Sherlock Holmes' Hound of the Baskervilles by Castle Players @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop

A good old fashioned thriller for a cold winter’s night.

Way back before the advent of TV, wannabee celeb shows and million channel digital networks, local amateur theatre was the mainstay of Saturday evening entertainment for the majority of people. Performers, cast and crew were members of ‘Am Dram’ who, for weeks before, had practised and rehearsed their lines whilst running the local post office, teaching at the village school or delivering milk & bread. Performances were usually given in the village hall, with its own soundtrack of creaking beams and whistling windows added to heavy tobacco smoke to give an extra frisson to the atmosphere (especially when the show was a good old fashioned ghost story or thriller).  Whilst audiences didn’t expect RSC or Doyle Carte standard, they felt a ‘oneship’ with those on stage and as such forgave the wobbly scenes and oft fluffed lines.  I thought that such shows were now consigned to the social history books but on Saturday I took a step back in time and watched a retelling of the famous Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Barnard Castle’s renowned The Castle Players.

This production, which is currently touring around Teesdale during January, was delivered on the very small stage at Scarth Hall, Staindrop, yet, with minimal use of props, sound and lighting, was a captivating example of good story telling.  Directed by Sarah Fells and Chris Best, and with a surprisingly large cast of over 14 Players (quite how they all managed to get on stage at the same time is still a bit of a mystery), the story opened with a riveting monologue by Andy Moorhouse who, in recounting the initial Baskerville legend, set the tone for the night before bringing the audience into Baker Street and of course Sherlock Holmes (played with a mix of excitable genius and dismissive disdain by Steven Bainbridge).  Interestingly, for a Holmes story, it is Dr Watson who takes the majority of the lead in this production and Andrew Stainthorpe was cool, calm and very accomplished in the role – with more than a passing resemblance to Higgins from TV’s Magnum, he excellently maintains the detective element in the story in the absence of the Deerstalkered one.

There were a few occasions where the directors seemed to play to the lowest possible audience intelligence – literally signposting the scenes (including ‘FOG’) was more off putting than helpful and appeared a easy out instead of devoting a little more effort into
the set dressing, after all, there are only so many places one can put their only hatstand.  

Likewise, the use of newly bought bright blue clip boards (not the norm for 19^th century London) left a few puzzled faces in the audience. The script, edited and abridged by Jill Cole was on the whole, very good, though some of the carefully built intensity and atmosphere was lost when the cast were allowed to drop into almost pantomime comedy.  That said, as entertainment goes, the whole evening was most certainly a great night out and far better than anything being offered on the hundreds of TV channels.

Sherlock Holmes is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, especially with the excellent BBC series making a return this month complete with clever graphics and elaborate plots, but this version was very much more in tune with the original tales and delivered with an honesty and genuine enjoyment – a great step back in time both on & off the stage.

Aladdin @ Darlington Civic

A 5 star night of songs, sketches and all out silliness

It's funny how some traditions live long and strong, year after year.  Take Panto season, which is here again (oh yes it is); the usually demure and sedate theatre going audiences are suddenly turned into and accompanied by screaming kids sporting all manner of flashing appendages; the knowing whispers when an actor misses a line are swapped for roars of laughter both on & off the stage and the 4th wall is torn down and ceremoniously trampled on as young and old are encouraged to great the cast with cheers, boos, chants and giggles.

This years offering at Darlington Civic is yet again a riotous mix of song & dance which will have everyone in tears of laughter (tho not always for the same reason).  Starring Barry & Paul Elliott, better known as the Chuckle Brothers, they bring their hilarious and very clever blend of daftness to the stage with some quite brilliant visual routines - for some, the Chuckles are marmite, you either love 'em or you hate 'em but I defy anyone not to marvel at their timeless comedy - their opening song set the pace for a rollercoaster of audience fun while their homage to Wilson, Keppel and Betty (Google them, you'll know who I mean) had me literally gasping for breath.  Masters at their trade, they should be rightfully mentioned in the same sentence as the very best of panto headliners, just remember to strap your ribs tightly, otherwise they are likely to burst.

