- BITTER-SWEET - Norfolk Opera Players
-
- Norwich Playhouse - 14 to 16 Sep, 2000
-
 A
long but enjoyable evening from this well-organised and brave
group of amateurs. One that contained many jewels particularly
in the principal roles. Jane Mack as Sarah acted with a surety
that kept the show well within the bounds of credibility with
a voice that was always accomplished and convincing and at times
quite beautiful and moving. Christopher Steed as Carl sang extremely
well and maintained a convincing Viennese accent throughout.
Alison McCully gave Manon the guts and bravado needed for the
role and for my money was the most natural performer.
-
- Disbelief had to be suspended at times as the mature ladies
and gentlemen of the chorus did their best to be gay young things
in their teens & twenties - not made any easier by the ill-fitting
wigs which caused laughter from some parts of the audience
-
- The music provided confidently by the Musical Director David
Kett and a small on-stage orchestra led a chorus that at times
just about hung on to the words as they spun through Coward's
delicious music.
-
- It is a long venture, a three act musical of some complexity
- but with considerable strength in its music and structure -
certainly Coward's best musical and produced when he was still
only 30.
-
- The story is tenable and the flashback technique is one of
the earliest employed in the theatre. An ambitious venture for
an amateur company - who should be congratulated for doing it
and giving it their all. There were moments of real drama, strong
musical delivery and theatrical expertise. It is not a comedy
as such but does have some lovely throw-away lines. This production
may have amended some of the words of Green Carnation and played
it for all it was worth as a camp cameo - they certainly looked
gay and were very funny!
-
- All in all a very entertaining evening and worth all the
work that must have gone into it. At its weakest, Coward's composing
and writing expertise shone through, and at its strongest, notable
for memorable performances of the best songs: 'I'll See You Again'
sung several times to great effect; plus sound interpretations
of 'If You Could Only Come With Me,' 'Ladies of the Town,' Dear
Little Café and 'Tokay.' The song that came nearest to
a showstopper was 'If Love Were All' sung of course by Alison
McCully as Manon (but this is a personal favourite anyway!)
-
- John Knowles
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