The epitome of Hollywood glamour, Grace Kelly's perfect face beams at you from a screen as you enter the space. She really was stunning and you can't help but be reminded of her untimely, tragic end. This show centres around her whirlwind marriage to Prince Rainier, one of the most publicised events in Hollywood history, and how those around her, however loosely connected, are affected by it all. It's all about emotion; jealousy, pride, disappointment... and yet that is exactly what this production, sadly, lacks.Yes, these kids can sing, but not fantastically, with dropped notes and flat solos happening far too frequently throughout the entirety of the performance. There is plenty of over-acting going on by certain cast members, but this only highlights the fact that the whole thing seems flat, with some ensemble barely cracking a smile. The big dance numbers have no energy or spirit behind them and the fact that none of the performers had head mics meant that it was, on the whole, too quiet. It doesn't help that the terrible staging means cast walk on to the same spot every time, using the same stool, sing a song and walk off before being replaced by other cast in exactly the same manner. Quite frankly, it's boring to watch. That is not to say there was nothing enjoyable about the show. There were some lovely poignant moments, especially with the quietly captivating Jay Putnam crooning out a beautiful duet with Claire Hilton. The schoolgirls were genuinely funny and, with a little more work, could be hysterical.There is talent here. The Hilton twins, Polly and Claire, have the most powerful voices, though even these can sound shrill and shaky, and Claire is a very capable dancer. However, they are both very prominent in the production; pushed to the front, in almost every scene, upstaging every other person on stage and with the bizarre, unnecessary inclusion of a ballet solo by Claire, their constant presence smacked of favouritism on the behalf of the director. Strangely enough, the person that held my attention for the most part of the show was an ensemble member playing numerous minor characters. Karin Haski has a natural, easy to watch acting talent and was the only person to make me laugh, let alone smile, with her wonderfully cynical performance as a seamstress. The parents in the audience should be very proud. The cast are capable of performing well for their age and, with future training, I am sure will go far. But as for this particular show, it felt amateur and trite and, to be honest, I was bored stiff by the end. Grace Kelly was one of the most beautiful, inspiring women on the planet. Her ever present face on its screen at the back of the 'action' makes it exceedingly obvious that this performance does not do her justice.
