CAROUSEL - 2007
The Sheffield Telegraph
You would have hardly expected to find one of the years finest amateur performances in an extremely small production of a Broadway giant. But when Alison Robertson as the ill-fated Julie Jordan sings If I Loved You it feels like you are experiencing all the joy, pain and passion of one of 20th Century theatres greatest love songs for the very first time in a performance that is both deeply moving and ultimately uplifting.
Making a virtue of necessity, director Val Mills takes a minor company like Southey Musical Theatre and performs something close to a miracle.
Recognising a lack of facilities – though not a lack of talent in an extremely strong ensemble – she keeps things generally simple and even rises admirably to the challenge of the second act ballet, usually one of the most difficult moments in a complex show for even the most advantaged company.
Fraser Wilkinson has vocal strength and moments of dramatic sensitivity as suicidal Billy Bigelow and if he perhaps lacks the rough edges needed for the part, that’s more than compensated for by Andrew Greens menacing Jigger.
There are some delightful comic touches from Gina Townends Carrie and, of course, a great showstopper when Lynne Hickey takes centre stage for You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Down in the pit, musical director Andrew Griffiths is also doing some outstanding work as he makes a band of just five do the work of a much bigger team.
But the memory you’ll really take away is the voice of fine young Australian Robertson giving a performance of such clarity and sincerity that you’ll even be seduced by the rather dodgy message wrapped up in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s soaring words and music.
You would have hardly expected to find one of the years finest amateur performances in an extremely small production of a Broadway giant. But when Alison Robertson as the ill-fated Julie Jordan sings If I Loved You it feels like you are experiencing all the joy, pain and passion of one of 20th Century theatres greatest love songs for the very first time in a performance that is both deeply moving and ultimately uplifting.
Making a virtue of necessity, director Val Mills takes a minor company like Southey Musical Theatre and performs something close to a miracle.
Recognising a lack of facilities – though not a lack of talent in an extremely strong ensemble – she keeps things generally simple and even rises admirably to the challenge of the second act ballet, usually one of the most difficult moments in a complex show for even the most advantaged company.
Fraser Wilkinson has vocal strength and moments of dramatic sensitivity as suicidal Billy Bigelow and if he perhaps lacks the rough edges needed for the part, that’s more than compensated for by Andrew Greens menacing Jigger.
There are some delightful comic touches from Gina Townends Carrie and, of course, a great showstopper when Lynne Hickey takes centre stage for You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Down in the pit, musical director Andrew Griffiths is also doing some outstanding work as he makes a band of just five do the work of a much bigger team.
But the memory you’ll really take away is the voice of fine young Australian Robertson giving a performance of such clarity and sincerity that you’ll even be seduced by the rather dodgy message wrapped up in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s soaring words and music.
SUGAR - 2008
'Josephine' & 'Daphne'
The Sheffield Star
Strictly it should be Sugar, the title of the 1972 Jule Styne / Bob Merrill musical based very closely on the famous 1959 Billy Wilder film.
Southey Musical Theatre Company have opted to put it on with the film title, as happened when it landed on the West End 20 years later. It has never caught on but it’s great fun with a jolly score by Styne, if not quite the equal of his biggest hits, Gypsy and gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Leaving aside occasional first night problems, Southeys staging, strongly motivated with insightful touches by Val Mills, is hugely successful from the point of view of some outstanding performances.
Malcolm Mason (Joe/Josephine) and Tim Wright (Jerry/Daphne) are simply marvellous, even if the former recalls Tony Curtis as Junior and the latter Jack Lemmon every so often when he is in drag. Their duets are extremely well done.
Sugar herself (Marilyn Monroe in the film), Emma Townend, is sweet and charming in a lovely portrayal, while Graham Seaton’s Osgood Fielding (totally different to Joe Brown) is hilarious – the rib-tickling Beautiful Through and Through duet with ‘Daphne’ is superb.
Superb is the only way to describe Andrew Stansall who brilliantly tap-dances his way through the part of Spats Palazzo – George Raft would never, ever have done that!
Danni Birks’ feisty Sweet Sue and Steve Andrews ulcer-ridden Beinstock are also eminently worthy of not being missed in a show that deserves to be seen.
Strictly it should be Sugar, the title of the 1972 Jule Styne / Bob Merrill musical based very closely on the famous 1959 Billy Wilder film.
Southey Musical Theatre Company have opted to put it on with the film title, as happened when it landed on the West End 20 years later. It has never caught on but it’s great fun with a jolly score by Styne, if not quite the equal of his biggest hits, Gypsy and gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Leaving aside occasional first night problems, Southeys staging, strongly motivated with insightful touches by Val Mills, is hugely successful from the point of view of some outstanding performances.
Malcolm Mason (Joe/Josephine) and Tim Wright (Jerry/Daphne) are simply marvellous, even if the former recalls Tony Curtis as Junior and the latter Jack Lemmon every so often when he is in drag. Their duets are extremely well done.
