Grease by Darlington Operatic Society

They're the ones that YOU want !!

Following on from last Autumns spectacular, Strictly Musicals, Darlington Operatic Society launched their Spring show, Grease, last night to huge applause, standing ovations and no shortage of critical acclaim.

Every year, DOS leave their audiences wondering how they can possibly top their most recent show, and every year they go one better - well with this show they've totally upped the bar when it comes to professional production values, great voices and bags of family fun.  Packed with all the classic songs known and loved from the biggest musical film of the 70's, this is much more than a simple sing-a-long stage version of the Travolta & Newton-John legend.  The choreography keeps it fresh and lively while the slight change in the musical running orders stops any complacent viewer from shuffling "I know what's coming next".  As for the cast, everyone on the stage looked like they had accomplished a childhood dream to 'sing Grease' on stage in front of a full house.

The leads, Michael Hirst and Selena Blain managed what so many since John & Olivia have tried and failed - they really gave you the impression they were into each other and the chemistry was there for all to see, bubbling under.  Michael had the swagger of Travolta, helped in no small part by his proud jaw line, cheeky smile and smooth moves while Selena (who many will remember for being Aerial in Strictly) had all of Newton-John's candy kitsch and faux innocence until the bg switcheroo at the end.  I don't want to spoil just how amazing Selina looks as sexy Sandy, but I will steal a quote from a previous show, The Producers, when I say "you can't see it but we're giving you a standing ovation."

Of course, there are more than just the two love birds in this show - Nick Holmes as Kinickie is perfect for belting out "Grease Lightning" and it is very clear that he has studied all the words to ensure his 'actions match up to their meanings'.  Katie Carter, making her DOS debut as Rizzo had a great first act in which she stays very much the matriarch of the gang, slightly aloof, cocksure and more mature than the other girls, but it was halfway through the second act, with her solo of "There are Worse Things..." that Katie stopped the whole auditorium dead in its tracks.  She managed to bring out Rizzo's vunerablilty perfectly, pealing away her protective shell to show a glimpse of the little girl underneath, before putting the barriers back up and returning to the hard Rizzo of before.

One of the great things of a stage show over a film is that there is more licence to allow some characters to relax and have bit a more fun - nonemoreso than Andrew Hamilton and Hayley Walker who, as Roger and Jan, brought the house down with their mickey taking and comedic ribbing, especially as they extol the virtues and love of lunar pastimes.  Even when she is not front and centre, Hayley adds so much to her character - at times I found myself watching her instead of centre stage and laughing at her extra little antics.

Another who made me hope she would be in all the scenes was Claire Williams, playing Patty - she is just so adorably high octane that you want to box her up, put her on a shelf and keep her for those days when you're feeling a little low - she is a pocket rocket of energy, the perfect Little Miss Goody Goody and a great mover to boot.

The set design and choreography are all fantastic and show true ingenuity in how to make the most of stage space while the costumes remain true to the feel of the film without being mere copies - that said,  Glyn Bigham in his all white suit was a heavenly vision straight out of the (Beauty) school of Frankie Avalon.

Of course, Grease is habitually a younger persons show, it is, after all, set in High School, but that's not to say that there weren't parts for all ages of the society. It is a great testament to the all the cast of DOS that so many familiar faces from Strictly Musicals were present in the company, and even though they weren't taking leads this time they looked like they were still having a fantastic time.

Looking round the theatre before curtain up and talking to many at the interval, it was obvious that the majority of the audience were there to see Grease based on a love of the film, however at final curtain everyone agreed that this performance was every bit as good as the movie and then some - there is a far better connection to the characters when you can see them live in front of you but more than that, you can feel their total enjoyment in what they are doing; the audience feed off the actors enthusiasm who in turn respond to the crowd - perpetual energy has at last been found.

The final curtain call was met with standing ovations throughout, well deserved by all on stage and even more so by Directors Martyn Knight, Joanne Hand and Michael Trotter.  I hope that this great theatre has strong foundations because on this showing there will be many more throughout the 10 night run.

Grease, by Darlington Operatic Society, is on at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday 12th April - there are still a few tickets left but hurry - see the DOS website for more details.

PS - I couldn't write a review on a DOS show without mentioning my two favourite girls - Zoe Birkbeck and Chloe Dargue - Great Hand Jiving Chloe and Zoe, that mauve sweater - Oh My !!  x

Strictly Musicals by Darlington Operatic Society - Tears in the Ice Cream

"My eyes were still full of tears at the interval, I couldn't see my ice cream!"

Continuing with the in-run reviewing of Darlington Operatic Society's Strictly Musicals, I spent time on Monday evening talking with members of the audience to get their thoughts on this spectacular selection of musical theatre.  With such a variety of styles on offer it was very interesting to see what appealed to whom & whether there were any synergies between specific acts and sections of the audience.

Firstly, everyone agreed that this show is a fabulous showcase for the talent throughout the society;  a multitude of performing riches which any production company in the country would be blessed to posses.   What was noted too was how refreshing it is to see a group of people on stage who did not all fit the media portrayed stereotypical 'performer / dancer' model - these are real people with real lives outside of the theatre and this made them instantly relatable while at the same time even more in awe.

The emotional power that this cast have is quite scary at times; whether it is a solo/duet or a rousing ensemble.  Tears were once again shed throughout the show, firstly as Samantha Morrison delivered a breathtaking "Don't Cry for me Argentina" (which I have to admit is every bit as good as Julie Covington / Elaine Paige).  Just as the cheeks were starting to dry, Tina Davis led the cast into the Blood Brothers medley which, with its heart wrenching signature tune Tell Me It's not True, was guaranteed to prick at the tear ducts again.  Not wanting to let up,  the audience were whisked away to revolutionary France for One Day More which ends in a full company chorus stirring even the hardest of hearts.  Never has the Civic Theatre echoed with the rousing voices of almost 50 performers singing as one, a real call to arms.   One member of the audience was still in tears when she went for her interval ice cream, so much so that she needed a little help in seeing the right change through watery eyes.

