9 TO 5

9 TO 5

WAOS
at the Public Hall, Witham

24.10.2017

A nostalgic journey back to 1979, nicely suggested in Witham by shades of brown and beige, with splendid hair and moustaches for the men, the villains in this vaguely feminist fairy tale.

This is “the Dolly Parton musical”; not a juke box selection of her greatest hits, but the play what she wrote, nearly ten years ago now, based on the 1980 film in which she starred with Jane Fonda.

She stars in this too – as a virtual presence, a one-woman Greek chorus projected behind the action – and vicariously as the Backwoods Barbie “too much make-up, too much hair”, played for WAOS by Sarah Miles. A very enjoyable performance, matched by the three other principal ladies – Matilda Bourne’s Judy, the new kid on the office block, Diana Easton’s Violet, a fine comedy presence and a polished vocalist, and Rhianna Howard’s excellent Roz, who’s besotted with the MCP boss of Consolidated, Franklin Hart Jr [Niels Bradley]. Emma Loring is the “old lush” Missy, and Dannii Carr the noble accountant who finally finds happiness with Violet.

“Glitchy” was the word in the interval bar: cues missed, lines fumbled, a recalcitrant harness. The big production numbers – One of the Boys, Heart to Hart, with the chorus in the aisles – worked well, but too often the songs were left to work their magic on an empty stage.

Nikki Mundell-Poole’s production has some fine dancing, and the fantasy sequences work well. James Tovey, the Musical Director, brings some so-so numbers to life – he has a convincing show-band in the Witham pit.

Had the show been done in the 70s – when the much missed Brigadoon was still thought a good night out – we could have expected similar tired cloths and wobbly flats. But no sound system pumping out the decibels, which might have resulted in a better band/vocal balance, allowing us to hear more of Ms Parton’s lyrics.

RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET

RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET

WAOS at the Public Hall, Witham

24.04.2017

Shakespeare's forgotten rock and roll masterpiece takes to the Witham stage in a production packed with energy and attack.
On an impressively high-tech set – flashing lights and giant plasma screen - the company throw themselves whole-heartedly into this irreverent mash-up of the Complete Works and high-camp hits of the 50s and 60s.
Claire Carr's production is assured in every department. Technically, the lighting is superb, with striking Close Encounters silhouettes; the monster and the air-lock [smoke and fan] are both highly effective. Video and animation are beautifully done. Musically the familiar songs are given barnstorming performances, with spectacular choreography: Who's Sorry Now – with the Swinging Space Cats – and Mr Spaceman – with silver lamé cowboy hats – among the many memorable production numbers. The pit band, conducted from the keyboard by James Tovey, provide very authentic instrumental support; special mention for the powerhouse drumming of Paul Codling. And the acting matches the camp, OTT style of the music.
Captain Tempest – the heart-throb hero – is David Everest-Ring, striking poses and selling the songs. His Navigation Officer, on this equal opportunities spaceship, is an excellent Rhianna Howard. Diana Easton makes a wonderful Gloria, with commanding stage presence and a great way with her numbers – Go Now, especially. Cookie – the simple, homespun lovesick lad - is the seriously talented Harry Tunningley: dancing, singing and verse-speaking all very accomplished. His duets with the Bosun [Emma Loring] are tremendous fun. He does however have a body double from the band to accompany his air guitar, since this is a company of dancers rather than actor-musicians. The inhabitants of the isle of D'Illyria are Stewart Adkins' mad scientist Prospero, making the most of Lear's storm, Claire Rowe's delightful Miranda, and, as the rolling Coke can Ariel, Tim Clarke, resplendent in his costume and skilled on his roller skates. A nice cameo in the Patrick Moore video role of Newsreader from Richard Cowen, who's also a member of the polished ensemble.
Hugely enjoyable from the opening Wipeout to the Great Balls of Fire finale, this is a laudably virtuosic production of a demanding musical theatre classic.

THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART

THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART

Eastern Angles at the Public Hall, Witham
31.03.2017



Eastern Angles are venturing further afield again. Last year's Cornish excursion was something of a disappointment, but this Scottish piece is a much more satisfying entertainment.
It has all the elements of an Eastern Angles production: a small company of actor-musicians, and a story firmly rooted in the region. Which in this case is the Scottish borders. A Kelso pub hosts a folk night, with four musicians – fiddles and guitars – warming us up with Rabbie Burns. Then the lights go down, and the story-telling starts, with the four performers changing character and swapping rhyming couplets, with some deliciously ingenious rhymes. The ballad form is central here. Our heroine [Hanna Howie] is an academic, specialising in “folk studies” and “the topography of Hell” - not so much Dante as Dennis Wheatley.
There's fun to be had as she speaks at a pretentious conference. Her nemesis, Colin [Robin Hemmings] first appears on his motor-bike, brilliantly brought to life with lights, a helmet and a noisy kazoo. Then it's off to the pub, the Devil's ceilidh, a snow-bound lock-in on Midwinter Eve, an encounter with a woman [Elspeth Turner] and her children under a sodium street-lamp, and Prudencia's first meeting with Nick [Simon Donaldson] from Goodman's Field, who has a warm fire waiting for her …
After a cliff-hanging interval the darker second half is mostly a two hander, set in Nick's B&B, where Prudencia spends an eternity cataloguing his library and watching the weeds grow in the Asda car park outside. The other two actors providing the atmospheric underscore.
There is a happy ending, though; redemption in rhyme, love requited, the damsel rescued by Colin, who's been holding a torch for her all along.
David Greig's piece is certainly strange, veering from satire to suspense to sentiment. Despite the occasional longueur – the grotesque karaoke - Hal Chambers' direction keeps us enthralled: the puppet children, the dream dance, the many mutations of tug-of-war Prudencia.
The original National Theatre of Scotland production was designed to be performed in pubs. The folk club intimacy was sometimes hard to re-create in the Public Hall, despite their excellent bar and some cabaret-style tables. But the music is excellent - not just folk, but Katy Perry for the karaoke, the Devil's Kylie [“Can't Get You Out Of My Head”] for the finale.

The production tours round the region's village halls until the end of May; if I could choose, I'd probably plump for Isaac's on the Quay back in Ipswich, a genuine music venue with just the right ambience.

production photograph by Mike Kwasniak

WOW! 20th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

WOW! 

20th 

ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

at the Public Hall, Witham

27.08.2016


Twenty years ago, as a spin-off from WAOS's Oliver, the Witham Operatic Workshop was born. Their first show, in 1996, was Joseph; their latest, last February, Half A Sixpence.
And in a memorable occasion in the Public Hall, alumni, newbies, fans and families, and the many adult creatives and organizers who have encouraged the youngsters over the years, came together to celebrate their [almost] coming of age in an emotional anniversary concert produced by Graham Green.
Director Rhianna Howard gave us a very varied selection box – remarkably slick, given the circumstances – of musicals both popular and obscure. She joined Faith Rogers for Smash!, from the Marilyn Monroe musical Bombshell. There was an impressive dance number by the Chicago girls, immediately followed by the Bad Guys from Bugsy … “with all the talent we had ...”
Among the stand-out solos: Rosie Goddard singing and acting Andrew Lippa, Elizabetb Johnson giving us Lerner and Loewe. A great tap routine to I Got Rhythm, and as an appetiser for Ben Elton's juke-box We Will Rock You, a crowd-pleasing in-joke by the Backstage Crew [the Gang Show collides with Queen]. Shrek, Avenue Q, Jekyll and Hyde, and of course the timeless classics, Can't Stop the Beat [on these boards in 2012] and One Day More [2009].
The Musical Director was Thomas Duchan; his pit band treated us to wonderfully wide-ranging medleys of musical-theatre melodies, ingeniously arranged by Phil Toms, for the Overture and the Entr'acte - Summer Nights [2014] segue into Our House [2015].

Good to hear Broadway flop Bonnie and Clyde revived; next February another new-ish musical, created in 2009 for Youth Music Theatre UK, James Bourne's Son of Dork show Loserville.

