| I have always
been of the opinion that the word ‘amateur’ can
give the wrong impression when going to see a non-professional
theatrical production. Having seen the South Manchester
Amateur Operatic Society production of Guys
and Dolls, it has reinforced this belief. The show
was polished and professional, with the Brunswick Theatre
a perfect location. In fact the whole evening had that elusive
element of ‘poise’ that can so often be lacking
in some profession productions I have been to. This is hardly
surprising when you know the rich history of this small but
determined band of theatre lovers.
Guys and Dolls, set in 1940s New York,
tells the story of a group of small-time gamblers and the
ladies in their lives. Nathan Detroit bets his pal, Sky Masterson,
that he can't make the next lady he sees fall in love with
him, and when the next lady happens to be the prim and proper
neighborhood missionary Sarah Brown the stage is set for an
evening of high spirited entertainment, set to the toe tapping
beat of Loesser's superlative compositions.
From the opening scene, the size of the
production was obvious. The stage was filled with a menagerie
of New York residents, from hot box girls to crap shooters,
missionary bandsmen and the principal characters of the show.
The choreography was excellent with each character playing
out their daily lives on stage. From then on it is a whirlwind
of toe tapping songs and bright and colourful costumes, as
we follow the lives and loves of Broadway’s colourful
characters. One of the undoubted strengths of the show is
the musical score. There were 21 different numbers, all of
them catchy, bordering on infectious. I write this piece on
a Sunday afternoon, two days after seeing it and I still cannot
get Luck be a Lady out of my head. Speaking
of “ladies” I feel I must say that whilst all
the cast gave sterling performances; the undoubted star of
the show was Juliet Bowers’ portrayal of Miss
Adelaide. Her energy and enthusiasm were tempered
with timing and composure that made you look forward to her
every appearance on stage. On top of this she created one
of the best caricatures of a ‘New Yoik’ accent
I have ever heard. (That is not a spelling error by the way,
say it again out loud and you’ll know what I mean).
Her rendition of A Bushel and a Peck was
the highlight of the evening for me.
The society’s next production is
Kiss Me Kate which opens on Tuesday
18th October. I would recommend you do more than
read my review of it when it comes out. I suggest you book
tickets, "brush up your Shakespeare" and look forward
to an enjoyable evening of music and mayhem. Oh and last but
not least, the Brunswick Theatre boasts a well stocked and
fully licensed bar. What more could you want?
words by Spencer
Jacobs
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