The 2nd act is a little easier on the tissues until Claire Willmer takes to the stage with Someone Like You.   In the first act Claire gives a stunning rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone but it is this song, from the lesser known Jekyll & Hyde, that really showcases her unique voice.  It's hard to describe, think if Amy Winehouse had ever sang musical theatre - sexy, smoky, sultry and yet still innocent and a little naïve.

The brilliance of Joanne Hand's directing is that whilst there are undoubtedly some amazing musical numbers with powerful and moving voices, the dance routines give and take equal place - they are not schedule fillers allowing time for costume changes but demonstrations of collective cohesion, timing and style which have complete stage filling impact.  The choice of routines is very impressive; the opening overture is a throw-back to the Busby Berkeley directed blockbusters of the 40's with grace, glamour & feathers galore; the Fosse inspired numbers Hot Honey Rag and Sing, Sing, Sing are perfect examples of the style renowned the world over for demanding absolute precision and coordination (a style which tests even the most professional of dance troupes) but the payoff for hours of  dedication in rehearsals is there for all to see.  Selena Blain, Claire Monaghan, Lisa Forster, Annika Tang, Susy Kelly, Becky Nelson, Colette Serrechia, Karen Stone and Claire Williams are the core of this amazing dance group and again demonstrate the breadth and depth of talent (especially when you realise that these girls are on stage for many of the other numbers too in one guise or another).

The real success of this show lies with the fact that there truly is something here for everyone; traditionalists will love the Rodgers & Hammerstein Medley, modern fans will instantly recognise Wicked & Matilda, kids will sing & clap to the Disney mix and everyone can get up & shimmy to the Hairspray conclusion.

There are still a few tickets left for the remaining shows so don't spend November wishing you had been, spend it recounting the great things you've seen.

www.darlingtonoperaticsociety.org.uk for ticket details.

Strictly Musicals by Darlington Operatic Society - Battling GTA

There's no better show in town !

Darlington Operatic Society is battling against Grand Theft Auto, FIFA 14, Sky Movies and Netflix to grab the attention of local people and prove that a trip to the theatre is more fun than simply staring at a TV screen, and you know what - they are winning, hands down !!

In an ambitious attempt to demonstrate theatre is available for all ages and backgrounds, Darlington OS started their Autumn show last Wednesday to rapturous applause.  Strictly Musicals is a 2 hour spectacular of 25 of the best known & loved show tunes, performed by over 40 of the North Easts most talented amateurs.  Evita, Les Mis, Blood Brothers, Wicked, Hairspray, Phantom, Miss Saigon and many more of the biggest shows in the history of musical theatre provide the numbers with Director and Choreographer Joanne Hand providing a completely unique show.

Normally, for a show review it's easy to focus on the lead characters and give a passing 'well done' to the support; well for this show every single performer is a lead, they are all given their chance to take centre stage and none of them disappoint - there's not another show in the UK that can boast of having almost 50 leading actors and what a wonderful acknowledgement for the huge talent Darlington is blessed with.

Over the course of the run I am catching time with the audience to get their thoughts & feedback; speaking to those at last nights performance, their highlights were The Disney Medley and One Day More.

Disney (see if you can guess which shows are covered........) opens with Hayley Walker sending shivers down everyone's spines as she calls for the Arsenal Manager (well it sounds like "Arsen Wenger" to me & her mum, who apparently used to be a Spurs fan).  You could well imagine Hayley's voice carrying right across the Serengeti and is a perfect call to anyone late back from the interval that" you're missing it".  From there we have homage paid to some of Walt's most endearing musical movies including; Leighton Taylor's chirpy cheeky cockney Burt (with a far more believable accent than Dick van Dyke); Michael Hirst's totally mischievous Jamaican calypso as Sebastian the crab and Selena Blain playing the epitome of a mermaid,  a gorgeous & angelic Ariel;  and some quite brilliant casting - Eddie Jones with a wonderful faux French accent as Luminaire, Neil Gooding and Stefan Curtis as Timon and Pumbaa, who seemed to have a fascination with potatoes!  Ending with a real demonstration of verbal dexterity and physical coordination led by the delightful, pocket dynamo Angela Chapman,  Walt himself would have been chuffed to bits.

The casts' rendition of One Day More is as rousing as any of the full Les Miserables productions - there were many who commented that it had all the West End impact and was quite amazing to think that it was performed by an amateur team.  There were more than a few in last nights audience who commented on Suzie Harvey's Eponine as being quite hauntingly beautiful and that Kat Newman, playing Madame Thernadier stood out, not just for her voice but also that as an inn keeper's wife, she was far foxier than any of her predecessors in previous versions of Les Mis. (Granted they were all men that I asked but I'm sure the women were just as appreciative).

What is most impressive is that all these actors are involved in almost all of the other numbers too; this is not a talent show where people are wheeled out to perform their number, not to be seen again - if they are not leading in one number then they are chorus line, dancing, supporting or performing one of a multitude of costume changes ready to launch into another high octane tune which in most musicals would be a headline in it's own right.

This is a fabulous story of local pride, a tremendous amount of hard work & dedication and some very seriously talented  people (bearing in mind that these are all amateurs with day jobs & studies too) all aiming to give the Darlington audiences a wonderful evening and further promote the Civic Theatre as one of the best venues in the North East.

There are still tickets available for this weeks performances so put down that game controller, hide the Sky Remote and call Graeme on 01325 244 659 to not only have a magical evening, but also give your support to one the UKs best loved amateur theatre societies - and it's all ours !