I had the great pleasure, on Saturday night, to see Guys and Dolls. This being the latest production by the Stage One Youth Theatre Group. This group never cease to amaze. Although they are, by definition, an amateur group their productions are anything but. The members of the cast range in age from 8 to 18 and they are perhaps the most enthusiastic group that I have ever encountered.
Anyone who has ever trod the boards will know how daunting it can be to step out in front of an audience. The members of this group seem to overcome any reservations and burst onto stage if not with broad smiles on their faces then with a gleam in their eyes.
Guys an Dolls was no exception. Although this was not perhaps their best ever production, it was right up there with the best.Certain aspects of this production were a bit shaky and there were a couple of bum notes from the orchestra. The highlights of the show, for me, were the performance from Megan Healy as Miss Adelaide, Sam Ring as Sky Masterson, Natasha Brown as Sarah Brown and James Lawbuary as Arvide Abernathy. All managed to sing and act at the same time with particularly strong vocal performance from Ring and Brown. All in all it was an exuberant show and most of the audience that I observed when leaving were in high spirits, with smiles of pleasure on their faces.
Over the years I have seen many Stage One performances including Les Miserables, Oliver, Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story, Oklahoma, Bugsy Malone and Me & My Girl. As you can see from this list they do not shy away from the more complex productions. These shows have moved me through the whole gamut of emotions, from tears to full belly laughs. To my way of thinking these productions are great value for money. Where else can you be entertained with music and action from the West End shows without having to pay West End prices.
WrAnTz 