Sugar herself (Marilyn Monroe in the film), Emma Townend, is sweet and charming in a lovely portrayal, while Graham Seaton’s Osgood Fielding (totally different to Joe Brown) is hilarious – the rib-tickling Beautiful Through and Through duet with ‘Daphne’ is superb.
Superb is the only way to describe Andrew Stansall who brilliantly tap-dances his way through the part of Spats Palazzo – George Raft would never, ever have done that!
Danni Birks’ feisty Sweet Sue and Steve Andrews ulcer-ridden Beinstock are also eminently worthy of not being missed in a show that deserves to be seen.
SUMMER HOLIDAY - 2009
The Sheffield Telegraph
A stage musical of the hit film starring Cliff Richard put on by Southey Musical Theatre Company, should have appealed to an audience of Cliff devotees only. And whilst the audience was made up predominantly of women,mostly of a certain age, it was an enjoyable performance for all.
The tale of Don and his friends holiday to the South of France in a double decker bus-cum holiday caravan is not a blissfully straightforward affair.
On the way they meet a female singing trio,. A stowaway superstar and manage to sing, yes, sing, their way out of many run-ins with the foreign police.
Thankfully, the focus was not on the depth of the plat but rather the singing, dancing and insurmountable levels of energy produced by the cast.
Engaging throughout, the production really came to life when the lively, upbeat ensemble joined the main characters on stage for such numbers as We Say Yeah and Do You Wanna Dance.
Every member of the cast from Don (Daniel Storey) and Barbara (Grace Mason) to the ensemble was fully committed, with Stella (Claire Sanderson) and Steve (John Crowther) standing out as the stars of the show.
So whilst the plot is horrendously clichéd, it is forgiven on the grounds of the sheer entertainment value on the production.
A stage musical of the hit film starring Cliff Richard put on by Southey Musical Theatre Company, should have appealed to an audience of Cliff devotees only. And whilst the audience was made up predominantly of women,mostly of a certain age, it was an enjoyable performance for all.
The tale of Don and his friends holiday to the South of France in a double decker bus-cum holiday caravan is not a blissfully straightforward affair.
On the way they meet a female singing trio,. A stowaway superstar and manage to sing, yes, sing, their way out of many run-ins with the foreign police.
Thankfully, the focus was not on the depth of the plat but rather the singing, dancing and insurmountable levels of energy produced by the cast.
Engaging throughout, the production really came to life when the lively, upbeat ensemble joined the main characters on stage for such numbers as We Say Yeah and Do You Wanna Dance.
Every member of the cast from Don (Daniel Storey) and Barbara (Grace Mason) to the ensemble was fully committed, with Stella (Claire Sanderson) and Steve (John Crowther) standing out as the stars of the show.
So whilst the plot is horrendously clichéd, it is forgiven on the grounds of the sheer entertainment value on the production.
The Sheffield Star
Summer Holiday full company
Southey Musical Theatre Company put on a riveting version of the musical based on the famous 1963 film, starring Cliff Richard. Despite being set in the swinging 60s, it’s a refreshingly wholesome family tale about having fun and seizing the moment. Its set in the good old days when Cliff was actually quite cool.
Don and a trio of fellow bus mechanics at a London transport overhaul works take a bus around Europe on holiday. Inevitablt they meet some girls on the way as well as picking up a
stowaway.
As a subplot, the mother and agent of the stowaway, a famous inger, chase her all over Europe.
All Cliffs famous songs are here including Bachelor Boy, The Young Ones and, of course, the title tune, Summer Holiday. Other songs light up the show however. Don and the boys start us off with the very catchy In The Country at a London
transport café. Later we witness the sweet harmonies of Time Drags By in France. A rousing version of We Say Yeah from Don and Company in Switzerland finishes Act 1.
Choreographers Sarah Maylor and Rosie Southwick have done a terrific job with the dancing. There are some spectacular jive moves involving girls flipped over the head, through the legs and spun around the body.
In Italy, we get the fabulous song Do You Wanna Dance and later, in Athens, the girls do an authentically sixties sounding version ofI’m The Lonely One.
Don and a trio of fellow bus mechanics at a London transport overhaul works take a bus around Europe on holiday. Inevitablt they meet some girls on the way as well as picking up a
stowaway.
As a subplot, the mother and agent of the stowaway, a famous inger, chase her all over Europe.
All Cliffs famous songs are here including Bachelor Boy, The Young Ones and, of course, the title tune, Summer Holiday. Other songs light up the show however. Don and the boys start us off with the very catchy In The Country at a London
transport café. Later we witness the sweet harmonies of Time Drags By in France. A rousing version of We Say Yeah from Don and Company in Switzerland finishes Act 1.
Choreographers Sarah Maylor and Rosie Southwick have done a terrific job with the dancing. There are some spectacular jive moves involving girls flipped over the head, through the legs and spun around the body.
In Italy, we get the fabulous song Do You Wanna Dance and later, in Athens, the girls do an authentically sixties sounding version ofI’m The Lonely One.
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