GYPSY

GYPSY

Little Theatre Company at the Palace Theatre, Southend

09.11.2017

Stripper and author Gypsy Rose Lee was a close contemporary of Westcliff’s historic theatre. Like her, it’s witnessed the death of Variety. So it’s particularly fitting that it should house this superlative production of the show, and get its moment in the spotlight, substituting in the audition scene for T T Grantzinger’s Palace Theatre in New York.

As all fans of the musical theatre will know, there’s been a high-profile, starry revival of this, so expectations must have been high as Essex awaited this production, by Darren Harper for the Little Theatre Company.

Exceeded many times over, I would suggest, with a show that feels professional in every department, from the polished sound of the pit band, conducted by Clare Penfold, to the glossy programme, edited by Gemma Carracher and designed by Bradley Green.

It’s not really about the stripper, of course, but her determined “stage mother” Madame Rose. This force of nature is played by Stephanie Wilson; a marathon performance that never misses a beat. The numbers are impeccably sung; everything is immaculately judged – pinching Pop’s long-service plaque, picking up juvenile talent on the road, willing her daughters on from the wings, upbeat at the end of Act One, broken and defeated at the end of Act Two. We feel for her throughout her journey, so I was relieved she got the relatively happy ending which was also used in Chichester.

This was an extraordinary tour-de-force by an experienced musical theatre performer at the height of her powers. But it was by no means the only outstanding turn.

Alice Fillary, in her first appearance with LTC, is a superbly subtle Louise, evolving from the lumpen “Plug” to the slinky star of burlesque. The shy smile as she retrieves the glove she dropped is the turning point, perhaps. Her duet with “Dainty” June [Eleanor Softly] – If Momma was Married, some of Sondheim’s best lyrics here – is beautifully played.

As the generous, forgiving Herbie, Ian Benson brought a gentle charm and a pleasingly warm vocal tone. A lovely triple from Paul Allwright, including a bemused “have an egg roll” Mr Goldstone and Rose’s father.

Laura Witherall’s choreography includes some fabulously cheesy routines – the Broadway Chorus Boys – and it is good to see a fine dancer [Chris Higginson] in the role of Tulsa, the boy who elopes with Baby June. His sequence with Louise – All I Need is the Girl – is very movingly done.

The casting is strong all the way down the billing to Chowsie the dog. It would be impossible to name-check everyone, but unforgivable to omit the children – Holly Hall, with her Shirley Temple smile, was Baby June when I saw the show – or the raddled strippers – Lianne Larthe doubling Electra and the cynical Miss Crachitt in the traditional fashion.

Only my second experience of Little Theatre Company, I think, and my last “professional” visit to the dear old Palace. Wonderfully memorable on both counts, I’m delighted to report.

OUR HOUSE

OUR HOUSE

Chelmsford Young Generation at the Civic Theatre

08.11.17

A typically exuberant performance by Young Gen of this iconic Madness morality musical.

Director Sallie Warrington opts for a simple staging – twin triangular trucking towers, an upper level for the juniors,  black and white curtained doorways for the “simple equation” - and fills the stage with boisterous, streetwise, cheeky kids. Excellent ensemble work, not only with the famous dancing desks, but Camden Market, the faceless prison inmates, the Wings of a Dove production number, and much more. Though the opening of the second act feels very static by comparison.

A splendid crop of principals, headed by Charlie Toland as “Golden Boy” Joe Casey, whose Sliding Doors moment triggers the seven-year alternative lives of Good and Bad. His loyal girl Sarah the lawyer is wonderfully sung by Jessie Hadley, with exemplary diction – not the case for everyone on stage, meaning that Our House newbies might struggle with the finer points of the plot.

Great comedy support from Millie Parsons and Livi Khattar as the two girls turning up like bad pennies, and from Matt Wickham and red-shoed, magnetic Reuben Beard as the “gormless prats”.

Dan Hall is determined to shine in a quartet of cameo roles, and Oliver Gardner manages three other characters in addition to the property developer Pressman. The evil Reecey is played with a palpably malign presence by Jack Toland.

The grown-ups are Jill Gordon, a movingly subtle performance as Mrs Casey, and Assistant Director Jimmy Hooper outstanding as the ghost of Joe’s father, desperately trying to help his boy avoid the mistakes he made in his own life.

Those catchy Madness tunes are given great support by Bryan Cass’s punchy pit band, featuring Rob Downing’s soaring saxophone.

production photograph: Barrie White-Miller

GLORIA!

GLORIA!

