Sarah La-Plain Simon Crowley Rachel Lack Michael Gee Tom Rainbow Peter Fidler Vera West Morris Levy Shirley Emanuel Marion Lang Ray May Joan Lai-Tan Nigel Simpson Sarah Blackstaffe Margaret Morrison Lisette Foster Sandra Papier Maureen Abbs Angela Dunnett Rex Whitehurst Angela Charles Sue Mitchell Valerie Faiman Andy Nutkins Showgirls, Dancers, Waiters etc. Margaret Bunker, Alan Bunner, Miriam Davis, Julia Day, Les Elliott, Elaine Gee, Celia Glanville, Jon Harris-Bass, Diane Morgan, Andy Nutkins, Lana Sauer, Jill Schrodel, Lauren Scott, Dawn Sikora, Amanda Silver, Stephen Smails, Brian West Production Team Musical Director & Choreographer Director Tom Rainbow Jim Snell

NODA Review

SOCIETY: WEMBLEY OPERATIC SOCIETY (WOS)
PRODUCTION: FOLLIES
VENUE: WINSTON CHURCHILL THEATRE, RUISLIP
DATE: 23/11/01
REPORT BY: VIC GOLDING (FOR HARVEY KESSELMAN)

Your NODA Rep, Harvey Kesselman, sends his deep apologies for not being able to see "Follies", a show to which he was very much looking forward. However, I was delighted at being asked to deputise for him.

My only experience of "Follies" was in 1987 when Jenny and I saw Cameron Mackintosh's London production. To be honest, neither of us remembers much about it, despite the presence in the cast of such luminaries as Diana Rigg, Julia McKenzie, Daniel Massey and David Healey as the main protagonists. Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson's duet "Listen to the rain" was the only number that stuck in my mind!

WOS's production, under Jim Snell and Tom Rainbow's brilliant direction, therefore came as a stunning revelation. What a tremendous amount of hard work they, and the whole cast, must have put into it.

Tom Rainbow, in particular, not only musically directed, but conducted the excellent orchestra, at one point while facing the audience and singing the opening number in his fine, powerful voice! All this and arranging the superb choreography too. Wow!

Not the fault of the Producer or cast, of course, but I found the 'plot' itself rather tedious, by having the younger 'ghosts' of themselves shadowing the main characters much of the time and copying their movements, which tended to distract attention from the leading quartet.

The all-purpose set was simple yet elegant, though the description of places in 'Loveland', in the otherwise excellent programme by Ted & Glenys Blake, didn't tie up with what we actually saw.

The Stage Manager, Stuart La-Plain, and his crew were quiet and efficient in their work and there were some clever lighting effects from John Jetten. Sound (from Dennis Cater and Ron Laver) was sometimes patchy as, in ensemble numbers, those with throat mikes tended to predominate.

Costumes were fantastic, combined with most effective and original make-up touches from Jean Lloyds and helpers. Props, though minimal, were handled well by Juliet Edgar and Amanda Hutchinson, who also took part as waitresses.

Jackie Lack, as Sally, gave a wonderful performance both as singer and actresss.

Her husband Buddy, played by Andy Taylor, partnered her very well with a good dramatic presence, and clever comedy as the red-nosed comic in "Buddy's Folly".

Clare Basinger only came to the role of Phyllis a short time ago, so her splendid performance was a real tour-de-force.

Jonathan Hassell played her husband Ben extremely well in acting and singing. However, his resemblance to a youthful Phil Silvers rather took away from his credibility in a romantic lead as a millionaire diplomat.

Their youthful counterparts, Sarah La-Plain, Simon Crowley, Rachel Lack and Michael Gee, did very well in these difficult roles, with the girls, particularly, foreshadowing their later 'selves'.

Physically, the young men were not so believable as the forerunners of Buddy and Ben, though, in their own right, the quartet put over their musical numbers successfully.

There were a multitude of cameo parts, especially for women, (this show is a godsend for more mature females!)

Vera West, Morris Levy, Shirley Emanuel and Maureen Abbs, as 'ex-performers', all made the most of their brief solo moments, with Sandra Papier (Carlotta), Marion Lang (Hattie) and Margaret Morrison (though looking far too young as Stella!) all coming across particularly well.

The most beautiful voice came from the lovely young actress, Angela Dunnett, as Young Heidi, definitely a performer to watch out for.

Peter Fidler, looking like the mature Howard Keel, made a good impression as the impresario, Dimitri Weissman. Incidentally, did anyone notice the pun on the name of his show - 'Wise Man's Follies'?

Ray May and Joan Lai-Tan, shadowed by Nigel Simpson and Sarah Blackstaffe, danced adroitly in "Bolero D'Amour", while Angela Charles and Sue Mitchell were amusing as Burlesque 'Margie' and 'Sally'.

Andy Nutkins played Kevin, a young waiter. His 'non-hair style' was quite unsuitable for the date (1970) in which the piece was set, when flowing locks (or at least SOME hair) was in vogue.

The chorus were very good, with some well-observed groupings and animation and nice dancing from the ladies, younger and older, though sometimes one or two of the latter weren't sure of their steps and had their eyes glued to the feet of those in front of them; excusable, I suppose, dramatically, as some of them weren't supposed to have danced in 30 years! Nevertheless, the effect of the dance
ensembles was rather marred.

Many thanks to Ethel Fidler for her kind hospitality, and to Jill Schrodel for inviting us to this most enjoyable and lavish show.