A fun packed show which I’d highly recommend seeing.
It is a non-stop action-packed romp which the creators have gone all out on. It’s obviously had a huge amount of work put into it from the choreographers (Robyn Grant and Allie Munro), the Composer/Musical Director (James Ringer-Beck) and indeed the whole of the cast. As well as being part of that cast, Taylor Danson has made this piece come to life with some excellent directing.
Grant’s script is exceptional. There’s a huge amount of wit with plenty of lower brow stuff being splendidly delivered. The action is non-stop, the songs fit well into the piece without bringing us out of it and the musical has a nice flow to it which makes us feel we’re in safe hands. It’s a lovely and fun production which has been crafted well.
Grant also plays Angie’s best friend, Chrissy. The character is so witty there is a touch of Mercutio syndrome – she is actually more interesting to watch than the lead at times because we know she comes out with the funniest lines. Grant’s delivery is exceptional – she has a charming naturalism and obvious wit herself which mean she inhabits this character perfectly.
Katie Wells stands out from the ensemble – she too has an easy naturalism and cheerful charm which lend themselves splendidly to the flavour of this show. Grace Leeder’s exceptional singing talent should not go unmentioned. She comes out with some stunning displays of her strong soprano ability. The men sometimes nail the singing, but particularly at the beginning of the show, the women outshine them. There are issues with volume which in such a small venue isn’t excusable. That aside, from an acting perspective all of the cast are obviously very talented – there’s some dips from people but it feels like a slightly off night, and no doubt all the actors are of a very high standard.
The choreography is by and large excellent – it’s fringe worthy, being rough and ready and possessing a cheeky charm, however sometimes it could be upped a bit with perhaps more stimulating work being displayed. There are a couple of excellent songs from Ringer-Beck, but again sometimes the pace drops and there’s one or two numbers which are too basic. That being said for a show on the fringe he has done an excellent job.
For a young company this piece has really come together nicely and shows a huge amount of promise for not only the show but for all of the talented performers involved. It’s a fun packed show which I’d highly recommend seeing.
