The Derbyshire Times REVIEW : The Pajama Game, The Montgomery Theatre.
By Gay Bolton
Published on 26th April 2013
Like the quilted dressing gown that one of the characters wears in the musical, The Pajama Game has gone out of fashion.
It’s one of those shows that everyone’s heard of but few have seen in recent years, especially on the amateur scene.
So bravo to Southey Musical Theatre Company for reviving a work which, in its infancy, starred Doris Day and later was the launchpad for Shirley MacLaine in a film version.
The troupe make this week’s production at the Montgomery Theatre in Sheffield very much their own with a few tweaks to ensure the Fifties musical about militant factory workers pushing for a pay rise is relevant to a 21st century audience. Thankfully, they stop short of bringing a onesie into the parade of nightwear which the cast and orchestra wear for the entire show.
The biggest diversion from the original is the introduction of new comical characters, Cupid the Goddess of Desire and Eros the God of Love who appear on stage every time there’s a sniff of romance in the air. Katie Mather plays a coquettish, wide-eyed Cupid and Jamie Nuttall a bespectacled geeky Eros. While I loved their performance, older spectators familiar with the original weren't enamoured with the introduction of these characters and the pair drew muted applause at the end of their performance last night (Thursday).
That wasn’t the case for the leads - Mark Holmes, playing Sid the superintendent, and Gina Townend, playing Babe, the grievance committee head. They sing and dance their hearts out and the chemistry between them only comes with being a real-life couple, which they are. Mark and Gina cope well with one of the trickiest songs in musical theatre - There Once Was A Man, which gallops along like a posse of thoroughbred racehorses.
Great work, too, from Andy Hibbert as the nerdy time study executive Vernon whose upright composure disintegrates into drunken stumbling when he thinks he’s losing the love of his life. Andy’s dancing with Rosie Dyson, who plays Mabel the factory secretary, is one of the high spots of Act One.
Dancing is among the best I've seen in an amateur show with the ensemble’s co-ordinated routines as slick as a well-oiled machine. Viv Siberry-Scott, in the role of Brenda, vamps it up with some dirty dancing guaranteed to set pulses racing.
Working on the premise that the militant pajama factory workers have their hearts set on bedding each other, the whole show is played out on a set resembling a giant bed. There’s a massive headboard, with pillows and blankets stacked against it at the back of the stage while the floor and side panels are made to look like a well-sprung mattress. Lines of pajamas, bunting, a flashing love heart and electric light drop into view at various points during the show.
With stand-out songs such as Steam Heat, Once-A-Year Day and Hernando’s Hideaway, this production is well worth swapping a night in front of the telly for a quality live show.
Published on 26th April 2013
Like the quilted dressing gown that one of the characters wears in the musical, The Pajama Game has gone out of fashion.
It’s one of those shows that everyone’s heard of but few have seen in recent years, especially on the amateur scene.
So bravo to Southey Musical Theatre Company for reviving a work which, in its infancy, starred Doris Day and later was the launchpad for Shirley MacLaine in a film version.
The troupe make this week’s production at the Montgomery Theatre in Sheffield very much their own with a few tweaks to ensure the Fifties musical about militant factory workers pushing for a pay rise is relevant to a 21st century audience. Thankfully, they stop short of bringing a onesie into the parade of nightwear which the cast and orchestra wear for the entire show.
The biggest diversion from the original is the introduction of new comical characters, Cupid the Goddess of Desire and Eros the God of Love who appear on stage every time there’s a sniff of romance in the air. Katie Mather plays a coquettish, wide-eyed Cupid and Jamie Nuttall a bespectacled geeky Eros. While I loved their performance, older spectators familiar with the original weren't enamoured with the introduction of these characters and the pair drew muted applause at the end of their performance last night (Thursday).
That wasn’t the case for the leads - Mark Holmes, playing Sid the superintendent, and Gina Townend, playing Babe, the grievance committee head. They sing and dance their hearts out and the chemistry between them only comes with being a real-life couple, which they are. Mark and Gina cope well with one of the trickiest songs in musical theatre - There Once Was A Man, which gallops along like a posse of thoroughbred racehorses.
Great work, too, from Andy Hibbert as the nerdy time study executive Vernon whose upright composure disintegrates into drunken stumbling when he thinks he’s losing the love of his life. Andy’s dancing with Rosie Dyson, who plays Mabel the factory secretary, is one of the high spots of Act One.