SWASH

SWASH

The Essex Group
at the Public Hall, Witham
14.07.2016


A world première at the Public Hall.
A colourful crowd-pleaser from the Essex Group ,which would fit neatly into the increasingly popular Summer Panto genre, were it not for some ripe pirate expletives.
The book, by the indefatigable Gary Sullivan, who also directed the show and starred as a Pugwash Pirate King [Horney by name], tells the unlikely story of two pirate bands, one of each gender, who begin as hated rivals but find love and gold on Paradise Island.
WS Gilbert is never far away, and is referenced and quoted more than once. Spamalot is cited as an influence, too. Ashton Moore's accomplished music, though, ranges much more widely, with many hit musicals from Lloyd Webber to Les Mis affectionately parodied.
The men and the maids are already paired up by the interval, and some of the second half seems like treading water, though the pace picks up again with a series of short, snappy scenes and a stonking finale. And the lyrics, and the book, with its verbose flights of imagery and insistent smut, are not always as polished as the music.
But luckily Sullivan has an excellent cast at his command. All the pirates and piratesses are given amusing names, and, often, comic characters to go with them. Too many to credit here, but bouquets to Sue Cawley, channelling Carol Channing in a superb performance as Corsetta Basque, to Sean Hynes as Brollie Drip, who was equally impressive in ballet, backing group and banter [and doesn't really fall down on his innuendo], and to Jackie Parry, a consummate comedienne in the role of Gertrude, the Ruth of this version, a hideous grotesque - “When Will I Ever Find A Man”, she warbles in a delicious pastiche.
The lovers – Young John Thomas and Rosie Petal - were beautifully played, and sung, by Joe Baker and Charlotte Cavedasca, while Pastor and Brioche, the two French spies, with their mangled vowels, were well done by Tom Jervis and Josh Handley, who also helped out the Pirates when they were busy.
Great choreography by Hannah Fayers – there's even a tap routine - and excellent chorus numbers: the nine man opener, and the self-referencing Act One finale particularly impressive.

Carry On meets G&S – ridiculous plot and risqué humour – and all done with shameless charm and saucy style.

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE [AUSTRALIAN VERSION]

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

Witham Amateur Operatic Society at the Public Hall

25.04.16


There've been some pretty rum Pirates since copyright expired back in the 60s. All-male, Papp on Broadway, The Parson's Pirates [my favourite, from Opera della Luna]. And earlier this month a splendid Steampunk version at Brentwood.
WAOS went for the Australian version, with some modern tweaks, especially in the chorus numbers, some added business and topical asides, plus a lively megamix finale.
All the messing about did little for me. It seemed designed for a different company, a different audience. The “orphan” joke was made even less funny by being interrupted, General Stanley's character was not improved by what the Pirate King called his “flowers out the jacksie” moment. And the Fabulettes [Stanley's daughters] were allowed to upstage Mabel's aria, and encouraged to flirt outrageously with Frederick, in direct contradiction of the libretto.
But a cracking pace and many enjoyable performances produced an entertaining evening of alternative G&S.
Mabel was excellently sung by Jessica Edom-Carey, well matched by the equally youthful Frederick of Thomas Pleasant. Their wonderful Act Two duet is still echoing in my memory. Tom Whelan's staunchly traditional Major-General took his patter song at a brisk pace, well sustained until the lame encore. David Slater made a flamboyant Pirate King in his burgundy trousers; Anne Wilson was a superb Scots Ruth, the piratical maid-of-all work. And Stewart Adkins excelled as the Sergeant of Police – an interpretation which was hilarious both vocally and physically – at the head of his cleverly choreographed coppers. The Foeman number was the best thing in the show.
Fine ensemble work from the pirates too, and from the whole company in the Ode to Poetry, mercifully unimproved. The Fabulettes – a sexy sextet of smokers in beehive hairdos, led by Emma Loring's Chardonnay – enjoyed some nice harmony work.
The design could have been Pixar, with the towering cliffs of books, and the costumes were bright and stylish – lots of butch kilts for the Pirates.
Thomas Duchan directed – he was in the pit, too, playing an unsubtle keyboard reduction. The excellent soloists not always best served by generous decibels from the sound system.
WAODS gave the show their all; a big, bold, irreverent take on a favourite Savoy Opera. But my advice to other societies would be save your money, stick to the original, or be like Brentwood, or Trinity, and steer your own course.

