Sister Act by Darlington Operatic Society @ Darlington Civic

Hallelujah, rejoice and praise be to DOS

For some, the signal for the end of summer, the start of Autumn and, dare I say, the run up to Christmas, comes with changing the clocks, golden leaves and the first strains of  Slade; but for me it is always the opening night of Darlington Operatic Society's Autumn show.  This year, the uber-talented gang bring their take on the ecclesiastical smash hit, Sister Act, and oh how the choir sings loud.

The story remains true to the hit film which starred Whoopie Goldberg as aspiring Vegas club singer Deloris Van Cartier (as in the diamonds) who is unwillingly forced to take refuge in a convent church after witnessing a gangland murder by her part time boyfriend and manager Curtis.  The underlying plot could be straight from a Disney movie, outsider refuses to bend to the ways of the establishment, finds she has some redeeming qualities to share and ultimately both sides learn more about tolerance and acceptance while the bad guys get their just desserts.

Having been to see the original show on tour, fresh from the West End, I was a little concerned - the production we had sat through at Sunderland Empire felt rushed and contrived to simply give the leads every chance to " belt out a few" to the detriment of the story or supporting cast.  I wasn't sure if I had seen a poor show or just a poorly directed one but I had no reason at all to be fearful. Under the expert directorship of Joanne Hand, this version is wonderfully paced, gives the audience ample time to recognise the multiple strands of story and yet still finds every opportunity to showcase what must be the best amateur cast in the country.  No stranger to tackling challenging shows (Jo brought the award winning Strictly Musicals to the stage this time last year) Ms Hand once again proves that she has the vision, the skills and the confidence in her performers to aim for the very top and then go one better.

Playing Deloris, which is a truly demanding role both physically and emotionally, is to be shared by Claire Wilmer (who took the opening night) and Rhiannon Walker; the girls will alternate so I hope to go to another show later in the run and report back on Rhiannon's performance.  On speaking to Joanne Hand after last nights opener, she confirmed that it is difficult to tell the two apart; both have an amazing vocal range, both bring their own style of sexy and sassy, and both made the decision to cast only one impossible, hence the shared role.

Of course, the show is not just about Deloris and where would DOS be without a stellar supporting cast, each of whom would undoubtedly enhance any production company in the UK.  Perennial favourite Sam Morrison as Mother Superior brings a degree of calm contemplation in her struggles with God's choice to allow Deloris sanctuary.  As always, every note, every phrase and every emotion is right on the nail.  Beth Stobbart, Darlington's very own Good Witch, plays Sister Mary Robert, the innocent and wide eyed novice who sees in Deloris excitement, danger and opportunity - it is amazing to think that Beth is still very young (won't give away her actual age) and yet has played a huge part in the DOS family for many years.

The rest of the Sister-hood are all given their parts to play too, cameo characters without whom the show would simply become a soapbox for the lead and who ensure that there is an underlying comedic quality which brought many belly laughs from the audience.  I particularly liked Sisters Mary Patrick (played by little Miss Dynamite Lisa Forster), Mary Lazarus (new girl Lynne Kerr) and Mary Martin of Tours (the irrepressible Megan Robson) but as with all choirs, it's the sum of its parts which provides the true force.

It's not just the girls who shine and have fun in this show, DOS boys do us proud yet again with some stand out performances from the North East's leading men.  Julian Cound, as gang boss Curtis, calls on all his acting ability to be menacing and threatening (not easy when you're such a genuinely nice guy in real life), Michael Hirst, star of previous shows as Danny Zucco in Grease and a lobster in Strictly, plays love-struck cop 'Sweaty' Eddie while Curtis's 3 stooges, Joey, TJ and Pablo, ensure that there is always some slapstick comedy sitting just under the surface.  To be fair, Ben Connor, Andrew Hamilton and Leighton Taylor are much more than just 3 patsies for Julian to play against, they are all brilliant singers, great actors and have such confidence on stage that they could easily form a breakaway show of their own.

