HALF A SIXPENCE

Chichester Festival Theatre

03.09.2016



“I see the London opening,” says actor/impresario Chitterlow. How perceptive. As we watch the Chichester production's last day, the cast already know that they will all transfer to the Noel Coward on October 29.
Not so hard to predict, really, given the track record of Chichester transfers. But nothing has been left to chance. This is “the new flash bang wallop musical”, the third incarnation of the original Tommy Steele vehicle. Radically, for those still mourning the Old Military Canal, the book has been given a makeover by Julian Fellowes, no less. And there are new songs a-plenty from Stiles and Drewe [Betty Blue Eyes, Travels with My Aunt].
That big number is key. Two lessons seem to have been learnt. First, you can't really follow that. So it's shifted to the Act Two finale. Second, the show needs more of the same. Big, energetic production numbers and British charm. Knees-up in the Hope and Anchor. Swinging from the chandeliers. So we have “Pick Out A Simple Tune”, “Back the Right Horse”, and, a charming seaside postcard duet for the girls - “Touch of Happiness”. But we still have “Money to Burn”, “If the Rain's Got to Fall”, and some of the quieter numbers: “Too Far Above Me”, “The One Who's Run Away”. Not to mention the title number.
The Chichester/Coward cast is led by Charlie Stemp as Kipps – a young, energetic, broadly beaming song and dance man. The two women in his life - “Up and Down the Social Scale” is another new number – are Devon-Elise Johnson as Anne and Emma Williams as Helen. Ian Bartholomew is a brilliant actor-laddie, who's also the vicar in the ensemble. More doubling from John Conroy as Mr Shalford and Foster the butler, and Gerard Carey as black sheep of the Walsingham family and, memorably, the camp photographer in that big number.
The design is based on a Victorian bandstand - “Borough of Folkestone” on the cast iron work – all blue skies and seaside with multiple revolves for smooth scene changes. And, this being Chichester, there's real wet rain at the end of Act One, and some wonderful production numbers, not least the show-stopping banjo orchestra.
Though it'll be a tall order to replicate our front row experience in the Noel Coward, formerly the Albery, still known as the New Theatre back in 1963 when Steele first played Kipps's banjo.

HALF A SIXPENCE

HALF A SIXPENCE

WOW! at the Public Hall Witham
15.02.16

Brought up on Glee and Grease, this very young company could hardly be expected to catch the spirit of this charmingly old-fashioned show – a museum piece even when it opened in the 60s – the last traditional musical to transfer from the West End to Broadway.
But I'm delighted to report that WOW's production, directed by Faith Rogers and Louise Lachance, with Ben Firth in the pit, is a lively, stylish evening.
The look is lovely – navy blue and boaters for the draper's apprentices, a vintage back-cloth for Folkestone's promenade, real Edwardian bats for the cricket match.
The dancing, too, is a delight, making the most of the restricted space – the ball, Economy, Money to Burn all inventively choreographed against Paul Lazell's simple, versatile set. And there are some real musical comedy performances in the large cast – amongst them Harry Tunningley's irrepressible Buggins and Dexter Montgomery's wonderful Chitterlow, knowing looks and extravagant thespian gestures, fond of Zola, Chekhov and Old Methuselah.
Kipps himself – the oldest apprentice in the employ of sour old Shalford [Chris Tierney] – is engagingly played by Jake Collis, with a winning Colgate smile and a nice line in self-deprecating narrative. His lost and confused soliloquy [What Should I Feel?] makes a nice contrast with the cheery chappy. The two women in his young life are Charlotte Toft's feisty Ann and Tasha Gooderham's elegant fashion-plate Helen. Too Far Above Me is a nice musical exposition of the class conflict at the heart of the H G Wells story. Amy Seymour makes a suitably unbending Mrs Walsingham, looking down on young Artie's attempts at social climbing.
The energetic ensemble – cricketers, carollers, customers and carpenters – is well deployed, with plenty of opportunities for cameos and striking stage pictures. The human staircase in particular sticks in the mind: a tiny moment, but typical of the care with which this show is crafted.



Photograph: Matilda Bourne Video: Alice Tunningley

HALF A SIXPENCE

HALF A SIXPENCE

Trinity Methodist Music and Drama at the Civic Theatre

15.05.12

A punchy, polished revival of a rather tired show, with too many so-so songs. And this new version has not improved it much – I used rather to like the old Military Canal.

But it was clear from Kipps' first entrance – stepping shyly into the spotlight to tell us his story and paint us the pictures – that this was a production that would draw us in and keep us entertained.

Toby Holland was the draper in question – rather fresh-faced to convince as the oldest apprentice in the business, but a very engaging all-rounder. His childhood sweetheart, who comes to find him in the wilds of Folkestone, was superbly played by Charlotte Reed. They headed a large cast, notable for including many new faces, and for being impressive in depth, from the Walsingham family right down to the deckchair man cum photographer.

I liked Joe Gray's left-wing apprentice, and Tony Brett's bibulous Chitterlow. The skinflint Shalford was given the full Dickensian treatment by Trinity stalwart Tony Court.

Beautifully dressed – in the Floral Hall especially – the chorus sang and moved with style and energy. The musical director was Gerald Hindes, the production was by Cathy Court, and the set design – a simple sixpence sliced in two – was by Paul Lazell.