publicity shot: Nick Griffin

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

SLEEPING BEAUTY

SLEEPING BEAUTY
The Essex Group at Witham Public Hall
20.12.2015

Gary Sullivan's Sleeping Beauty – bringing the shameless excitement of panto to Witham – takes some liberties with the tale, but gives generous opportunities to its performers of all ages. The script revels in some entertaining flights of linguistic fancy and rhyming fun.
The production has a professional feel – flashy merchandise, strong, outgoing performances, slick choreography, impressive pyrotechnics and a hi-tech mirror ball.
And there are some excellent people in the company. Engaging the audience and providing much of the on-stage energy, Josh Handley's lively Jester Jack, a perfect panto performance. A nice foil for the coarse-grained Nanny Sally of writer/director Gary Sullivan. 
Jackie Parry has all the menacing moves for a boo-able Maleficent, another strong characterization. Very promising work from many of the youngsters: George Bedwell as the Squire to Julian Harris's “stunning looking Prince”, Lily Downes as Subservient, sidekick to the Wicked Witch, and Ben Blackborow working incredibly hard as a bumbling aviator, a village idiot, Walnut and Dreyfus the Dragon.
Shona Ekins makes a charming, feisty Fairy Nuff, marshalling her tiny corps de ballet, “representing the whole fairy kingdom”. Nice, confident performances, beautifully costumed. Super frocks for the dancers, too, even for the trees in the “obnoxious forest”. And of course some gorgeous creations for the Dame, including a great super-hero reveal.
The musical numbers are polished and energetic – a Hairspray kick-line, something sweet from Anastasia, and for the happy-ever-after ending, Grease and Walk the Moon. A little more music would have been welcome, and a little less innuendo, perhaps.
Essex Group are back in panto mode next year – nine performances of Puss in Boots for Christmas 2016 – but before then, the ever-popular Oliver!, coming to the Public Hall in April.

THE PRODUCERS

THE PRODUCERS

WAOS at the Public Hall, Witham

31.10.2015

A “new Mel Brooks musical”. Well, not so new, now. It's nearly 15 years since Bloom and Bialystock hit Broadway running. But it certainly has the hilarious hand of Brooks all over it, adapted of course from his cult film of 1968, though a little lighter in tone, more upbeat, and of course crammed with loads of extra songs.

In this fine production for WAOS, Amy Trigg sets the relentless slapstick action against a black set, cleverly focussing our attention on the actors and the colourful costumes.

The unlikely pairing of mild-mannered accountant and hard-bitten impresario is the core of the comedy. And Witham field a superb double act, in the glorious tradition of musical theatre. Michael Watling is the callow Leo, hysterically clutching his blue blanket and dreaming his fantasy world of showbiz. Max, the cynical hack who's lost the Midas touch and now turns to little old ladies for kicks and cash to bankroll his shows, is in the capable hands of David Slater, selling some pretty so-so numbers and enthusiastically painting this larger-than-life portrait of a desperate producer.

They're surrounded by an OTT collection of eccentrics and oddballs, including Corrina Wilson's buxom Ulla, David Everest-Ring's delicious De Bris with his Chrysler Building gown and his “common-law assistant” Carmen [Lewis Behan], who gets to join the brown-shirt kickline in Act Two. Stuart Scott Brown makes the most of the Nazi nutter Liebkind; a very strong comedy performance, excellent vocally, too. Amongst the grannies and the camp followers, honourable mentions for Rhianna Howard's “Hold Me Touch Me”, Tim Clarke's Stormtrooper, Dexter Montgomery's promising Sabu [without his elephant] and Constance Lawton and Emma Loring as the Usherettes who kick off the whole show at the première of Funny Boy, Bialystock's take on Hamlet.

Some great ensemble work, with choreography by Louise La Chance: the Zimmer routine amongst many others. “That Face”, for Leo and Ulla, is a perfect pastiche of the glory days of the romantic musical.

Like Max's dire musicals, the show is, if not “guaranteed to offend”, then at least coarse, tasteless and unsubtle. Jews, Irish, gays and geriatrics all on the sharp end of the satire. Some of the numbers seem like padding, even the brilliantly done recap soliloquy for Max.

