13 The Musical

So, having seen the younger members of Riverside Theatre Company perform Beauty and the Beast in the afternoon we returned in the evening to Little Gransden Village Hall to see the teenage members put on 13, The Musical. For those not having read my earlier review of Beauty and with apologies to those that have, I’ll repeat my first paragraph:
The performing arts groups in and around St Neots currently have a venue problem, their usual venue, The Priory Centre is presently closed for renovation and isn’t likely to open for at least another year. So, all groups are having to squeeze dates out of other already overcrowded venues in and around the town and local vicinity. Thus, Riverside had managed to book a weekend at the beginning of May to put on not one, but two different productions from two different age groups over a Saturday and Sunday (with Dress on the Friday) at Little Gransden Village Hall, a few miles south-east of St Neots. Its stage and auditorium are well suited, but their limited backstage can be a challenge for a cast of any size. However, Riverside certainly made the best of it and royally entertained an audience full of parents, grandparents and siblings plus a Noda Rep, quite a remarkable feat of acclimatisation and logistics.  Even more so when you factor the further challenge of the hall being a polling station – not planned when they booked it.

Directed by Jacqui Coleman, with MD Ian Tipping the story centres on 12-year-old Evan Goldman who is uprooted from his New York home just before his much-anticipated Bar Mitzvah to a small town in Indiana where he has to cope with new soundings and try to fit in with the dramas of his new school, the pupils and all the various factions of the social circle within it.

The stage contained the orchestra situated upstage in full view with the acting taking place in front of it. The set was sensibly bare due to time constraints on the get in and used cubed blocks for seating and height where required. These were expertly repositioned for each scene by the cast themselves and the scenes moved seamlessly from one to another.

Lighting by Ryan Windscheffel was faultlessly operated,  and as I always say, if I don’t think about it during the show, which I didn’t, it must have been spot on.

Sound by Tony Rawson was much improved from the afternoon show where soft spoken young actors were hard to hear. In this show the older actors had learnt how to project and thus clarity and volume were no longer an issue. Riverside Theatre Company have done their job and taught them well!

Costumes by Emily Wainwright-Meekins were exactly what one would expect of American School/College Kids and left us in no doubt as to where we were in the world. Good contrast of diverse outfits across the board and particularly excellent T-shirts for the Cheer leaders. I also loved the beards for the Rabbi scene where half the cast wore them. Very amusing!

 

Music was under the direction of Ian Tipping, whose band (uncredited) did an excellent job.

The choreography by Ellen Tipping, with Dance Captain, Felicity Conway ensuring consistence in this show, was outstanding with some really well executed numbers and quite rightly got a rousing cheer from the audience after every number. Wonderful to watch! Particular nod to our Cheerleaders, Alanna, Ivy and Harriett who led from the front!

Our teen actors showed us how under Riverside’s expert tuition they have matured into very competent and confident performers. George playing the lead role of Evan was a fine example with a very well measured performance indeed. His range of emotions especially well pitched and a very good singing voice to go with it. Louie who played Archie, who suffers from life-limiting Muscular Dystrophy was a perfect foil to him and the exchanges between them were very both funny and poignant. His decorated crutches were very much appreciated by the audience. The scenes between Evan and Patrice, played by Beth were also extremely well handled and perfectly demonstrated the awkwardness of teenage sexual relationships. Issac H who played Brett the leader of the gang was another outstanding performance as he defended his position as leader of the pack and see-sawed between the two girlfriends, Lucy played by Aoibhe and Kendra played by Kyra . All very well backed up by his sidekicks Jared played by Malcolm and Isaac W as Eddie. 

Well done also to the other members of the gang Hattie (Simon), Willian (Richie), Francesca (Cassie), Ella (Charlotte), Eleanor and (Molly). And not to forget Zach as a very bearded Rabbi! And finally a shout out to the chorus of Ethan, Imogen, Emma L, Emma C, Katrina, Josie, Phoebe, Joseph and Hannah. Well done all!

It was a great pleasure and an honour to watch these two productions in one day and to see both the embryonic beginning of performing arts careers and the “What they are likely to become” a few years down the road in the capable hands of Riverside Theatre company. A very professional job I would say and very good for the arts in District two. Thank you Riverside!

Well done to Director Jacqui Coleman, Emily Wainwright-Meekins their cast and crew and thank you to the FOH team for their splendid hospitality twice in one day!

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.