Of course, Aladdin is not simply a Chuckle Brothers vehicle and the casting manager has assembled a superb group who clearly relish the freedom and relaxed nature panto allows.  Philip Meeks, as everyone's favourite Aunty, widow Twanky, must rival the record for the most costume changes in one night and brings a touch of modern pop culture with some very fetching Miley-esque twerking which left many on the floor in tears of laughter.  A genius of comedic timing and with a Geordie accent that immediately puts everyone in mind of 'someone' they know, the dictionary definition for pantomime dame should just have a picture of Mr Meeks.  Phil Corbitt, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Harold Meeker from Rentaghost, plays Abanazar, the baddy we all love to boo, with plenty of menace and just a touch of camp cruelty.  Entering to a flash, bang and puff of smoke, he grabs the attention immediately and never lets it go.  If there is one small criticism it's that perhaps more could be made of Danny Potts as the Emperor; Danny is no small guy and is obviously very fit (I mean physically although there were quite a few around me who meant more in an eye-candy kinda way) and his role could be much more than as a foil to Jasmine & the Widow.

The starring role of Aladdin is played admirably by Gary Amers, with plenty of energy and a decent voice, although at times he looked a little star struck by the calibre of those around him,  unsurprising as many of his scenes were played opposite Darlington's own supernova- Beth Stobbart.  Beth, of Darlington Operatic Society fame, is well known to regular patrons of the Civic and once again her qualities stand out, this time as the magnetically beautiful Princess Jasmine.  Melting guys' hearts with her smile and knowing little winks and wowing all with her wonderful voice, Beth adds local pride to the festive smorgasbord of emotions being served up and in the process must surely be adding to her huge number of fans.

Panto is a very English form of theatre - many of my foreign friends just don't know how to approach one and consequently they struggle to accept the 'anarchy' that ensues, but that's what this tradition is all about - forget the quintessential British reservedness and grant yourself one evening of self indulgent silliness - if laughter is the best medicine then Darlington Civic audiences will be the healthiest in all the land.

51 Shades of Maggie @ Darlington Civic

Okay, for most people, 50 Shades of Grey was a wonderfully liberating, if somewhat naughty book which allowed women across the country to spend their lunchtimes at work escaping into the realms of erotic BDSM without having to hide the book inside a copy of Womens Realm.  I have not read it, nor any of the many spin offs and knock offs that sprung up in a 'summer of sin' but I know those who have so I took a couple of them with me to see this one woman show which takes the 50 Shades themes and rams them deep into the back alleys of the East End.

Firstly, Adele Silva, who for many is the brattish teen from Emmerdale, shows that she is a truly gifted actress - she can sing, she can dance, can cover many different accents and characters and has impeccable comic timing.  Whilst the story she was retelling didn't ring many bells for me, the way she brought each character to life was undeniably brilliant.  It is easy to see why this show has sold out so many venues - I found myself thinking of the Godbar play Bouncers and the way that brings real life front & centre.

Now, the story - well it's almost your typical girl meets boy, girl falls in love, girl realises that this an isn't for her and returns to the fold of her friends and kind - I said 'almost' a typical story as the focus very rapidly shifts to whips, chains, blindfolds and submissiveness.  There is a very funny gypsy party and a hilarious if somewhat cringe worthy encounter in the dole office.  What Silva does is ensure that her main character, Maggie, never loses her grounding, helped throughout by a smattering of non-expletive words amongst the swearing, cursing and 'chav-talk'.  This is certainly NOT a show for anyone who is easily offended by 'industrial' language, especially when spoken by a beautiful and demure lead, but it's possibly more shocking because deep down everyone knows that Maggie is stereotypical of so many young women (think TOWIE when the cameras stop rolling).

Ms Silva only breaks character once, prompted by the audiences reactions to a rather graphic statement featuring John McCririck, showing that underneath the coarse and brash persona of Maggie lies a brilliant actress who, for almost 2 hours, has solely and totally owned the stage.

Would I recommend this show, yes if you are a group of girls looking for a laugh filled evening, yes if you are a fan of character acting and want to see a young lady performing some of the very best, yes if you enjoy lifting up the dirty sheets of modern culture to see what is still there from the night before - just go prepared !

Last Night of Strictly Musicals by Darlington Operatic Society

"One Day More......"

So, here we are, heading into the last show of the run, a show which has given so many people a fabulous night out, revisited old favourites and introduced new shows.  For those who have been following these blogs, you will know by now that Strictly Musicals is a smorgasbord of musical theatre barely letting the audience settle from one great number before hitting them again with another.  Chatting to some of last nights visitors, they were particularly impressed by the youthfulness of the cast, one wag stating that there's no way anyone over 30 could perform in this as it's too energetic.... well, I'll let you make your own minds up, but I think there may be a few on stage tonight who will be quite delighted to be grouped into that age demographic.