But the central concept is still strong, and the energetic company at Witham extract every ounce of outrageous comedy from it. Lots of delicious detail [De Bris' doorbell] and slick staging – the scene changes laudably smooth and swift.

In the pit, the nostalgic sound of a big, brassy band – Thomas Duchan is the MD.

Next up from WAOS, not, alas, the Bialystock/Bloom Rabbis of Penzance, but the almost as improbable Australian version of the G&S Pirates – not one for Savoy purists, I would guess.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

Witham Amateur Operatic Society

27.04.2015

Cartoon strip, black and white tv show, a popular, if not critical, success on Broadway, and the West End planned for next year.

This wonderfully weird family is busy in Essex just now, with WAOS this week, and LODS [at the Palace Westcliff] next.

The Witham show looks great, with projected backdrops and some stunning stage pictures. The living dead, the assorted ancestral Addamses from history, are pallid and wraith-like, with creative costumes in shades of beige and grey.

Against them, the harsher black and white of the present-day family, and the tasteful leisure-wear of their inlaws-to-be, the Beinekes from Ohio.

Some excellent performances in both camps. Corrina Wilson is priceless as Mrs Beineke: whining voice, powerful soprano and a spectacular “Waiting” after her chalice has been spiked. Stewart Adkins, as Gomez Addams, bears the brunt of the show, ably keeping the comedy coming and delivering some brilliant numbers; Constance Lawton his classy Morticia. The rest of the clan have varying success with the very special style this show demands – Edward Groombridge gives a splendid Grandma, and Fraser McLaughlan shows presence and polish as Pugsley. Trevor Marks has his moments as the moonstruck Fester, though the role demands a little more, perhaps.

The star-crossed lovers are engagingly portrayed by Ashton Reed and Ed Tunningley.

Nikki Mundell-Poole's energetic production is imaginatively staged – the supper-table “Full Disclosure”, jazz hands and enthusiasm from the ensemble, “Death Is Just Around The Corner”, the trees in Central Park, the “Secrets” dance routine, the chorus in “One Normal Night”.

All in the worst possible taste. The lyrics frequently sound feeble, the book is patchy, though there are some winning lines: “... makes Mary Poppins sound like Medea./I'm not getting your references./ Well quit the texting and pick up a book for once!”.

The music, though rarely memorable, is serviceable in many genres, and is well served by the company under Musical Director Geoff Osborne.

Always good to see a new musical, even if the characters are familiar. And Witham certainly pull out all the stops to sell the show. But I'm not sure I shall be queuing outside the St James's next year …

production photo courtesy of Matilda Bourne

video: Nick Griffin Film

WAOS The Addams Family Teaser #2 from Nick Griffin Film on Vimeo.

OUR HOUSE

OUR HOUSE

WOW! 

at the Public Hall, Witham

16.02.15

Oh what fun they had – and we did too – at this bizarre blend of morality play and Madness tunes.
Chief strength of Amy Trigg's lively production is the imaginative and challenging choreography by Louise Lachance. The schoolroom Baggy Trousers, the exercise yard, even the characterful curtain calls are all brilliantly conceived and executed by an energetic company.
A clutch of hugely enjoyable performances by WOW regulars includes the surefire comedy duos of Emmo and Lewis, the “gormless prats” brilliantly done by Jack Martyn and Max Lenoir, and the shallow girls Billie and Angie, Alice Tunningley and Ashton Reed.
Ben Huish brings presence and pathos to the two Joes, black and white, wrong and right, and is vocally very assured. His girl, Sarah, is excellently sung by Rosie Goddard – duetting with Joe in It Must Be Love, and with his dead Dad in NW5.
Mark Ellis, haunting his son like Hamlet's father on the battlements, guides Joe, and us, through the dual development – Simple Equation, books balanced, justice seen to be done.
Strong support in smaller roles from, amongst many others, Amy Seymour as Joe's Irish Mum, Ed Tunningley as the evil Reecey, Chris Tierney as the fat cat property tycoon, and Bella Tull as Julie on Reception.
Wings of a Dove might usefully be more kitsch, but there are many superb stage pictures on the bold geometric set – notably the fatal birthday party with the cake and balloons and the crazy joy ride in Joe's 80 quid car.
Emma Firth's punchy band – with the crucial saxes to the fore – provides great backing for those iconic numbers, which, lest we forget, charted years before these young actors were born ...

