Anything Goes

Cole Porter’s classic musical first hit Broadway in 1934. It’s a toe-tapping delight of a show with a romantic light and frothy plot packed full of familiar catchy hit numbers that continue to enchant.
Song and dance man Tim Driscoll, gave a smooth and easy performance in the demanding role of Billy Crocker, the lovelorn stowaway on board the liner SS America, in pursuit of his love Hope Harcourt, attractively played by Claire Black.
A storming performance by Amanda Legge, as Reno Sweeney, the glamorous evangelist nightclub singer. With a nice style in wry comedy and vocally well suited to the demands of the role, with a rousing ‘Blow, Gabriel Blow’, accompanied throughout by her backing group of ‘fallen angels’. Purity (Angela Sadler), Chastity (Natalie Smith), Charity (Rebecca Harrison) and Virtue (Leanne Algeo).
Versatile Rob Reynolds, droll and very funny in well-timed and paced comedy as Public Enemy No.13 (but with ambitions) Moonface Martin, with Lauren Cranmer, delicious as man-hungry gangster moll Erma.
Keith Millward, as the silly-billy aristocratic fiancé of Hope, Lord Evelyn Harcourt, added greatly to the fun and laughter with Karen Thomas, stern and elegant as his prospective mother-in-law, Evangeline Harcourt. Mrs H is hotly pursued by myopic inebriate business tycoon Elisha Whitney, in a colourful performance by Neil Davies.
A great band, under the baton of David Winterbottom, had just the right sound and lightness for the period of the musical and Cole Porter’s delicious score.
A well cast and presented show which easily overcame the many limitations of the venue in a bubbly, fun-filled production by Derek Grattidge, and attractive innovative routines by Sharon Fitzgerald, to add to the pleasure of a de-lovely evening.

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