12th April 2025
Eurobeat - The Pride of Europe
The Moray Operatic & Dramatic Society, Town Hall, Forres
Annie Get Your Gun
Author: Mike Pendlowski
Information
- Date
- 4th September 2017
- Society
- Anstruther & District Amateur Musical Society
- Venue
- Byre Theatre, St Andrews
- Type of Production
- Musical
- Director
- Fiona Stewart
- Musical Director
- Lynn Smith
- Choreographer
- Fiona Stewart
First of all I should mention that, due to holiday commitments, I was unable to attend a public performance of this show. ADAMS, however, kindly agreed to my compiling this report after viewing their dress rehearsal.
Annie Get Your Gun is based on the true story of the love and lives of stars of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show – in particular that of Frank Butler and Annie Oakley. The show has a wonderfully rousing overture, made a pleasure to listen to by ADAMS first class orchestra under the baton of Lynn Smith. However, without a chorus and principal line-up of an equal standard, the show would fail. Thankfully, this evening, there are no fears on this account. From the opening number “There’s No Business Like Show Business” to the Finale number, there was not a weak link in the chain.
Principal-wise, the two leading characters mentioned above and played by Roy Verner and Stephanie Baillie worked so well together, and their duets (of which there are several!) were a pleasure to listen to. The secondary love interest in the show falls to Tommy Keeler (Callum Stott) and Winnie Tate (Hannah Nichols) again a fine bit of casting for this duo – their performance of “Who Do you Love I Hope” being one of the stand-out numbers in Act Two. Great performances were also heard from Dolly Tate (Lindsay Mera-Rowan) and Charlie Davenport (Andrew Johnson), while minor principal performances from Steve Pimentil as Buffalo Bill, Brodie Smith as Chief Sitting Bull and Paul Connor as Pawnee Bill, added in no small way to an excellent evening of entertainment.
We cannot report on “Annie Get Your Gun” without giving mention to the children involved. Jessie (shared by Ruby Barker & Erin Cameron), Nellie (Lily McLaren & Erin Reid) and Little Jake (Harry Elrick all gave very professional performances.
Director and Choreographer Fiona Stewart, together with Assistant Director Robert Nee must be very proud of the results of their efforts – and rightly so!
Thank you ADAMS for inviting me to your 2017 production – and especially for agreeing that I should report on your Dress Rehearsal (It promises to be first class week!)
© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.