RUDDIGORE

Trinity Methodist Music and Drama

14.05.11

A proudly traditional Ruddigore from Trinity; it boasted some polished performances from experienced Savoyards, directed with a sure touch by Tony Brett.

And it was beautifully dressed by The Costume Store, with an old-fashioned off-the-peg set [Paul Lazell], featuring “The Witches Curse” inn stage right.

Howard Brooks looked eminently Victorian as Robin/Ruthven, as did his stage brother Nicholas Clough, who nicely caught the contrast between the double-dyed villain with the melodramatic eyebrows and his meek and mild reincarnation in Act Two. Their duet near the end of the first act was very stylishly delivered. Equally impressive was Sir Despard's other half – Sarah Thompson's Mad Margaret.

Simon Thompson turned in an impeccably hammy Old Adam, while Janet Moore gave us a beautifully studied Dame Hannah.

Rose Maybud, the nubile maiden of Rederring in thrall to etiquette, was charmingly played, and sung, by Sarah Fletcher; Adam Sullivan made an outstanding Dick Dauntless – an energetic bluejacket with a lively, lusty hornpipe.

The chorus – villagers, gentry, bridesmaids - looked impressive; they moved and sang with practised style, though the ancestors were disappointingly bloodless. A hard-working pit band gave splendid support under the direction of Anton Archer, no mean Savoyard himself.


production photograph by Val Scott