Catherine Bennett resumes the weekly look at the performing arts world, with the sad end of Jerusalem, the luck of a cabbie, and French revolt. Do you hear the people sing?
Adam Alcock reviews Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons and his own Four Elements at York Opera House.
Catherine Bennett highlights the trends in the performing arts world today.
Jonathan Cridford reviews 'Ghosts', one of the Freshers' plays for this year.
“They sing choruses in public that’s mad enough” this line brings a touch of the post-modern to Ruddigore and pretty accurately sums up G&S Society.
I was pleasantly surprised by Ruddigore. Gilbert and Sullivan’s style of light opera, high camp and low humour is generally more my mum’s cup of tea. I didn’t know what to expect but this production is fantastic and is for me what student theatre should be about. Everyone gets involved from the singing of silly songs to the building of sets to the designing of programmes. G&S Society have clearly had a ball putting it together and it really has paid off on stage.
There’s really not much point giving a plot synopsis, suffice to say it’s very silly indeed; there’s a sailor, a gallery of ghosts who aren’t really dead (I think?) and a heroine of dubious moral conduct. A few script “tweakings” also place it firmly and funnily in a Yorkshire setting.
For me the stand out performances are Freya Jacklin as Mad Margaret, a first year music student who gives a hilarious performance (again I think it’s performance but it is Gilbert and Sullivan soc…) of insanity with her pet bundle of twigs and has a beautiful voice. Credit too to campus celebrity- he played Tony in the Blair Musical you know- the fantastic James Duckworth as Sir Despard Murgatroyd who made me howl with laughter with his at times restrained and at times flamboyant performance. Good supporting cast and lovely chorus too.
For me the real shame was that at times the chorus, as they were un-miked, were drowned by the orchestra, but this wasn't a problem that excused the semi comatose audience - come on guys, it wasn’t a wake! Get yourself down to central hall tonight at 7.30 for the final show, at £3 a ticket, it’s really worth a watch even if it isn’t usually your cup of tea and if you’ve got a couple of hours to kill in between seminars you can also catch the matinee this afternoon at 2.30.
I'd agree with the stand out performances, they definitely made the show for me last night. In fact all the girls did rather well all-round.
Unfortunately some of the other roles, although filled by capable singers, weren't necessarily actors. And some of the words were lost, as you say to the orchestra and through poor enunciation - especially in the very quick parts.
All in all though, good fun and well-directed.
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