A celebration of 20^th century French Music

The Stondon Singers at St Michael and All Angels, Galleywood

07.11.2017

St Michael and All Angels proved a good space for this collection of French 20^th century choral music.

Not least for the Conacher & Co organ, re-sited in the recent restoration to the west end, with the console now in the south aisle. Seated at it, Laurence Lyndon-Jones, whose contribution was invaluable, especially in the Langlais Messe Solenelle, where the dramatic interventions from the organ were thrillingly effective, particularly in the Gloria. The choir, directed with scrupulous precision and attention to detail by Christopher Tinker, coped well with contrapuntal writing here, and with the more contemplative Benedictus which precedes the assertive Agnus Dei.

Duruflé was represented by his Four Motets, which, like the Requiem heard last week in Chelmsford Cathedral, are based on Gregorian chant; indeed, each is prefaced by a brief solo chant.

Messiaen’s O Sacrum Convivium, an unaccompanied communion motet, was performed with exemplary control, bringing out its ethereal textures and harmonic richness.

The programme was book-ended by two popular works: Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, taken at a reverent tempo, with well-shaped choral dynamics.

And Poulenc’s lively Gloria, with two choir members sharing the soprano solos, and the organ tackling the fanfares, the strings and the clarinet of the more usual orchestral accompaniment. A triumphant end to an impressive sampler of very different styles, with the Singers relishing the expansively lyrical Rex Caelestis and the lush harmonies of the final Qui Sedes with its mystical, uplifting Amen.

THINGS TO COME – The Dream of Gerontius

THINGS TO COME – The Dream of Gerontius

Elgar’s matchless orchestration, a big choir and deeply religious subject matter: The Dream of Gerontius is always a memorable musical experience; and it’s one we can share in Chelmsford Cathedral on Saturday 18 November, thanks to the Waltham Singers and Andrew Fardell.

They’re joined on this occasion by Ensemble OrQuesta, with soloists Rebecca Afonwy Jones as the Angel, Joshua Ellicot as Gerontius and, as the Priest and the Angel of the Agony, Jeremy White.

Cardinal Newman's poem tells of the journey of a man's soul after death - 'Gerontius' means something like ‘old man’. Elgar was given a copy of the poem in 1889 as a wedding present; he eventually set it to music for the 1900 Birmingham festival. His score powerfully suggests the journey from deathbed to Judgement Seat.

The performance begins at 7:30, and tickets can be bought at Dace’s, on the door or via the Waltham Singers’ website

http://www.walthamsingers.org.uk/buytickets.html

AUTUMN CONCERT

AUTUMN CONCERT

Chelmsford Singers at Chelmsford Cathedral

04.11.17

Three dramatic choral works from the Singers made up a very satisfying programme for this second concert of their 90^th anniversary season.

Revelatory, too, since the first offering was Harold Darke’s A Song of David – setting the same psalm as Parry’s celebrated I Was Glad. A rare opportunity to hear this Festival Anthem, with its striking opening from the strings and the Cathedral organ - Christopher Strange. The choir enjoyed the challenge of this bold music – old-fashioned, perhaps, but very stirring stuff. The bridging passage before the prayer for peace was a lovely violin solo from Robert Atchison, leading the Chelmsford Sinfonietta for this concert.

In an inspired bonus, he was joined by Tim Carey for Darke’s Sonata No 3 for Violin and Piano. These two excellent musicians had to prepare the performing edition for themselves – it turned out to be expansively eloquent chamber music in the late Romantic English tradition, with, especially in the slow movement of Darke’s First Sonata which followed, some reflective, more sombre moments.

Two familiar choral favourites followed. Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, in the version for organ, harp and percussion which seemed ideally suited to this space and these vocal forces. A rousing opening – then the “joyful noise” Hariu. The 23^rd Psalm beautifully sung by Elliot Harding-Smith, his mature treble absolutely right for this soulful setting. Interrupted by the men’s voices as the raging nations, before the optimistic close and its unison Amen.

Duruflé’s Requiem, based largely on the Gregorian Mass for the Dead, is a demandingly intricate work, heard here in the version for organ and string quartet, with contributions from the harp, the trumpets and the timpani. But it did feature both soloists – Colin Baldy’s baritone in the Hostias and the Libera Me, and Katherine Marriott’s richly expressive mezzo in the Pie Jesu. An impassioned plea, matched for drama by the choir, especially in the Domine, Jesu Christe and the Dies Irae. Fine choral singing, under the baton of James Davy, from the tranquillity of the Introit to the beautiful otherworldliness of the In Paradisum, Duruflé’s devout evocation of the life to come.