On The Roof fame), this is one of those romantic comedies where the plot development is both predictable and contrived, that relies on a charming cast to keep it afloat. Fortunately, James Reed and Lauren Potter both give impassioned performances as two argumentative parfumerie employees who eventually discover they have more in common than they first thought. They have strong chemistry, both as adversaries in argument and as romantic partners. Able support is provided by John Greene, Sarah Nagy, Buddy Dawson, Tim Taylor and Mitchell Smith - all endearingly quirky as Georg & Amalia’s colleagues. But the big scene stealer is Andrew Crayford, who appears onstage as a pushy waiter during a disasterous dinner date sequence. The show is visually marvellous from start to finish, the sets and costumes (courtesy of Patsy Thomas, Norman Caddick and Gilian Cordell) are all finely detailed, brilliantly evocative of the time period. Madeline Edwards’ choreography makes imaginative use of props, and subtly contributes to much of the production’s humour. She Loves Me is a work that has dated badly in some Thoroughly Modern Millie respects, but thanks to the lively, energetic work of Therry, New Music: Jeanine Tesori. New Lyrics: Dick Scanlan. Book: it never feels like a museum piece - rather, watching this Richard Morris & Dick Scanlan. Savoyards. Director: Johanna show feels like stepping back in time to another era. Toia. Musical Director: Shane Tooley. Choreographer: Jo Anthony Vaswer Badenhurst. Iona Performing Arts Centre, Wynnum. May 31 - Jun 14. Thoroughly Modern Millie A VIBRANT and winning performance by Astin Blaik in Directed by Lyn Laister. MLOC (Vic). Phoenix Theatre, the title role and snappy dance routines by Jo Badenhurst Elwood. June 13 - 21. were the pluses of Savoyards production of Thoroughly THOROUGHLY Modern Millie could hardly be called one Modern Millie. “Forget About the Boy” and “Gimme of the great musicals. Nevertheless, for pure enjoyment and Gimme” both sung by Astin Blaik registered strongly. Kim enthusiasm, this is well worth a visit. Kee as Millie’s friend Miss Dorothy gets to show -off a nice Amy Gridley, a seasoned dancer and singer, is an soprano range dueting with Jordan Ross (Trevor Graydon) excellent Millie, with the right mixture of determination and on Victor Herbert’s “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life” and “I’m romanticism. James Robertson (Jimmy Smith), is charming Falling Love with Someone.” It’s a funny moment which and appealing and Mandie Lee is a delightful Dorothy they both capture with charm. Millie’s love interest Jimmy is Brown. MLOC has two great assets in Trish Carr (Mrs well-played and sung by William Hinz. Sherryl-Lee Secombe Meers), a performer guaranteed to impress everyone, and does what she can with the underwritten role of Mrs Carly Daley (Muzzy Van Hossmere), who, although heavily Meers. Jaqui Cuny as Mizzie belts “Only in New York” and pregnant with her first child, adds large doses of “Long as I’m Here With You” as if they were showstoppers, professional expertise. Ash Cooper impresses as Trevor, and which they are not, while Chris Fox as Ching Ho and Walter the role hides the fact that he is a little stiff onstage, and Lago as Bun Foo get the best comedic moment when they Mary Bryant (Miss Flannery) and the Priscilla Girls strike just sing the old Al Jolsen song “Mammy” in Chinese with the right notes. English sur-titles shown above the proscenium. It’s an The real stars of the show are the fabulous Ju-Han Soon audience winner. Johanna Toia’s direction could have had (Ching Ho), who is comically endearing and one heck of a more fizz in the first half, not helped by the slow scene dancer, and William Kim (Bun Foo), who is making an changes, but the second was as bubbly as a glass of astounding debut. His Chinese rendition of Mammy (with champagne. subtitles) has to be seen to be believed. Peter Pinne Lyn Laister has done a lovely job with the direction and Rhylee Nowell has tapped into 1920s choreography with She Loves Me great style. Musical Director Stacey-Louise Camilleri really By Joe Masteroff, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. Therry whipped the orchestra into a great syncopated ragtime Dramatic Society. Directed by Patsy Thomas. The Arts performance in the second act. The costumes, set and Theatre, Adelaide. Feb 17 - 22. lighting all work a treat. MLOC is not the flashiest or most THE Therry Dramatic Society presents a shamelessly old- ambitious of community Musical Theatre groups, but they fashioned musical comedy with She Loves Me. Featuring have the ability to make each production infectious. catchy songs by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (of Fiddler Coral Drouyn those who were starting out and the gap between the standards was obvious and this performance wasn’t helped by slow scene changes (with plenty of torch light and hands etc. visible from the audience). Tony Alcock had cast a strong principal line up with standout performances from Jessica Papst as the house keeper Frau Blucher, Martin Jennings as The Monster and the numerous cameo roles of Joel Beskin. Under the baton of Matt Pearson, the show had a strong music foundation and Paulo Natividad’s choreography was impressive and the Puttin’ On The Ritz routine featuring The Monster was the highlight of the evening. Quite often, when a movie is rewritten as a musical, the new version struggles to recreate the original magic - which is a shame. On a lighter side, the visual effects were great and effective. Hopefully the show will tighten up and deliver a production worthy of Mel Brooks. Roger McKenzie
80 Stage Whispers
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