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

WAODS at the Public Hall, Witham

27.10.2014

The Sound of Music is one of the last great book musicals, and one of the best known, largely due to those post-turkey screenings of Christmases past.

Good to see the show live on stage again in the Public Hall in Witham.

Among the strengths of Eric Smart's production for WAOS are impressive choral singing [the MD is Susannah Edom] both from the nuns of Nonnberg, and from the Von Trapp family, and an excellent group of children, from Faith Rogers' lovely Liesl to Ella Bradley's tiny Gretl.

The demanding role of Maria is taken by Corrina Wilson, in a spirited, extrovert performance, with huge stage presence. Perhaps a little too knowing, a little too pert at times, but every familiar number is wonderfully sung.

A perfect performance, too, from Julie Codling as Elsa – stylish and shallow, making the most of the catchy How Can Love Survive trio with the upright Naval Captain Georg [Niels Bradley] and the amoral Max [Tom Whelan] And Janet Moore makes a marvellous Abbess, singing Climb Every Mountain with superb phrasing and real emotion.

Do-Re-Mi is imaginatively staged and energetically realised, and there's inventive choreography for Liesl and her beau Rolf [a personable Edward Tunningley] in Sixteen Going On Seventeen. We are treated to a big Viennese wedding, and an elegant soirée for Elsa.

Elsewhere, it's a swings and roundabouts show. A great stage picture for the moving final number, but a very cramped corner for the Abbess's Office. Stunning swastikas and storm-troopers for the Festival Concert scene, but the key moment where Georg's hard heart is melted by music goes for almost nothing. There's a sadly un-Alpine lakeside not only for Georg's villa, but also for Maria's beloved hillside. And those unmistakably English church bells …

JACK THE RIPPER

JACK THE RIPPER

WAOS at the Public Hall, Witham

03.05.2014

Jack the Ripper a musical ? Why not, when grand opera, and Sweeney Todd happily spin tunes around the most horrific atrocities. And Oliver, that most family-friendly of shows, has its share of true crime and 'orrible murder. In fact Denis de Marne and Ron Pember's piece from the 1970s has many points of similarity with Bart's greatest hit, not least, in Witham's production, the backdrop of St Paul's, not normally visible from Whitechapel.

But the ingenious concept, which works really well here, alternates those mean streets with the escapist warmth of the Steam Packet. A Music Hall, complete with singalongs, melodramas and Master of Ceremonies, though, alas, without his gavel.

The swift transition between the two is one of the strong points of Kerry King's production – dustbins become tables, a violent confrontation morphs into melodrama.

A large cast fills the stage, singing the choruses very impressively. And there are plenty of talented principals to carry the drama and the catchy numbers of Pember's score. David Slater is our Chairman, a strong personality commanding the stage with a fine singing voice. Marie Kelly – a real character, like most of those portrayed here – is beautifully interpreted by Keiley Hall [another fine vocalist], bringing bravado and pathos to the role of the streetwalker and soubrette. Emma Loring confidently takes on the unlikely combination of Queen Victoria and Lizzie. Montague Druitt, a fascinating if enigmatic figure, is strongly done by Stuart Adkins, and amongst the many colourful characters on display I was especially taken with Tom Whelan's Bluenose, doubled with the Duke of Clarence, one of the many names associated with the Ripper over the years.

Various suspects appear briefly in a kind of Gang Show number [I was disappointed that they didn't reprise their ditties in ensemble], one of many delightful touches, the rainy funeral and the graveside monologue another. The coppers in drag – though loved by the audience – could have done with some more ambitious choreography, true of many of the numbers. We longed for a few Consider Yourself moments from the chorus, for example. And not all of the dialogue was as lively and colourful as the music.

But the pastiche score is well served by this enthusiastic company, and by MD James Tovey and his evocative little pit band. This unusual treatment of a popular penny dreadful is very entertainingly revived forty years after its première.