The soundtrack for the stage show doesn't have the well known songs of the original movie, these songs have been specifically written but what that means is there is more of a consistent feel and theme throughout all the numbers; the band, led as always by impresario Michael Trotter, get right into the 70's groove with great funk, soul and disco acting as a juxtaposition to the nuns choral harmonies. The stage, set & costumes too belie any suggestion that this is an amateur production and just goes to show that DOS is, from top to bottom, front to back, professional in all but name.  That's why, when some major tours are struggling to put bums on seats, DOS can pack 'em in and then get 'em on their feet dancing and singing.

I could go on naming more and more of the cast and bestowing due praise on them all but rather than take my word for it, why not get some tickets and go and see what is undoubtedly the 'Must See' show of 2014.

April in Paris @ Darlington Civic

Once again, Godber holds up a mirror to us all 

and lets us see what we try to ignore

What happens when a couple have performed their family duties, kids have grown up and left, life has slumped into a daily routine and the state of the economy (and loss of jobs) kill any last dreams they once may have had ?  They turn to the one solace, the tiny shred of hope, the glint of light in the otherwise murky day of life and do magazine prize puzzles.

Written and set in 1992,  but apart from the lack of the Euro it could be yesterday;  the story of April in Paris focuses on a middle aged couple whose lives have reached the bottom of the 'just existing' curve.  Al has not worked for months after the building market collapsed and spends his days painting monochromatic landscapes of industrial wastelands.  Bets is a part time assistant in a shoe shop who lives each day in a dream of winning it big from a magazine prize puzzle.  Instantly as the play opens you know that it is another Godber masterpiece of observation, heart-aching honesty and acerbic wit.

Joe McGann and Shobna Gulati play the tiresome two with impeccable timing; it is very obvious that they have a great history and pedigree in situation comedy which suits perfectly the indifference and dismissive interactions which long married couples base their 'loving' relationships on.  Godber's style could have been written with them in mind when he crafted the dichotometric duo's first trip on a ferry - McGann acting as the stereotypical Brit abroad and Gulati bringing innocent wonder into finally being let free from the claustrophobic confines of Hull.  To me, Shobna will always be Anita, the delightful if somewhat forgetful dinnerlady from Victoria Woods long running sitcom.  Godber's northern honesty is very much in the same vein as Victoria Wood and as such, Bets character feels like Anita all grown up; she's still a dreamer, still living in clouds of fantasy and could-be;  she's just moved out of the canteen and into a Hull shoe shop.

The clever use of stage & props (the first act is set simply on the deck outside their tiny little house in Hull, the second uses the whole stage as a Parisienne backdrop)  adds to the eye-opening experience the couple have when they leave the UK and take in a night in the most romantic city in the world. Hilarious episodes - having a meal in a swanky and oh so French restaurant, encountering old fashioned toilets, views from the top of the Eiffel tower are overlaid on top of the seeds of recovery that their time away might just have rekindled some long lost passions (or at least stripped back some of the thick life gloss of indifference).

Last year, another Godber play, September in the Rain, focused on a couples lifelong trips to Blackpool and just like Paris..... it was warm, witty and struck a chord (so much so that afterwards my darling wife badgered me for a trip to the North West).  I have a nervous feeling that come this evening she will return home with armfuls of city break brochures all extolling the wonders of gay Paris - I think I'd better start doing some magazine puzzles.

One Man Lord of The Rings @ Darlington Civic

3 tales of lands away,

3 tales of friendship,

3 tales of life and death

and one man to tell them

Peter Jackson totally broke the mould when he took on the monumental task of bringing to life Middle Earth and Tolkien's Lord of The Rings trilogy.  Filmed in New Zealand, costing millions and cast with thousands, it quickly became THE viewing for anyone remotely keen to escape to The Shire and beyond.  There was one person, however, who saw LOTR and instead of being blown away by the scale and majesty thought - "I can do that"

Enter Charlie Ross, Canadian actor, writing, painter of dreams and creator of nightmares (ok, I added the last two bits) who, fresh from his Lucas-inspired tour of One Man Star Wars, embarked on re-writing the greatest story ever told (as voted for by Tolkien Weekly) into an hour and a half solo spectacular. For this show, Charlie does it all, voices, acting, sound effects, background music and for anyone who has seen the Jackson movies, it is instantly recognisable whilst at the same time unique.  With regular knowing nods to the audience and geeky in-jokes, Charlie uses the fact that the movies are so well known to add more topical references and play on the cast members' own idiosyncrasies - previous films they have starred in, Legolas' obsession with his hair, Saruman's ultra deep voice, unrequited Hobbit love ?? etc.

