Anything Goes

The good ship SS American set sail from Sutton Village Hall, and we were all passengers aboard this entertaining production of Anything Goes (Beaumont version).

Josh Breeze gave a confident performance in his role as Billy Crocker, the stowaway in pursuit of his love, Hope Harcourt, excellently played by Emma-Jayne Waters. They both have very strong singing voices and their musical numbers together were “delightful”.

Hope, however, already has a fiancé - Lord Evelyn Oakleigh - played by Richard Smith. Lord Evelyn has some very amusing comedy lines and Richard delivered these with great timing.  Evangelist nightclub singer, Reno Sweeney - played by Roxanne Williams – gave a confident performance and led the company well in the big “Blow Gabriel Blow" and "Anything Goes" numbers.

Funny man, hard working Philip Smith delivered a great performance as Moonface Martin- criminally ambitious Public Enemy Number 13.  Charlotte Harrison played Erma, the gangsters moll and her number “Buddie, Beware” with the sailors was sung with confidence.

Alison Waters played Evangeline Harcourt, mother and chaperone of Hope, and David Knights played wealthy businessman, Elisha Whitney – both had good characterisations

There were some great supporting roles from the rest of the cast with nice characterisations, and all cameo roles were well played.

Musical Director David Weale led the musical trio with his usual brilliance on keyboard – and they brought out the best in this lovely Cole Porter score.  .

The production was attractively costumed (Northern Costume Hire and Doreen Smith working her magic) and the staging worked well – I particularly liked the way they made use of the stairs onto stage from the hall in the opening and final scene.  It gave a real sense of passengers going onto, and coming off an ocean liner and it brought the production closer to the audience.

There was certainly song, dance and farcical antics in this evenings entertainment.  This is a “feel good” factor musical which literally “bobs” along in a frilly and frothy way.  Thank you for an enjoyable evening.

 

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