Annie Get Your Gun

Annie Get Your Gun has a special place in my heart as it’s the Musical where Mina and I first really got know one another with BMTG in 2008.  As I sat down in the auditorium, what I was immediately really impressed initially was the ambition that the whole company and production team had showed in tackling a full length, full strength, musical with its nearly 150 minute running length.  At the end of the night I sat marvelling at what I had just witnessed, a production of this timeless classic that easily rivalled anything I had seen from any adult company, complete with a tour-de-force performance by Bethan Moore in the titular role.

Annie Get Your Gun is a classic musical with two key Principal roles, Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, a strong supporting cast of Wild West Show characters including Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill, Dolly Tate, Sitting Bull and Pawnee Bill.  Without a strong cast of actors who also possess great vocal talent it is hard to keep an audience engaged in the story and here EMUS were blessed with strength in depth.

As already mentioned I’m sure none of the cast will object to me singling out Bethan Moore for special praise as her interpretation of Annie Oakley was quite literally spellbinding.  From the moment Bethan entered the stage as the ‘diamond-in-the-rough’ version of Annie she completely captured the quirky, vulnerable, love-struck aspects of the character and as the evening progressed her transitions that finally led to the accomplished, savvy, generous and self-assured finished article were a joy to watch.  Although Bethan delivered the stand out performance of the night it was not the only strong acting and vocal performance.  Joel Dawson was on great form as Frank Butler, the assured Wild West Show star who’s professional prowess and position are completely disrupted by Annie.  Joel managed to portray Frank’s initial annoyance and final acceptance as his world is turned upside-down both romantically and professionally as he grows to Love Annie.  Great vocal work from Joel again throughout the night.

Yasmin Aldous was another star of the evening as Charlie Davenport as she kicked off the show and brought the audience along for the ride as a very effective narrator at times and Confidant to Frank and Buffalo Bill as they try to save the Wild West Show.  Drew Boswell was on great form as Buffalo Bill bringing out the humour and desire to support his travelling players to prove that the show must go on as there is literally “No Business Like Show Business”.  Eleanor Cooper was a suitably vain and disloyal Dolly Tate aiding and abetting Lowri Moore as Pawnee Bill as Pawnee tries to survive as the only Wild West Touring Show in America.  Great interplay here by Drew, Eleanor, Yasmin and Lowri throughout the show.

Evan Hagan provided a fun interpretation of Sitting Bull who helped Annie understand how you win a man with a fragile ego (you don’t show them up by being better than them ALL the time), and Oliver Nolan brought some incredible accent work and mannerisms to make Foster Wilson a very three dimensional character.

Finally, Noah Hickling (and I’m sure Blake Hagan), Livvi Hickling, Eloise Chamberlain and Lacey Swinburne were just right as the Oakley family ensuring that they didn’t overact or overplay their characters so they could drive some of the narrative and not just being seen as “cute”.   No production of Annie Get Your Gun is complete without a strong supporting cast and again here the EMUS production shone so congratulations to Lauren, Gabriella, Martha, Izzy, Toby, Harry, Elis, Clarissa, Sophie, Grace and Rose.

Congratulations of course go to Chris, Hayden, Megan and George on a magnificent production.  I always love to hear a live band/orchestra and in this production the balance between stage and “pit” was excellent and the musical interpretation itself was full of light, shade and nuance.  The diction and delivery of the musical solo classics and full cast numbers was another tribute to the work George had done in rehearsals.  Dance and all movement was on point throughout and from the smiles in the Cast you could tell was very much loved by all.  Costume, Sound Balance, Lighting and staging were just right, and the speed of scene changes added to the overall success of the show.

Chris, thank you for having the vision and taking the risk of taking on Annie Get Your Gun as a youth production.  Your hard work, commitment and passion for the project paid off! 

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.