With nothing but a microphone, Charlie Ross re-creates the vast lands, claustrophobic dungeons, weyrs of dragons, huge armies and of course, those touching, telling moments between 'friends'.

The audience last night, tho small, were all very keen LOTR fans, well, I say all but, as Charlie conducted a very brief poll at the start to see who has watched the DVDs, extras, director extras etc, there were a few 'yeas' to the question "Has anyone here NOT seen or read LOTR" - just what they would make of the show was open to debate, but actually, whilst some of the in-jokes would have been lost on them, there was no denying the skill, talent and energy on stage.  For those who know and love it, Charlie's show is like the missing extra that would make the ultimate box set to end all box sets.

For those Tolkien and Lord of the Rings Fans who feel they have seen everything they can about the story to end all stories, I urge you to go see Charlie Ross's One Man version - it is one of the funniest and entertaining shows I've seen at Darlington all year.  I just wish he had brought this out on DVD, it would have saved me the 15 hours of pre-show preparation watching the extended directors cut box set and learning the Silmarillion.

One Man Lord of the Rings is on tour for the next few weeks - check out the website www.onemanlotr.com

EXTRA EXTRA - For those who loved Charlie's LOTR, he is back in the North East on the 13th October at Whitley Bay Playhouse doing his One Man Star Wars show

Eva Cassidy Story @ Darlington Civic

Just plain wrong on so many levels

To many, Eva Cassidy is only known from her posthumous albums which, considering she is no longer able to record anything new, must be by definition collections of her best work.  As such, those charged with compiling them will be always be challenged to choose the right songs & recordings, whilst those listening will always have their appreciation and opinion 'controlled' by this.  There is, therefore a degree of power for anyone representing, portraying or producing Eva's work but with this power comes great responsibility.

My view on Eva is that she possessed one of the purest voices we have ever heard; she was able to convey feelings, emotions, passion, longing, sadness and joy without ever having to stray from remaining controlled, almost to the point of being understated.  Less was most certainly more when she took to the mike and this is one of the most endearing factors that set her apart from so many others.  Unfortunately, this is where the current show, and in particular Nicole Faraday seems to miss the real essence of Eva.  Don't get me wrong, it is obvious Faraday can sing, but to cast her as Cassidy left many of the audience puzzled to distraction.  Under Faraday it seemed every single song had to have an element of 'belting'; either through choice or by direction there are problems with her volume control as even mid phrase she moves from smooth & soulful to loud and brash and then back again.  This was regardless of whichever song but in particular the signature ballads of Fields of Gold, Over the Rainbow and Autumn Leaves were all 'karaoked' up .  It was reminiscent of the early stages of X Factor auditions where the wannabee star tries too hard to showcase her complete vocal range and power to Simon Cowell et al, when all that is needed is some genuine emotion.  Even when playing Cassidy in her final hours, sick and weak, Faraday still manages to wallop out the top notes and totally ruin the heart rendering tearful end to the story.

It's not just the lead who left many of the audience in dazed uncertainty; Rose-Marie as Mary Ann Redmond achieved what has never happened in all my years of watching theatre - I was left totally stunned and gob-smacked as to what I was watching, how it fit into the story and ultimately, why ! Likened to the Irish Bette Midler, I'm afraid it was like watching a demented step aerobic instructor with an unhealthy fixation on Tina Turner and completely interrupted the flow and feeling of what should have been an emotional story being told.

I'm aware that there has been some considerable rewriting done since the show first appeared over 10 years ago, and on speaking to many afterwards who had seen it originally, they were baffled as to why.  The story doesn't need any embellishing, just a truthful recounting by actors who can understand and portray Cassidy's uncertainty around her career, her love of her family and her drive to keep giving even as she was dying - instead we are treated to drama school levels of smaltz, paper-thin sentiment and an anti-climax of an ending.

As for my accompanying guest who is a huge Cassidy fan, she was almost in tears; not because of the emotional ending, but because of the complete feeling of betrayal to the memory of a true singing legend.