NODA North West Magazine

 

 

Director: Shirley Davies
Musical Director: Heather Hayes-Wilson
Junior Choreographer: Carolyn Farrish-Mayer
Senior Choreographer: Sue Clayton & Gillian Hulme

Sinbad ...... by Ron Hall was well directed to suit the needs of the society. It had pace, humour in abundance and was visually extremely attractive. In fact, several of the principal costumes could have graced a good professional production for the detail and design looking just as good at two feet as they did from the back of the auditorium. A talented technical staff provided lovely scenery and, knowing the logistics of this stage, terrific special effects especially the departure of Sinbad's ship. King Neptune's Palace was a "stunner" and Michael Daw's Neptune, well voiced and extravagantly attired.

Twenty-eight chorus, eight senior and twelve junior dancers plus fourteen principal characters trod the boards. I could facetiously say eight to eighty, but this company's pantomime certainly bridged the years with a strong accent on youth and vitality.

Andrew Hofton certainly went to town, vocally and histrionically, as the evil Wazir, to much booing and hissing from the audience. He was a good contrast to the attractive principal boy of Tracy Chuter's Sinbad and Gemma Moss's promising Princess Yasmin. Tracy was, supposedly, to kill a fierce dragon whose costume arrived at dress-rehearsal as a giant, endearing cuddly toy. Try to get out of that one without upsetting to small children! Of course, banishment instead softened any sentimental criticism and gave way to much 'coarse acting' from said dragon.

The comedy in this production was so strong. (Sorry to sound like Mystic Meg!) Claire Mannion as Fatima was super, the excellent straight-man, ahem, person, to the butt of Steven Helliwell's Ali and David McGuiness's Widow O'Malley. The latter two's comedy bounced off each other particularly well. David's dames are "great - naughty but nice, well articulated, bossy but warm and having enviable empathy with the audience.

For well balanced singing, dancing, drama and spectacle, this pantomime was definitely from the top drawer.

 

 

 

 

 

Next Show

"Musical Variety Concert"
.............
9th to 12th May 2012