Dancing is among the best I've seen in an amateur show with the ensemble’s co-ordinated routines as slick as a well-oiled machine. Viv Siberry-Scott, in the role of Brenda, vamps it up with some dirty dancing guaranteed to set pulses racing.
Working on the premise that the militant pajama factory workers have their hearts set on bedding each other, the whole show is played out on a set resembling a giant bed. There’s a massive headboard, with pillows and blankets stacked against it at the back of the stage while the floor and side panels are made to look like a well-sprung mattress. Lines of pajamas, bunting, a flashing love heart and electric light drop into view at various points during the show.
With stand-out songs such as Steam Heat, Once-A-Year Day and Hernando’s Hideaway, this production is well worth swapping a night in front of the telly for a quality live show.
NODA Review: The Pajama Game
Reviewed by: Mary Titterton on Saturday 27 April 2013
Director: Mark Feakins
Musical Director: Anna Wright
Choreographer: Martin Scattergood
WOW – what a production!!!!! From the curtain going up we knew we were in for an outstanding show. I must have seen a good 1000 shows in 60 years
of theatre going, but never a Musical Director dressed in a ‘baby-doll’!!!!-surprised that the musicians were able to concentrate! Congratulations to Mark and Martin for their foresight to direct and choreograph a ‘different interpretation’.
I really don’t know where to begin with the principals – they all sang and acted their parts with conviction, dedication and super characterisations from each one. The diction both singing and libretto was excellent and the American accent was held throughout the show. However, I can’t miss giving Katie and Jamie a mention for the joy they showed in their interpretations of Cupid and Eros – what a brilliant addition! The ensemble singing was excellent particularly as there is some difficult syncopated music andd they all looked as though they were enjoying themselves. The ‘giant bed’ set
worked extremely well and as far as the pajamas were concerned, I didn’t realise that there could be so many variations on a theme. The lighting was super and to me as a non-techie always seemed to be right on cue.
Well done to everyone!!! Here’s to Footloose.
Reviewed by: Mary Titterton on Saturday 27 April 2013
Director: Mark Feakins
Musical Director: Anna Wright
Choreographer: Martin Scattergood
WOW – what a production!!!!! From the curtain going up we knew we were in for an outstanding show. I must have seen a good 1000 shows in 60 years
of theatre going, but never a Musical Director dressed in a ‘baby-doll’!!!!-surprised that the musicians were able to concentrate! Congratulations to Mark and Martin for their foresight to direct and choreograph a ‘different interpretation’.
I really don’t know where to begin with the principals – they all sang and acted their parts with conviction, dedication and super characterisations from each one. The diction both singing and libretto was excellent and the American accent was held throughout the show. However, I can’t miss giving Katie and Jamie a mention for the joy they showed in their interpretations of Cupid and Eros – what a brilliant addition! The ensemble singing was excellent particularly as there is some difficult syncopated music andd they all looked as though they were enjoying themselves. The ‘giant bed’ set
worked extremely well and as far as the pajamas were concerned, I didn’t realise that there could be so many variations on a theme. The lighting was super and to me as a non-techie always seemed to be right on cue.
Well done to everyone!!! Here’s to Footloose.
Official Show Photographs (courtesy of Alan Thompson - all images are copyright).
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CAST LIST
Sid Sorokin Mark Holmes Babe Williams Gina Townend Vernon Hines Andrew Hibbert Gladys Hannah Richardson Cupid Katie Mather Eros Jamie Nuttall Mabel Rosie Dyson Prez Richard Granger Mr Hassler Richard Bevan Joe Jamie Cooke Charlie Digory Holmes Roberta Lynne Hickey Brenda Viv Siberry-Scott Poopsie Jessica Curr Mae Ciara Kelly Maxine Marie Mason Pop Frank Badger Dancing Pajamas Pennie Stannistreet |
ENSEMBLE Hayley Twigg, Jessica Barber, Laura Burley, Kathryn Stones, David Wood, Amy Bickerstaffe, Leigh Mason, Paul Roberts, Claire Sanderson, Ryan Morris, Daniah Moxam, Jennifer Martin, Melodie Abrahams, Joelle Brabban, Brian Gill, Matthew Bevan, Katie Parker. |