It's true that Strictly does showcase the younger members more than usual, but, with so many opportunities to share the spotlight, Joanne Hand and Michael Trotter were able to explore everyone's talents and give them a chance to shine.  There is actually a wonderful blend across the cast which, even in the short numbers is essential to give depth to the production, as an example Fran Hague gives a hard-worn belief to "Living on the Never Never" which wouldn't be there if sung by a teenager.

What is very encouraging is the way that the younger members have tackled the traditional songs with just as much vigour as the more modern numbers; Naomi Potts, as Nettie Folwer sings "June is busting out all over" and gives the audience a real sense that indeed, warm weather is just outside; Andrew Hamilton and Laura Rowlands duet on "Shall we Dance" is a magical blend of voices and a great example of their ranges - Andrew also takes a lead in both Barnum and Les Mis, Laura is a delightful Mary Poppins in Spoonful of Sugar, while Natasha Magee continues the King & I theme with a brilliantly acted cameo of a nervous Anna in "Whenever I Feel Afraid".

Continuing with the conversation about the age of the cast at full time, one number, above all others, stood out and really summed up the current DarlingtonOS - 'Our Time' from Merrily We Roll Along.  Female leads Megan Robson and Georgina Cornelius, together with a host of other younger members, left us in no uncertainty "We're the movers, we're the shapers, we're the names in tomorrow's papers".  A true insight into the future of DOS, and what a very healthy future it is,  Megan and Georgina are perfect examples of the depth of talent throughout the society.  With future leading men Hamish Sams and Ethan Hurworth both keeping the current top boys on their toes,the competition for future shows will be intense and that can only be good for everyone.

So, that brings me to the last number of the last show - for those of you who have been and seen you will know what a breathtaking spectacular it is, audiences have been on the edge of their seats desperate to get up and join in.  As the cast demand of Joanne Harker and Joanne Mason "Come on you Vantussles go and shake your fanny muscles" (and, after 10 shows, the two Jo's have the best fanny muscles on stage) so if you're going tonight then take your cue from the cast and give it everything you've got - after all "You Can't Stop the Beat!"

http://www.darlingtonoperaticsociety.org.uk/ 

Darlington Operatic Society Strictly Musicals Finale @ Darlington Civic

“You’re the names in tomorrow’s papers”

And so, after months of preparation, weeks of rehearsals and hours of dancing feet, Darlington Operatic Society signed off their 10 night run of Strictly Musicals to a huge standing ovation.  The rapturous applause and heart-felt cheering will ring long into the night and beyond, well deserved by everyone involved in what surely must be their best loved show ever.  Not only has there been something to suit all tastes in the audience, the whole cast have had a rare chance to star in a show in which each & everyone has had a major part to play.

Right at the start of this journey, I was invited by Joanne Hand & Julian Cound to come along and watch some of the rehearsals.  At that time, back when the days were long and the school hall hot & sweaty, it was difficult to imagine just how spectacular the end result was going to be – well difficult for me, but Joanne’s experience and expertise meant that once the individual numbers were set, learned and perfected the show would most certainly become greater than just a sum of its parts.  Considering that at times there were 47 people on stage, Jo’s planning and directions needed military precision to ensure everyone ended up where they needed to be, when they needed to be there and were still singing and dancing along the way.  Those who have been to see Strictly will surely agree that they have witnessed direction and choreography at its very, very best.

It has been my absolute pleasure to write this blog;  as opening night neared I interviewed Samantha (who made my mum cry) and Leighton (undoubtedly the cheekiest cockney funster I’ve met), and then followed the show through its amazing 10 night run.  Along the way I have met many of the society, both on stage and off, and I cannot pay them a bigger compliment than to say they have welcomed me as one of their own into this amazing DOS family.   Likewise, my thanks go to Gillian Shevels as Chairman of the Society for her continued support and permission in allowing me to watch the show to help write up the reviews.

I would like to take this chance to thank Michael Trotter, Musical Director, and Sarah Carruthers, pianist, for not only their musical prowess and amazing skill through rehearsals and the live shows, but also for not forcing me into playing 3rd keyboard – I did watch Sarah a lot but my finger skills are rather rusty these days (tho I can play a mean triangle).  (And to Zoe and Michael, thank you for helping me discover my feminine side)

Having watched & reviewed over a hundred shows in the past few years I can, without a shadow of doubt, say that Strictly Musicals has been the best; not just for the content, the style, the variety of emotions but because it has been performed and produced by people who honestly and truly love what they do.

Thank you DOS, you’ve made the town and the whole region very, very proud !!