Anything Goes

The music of Cole Porter is always a winner and a story set on board ship is ideal by the compactness and versatility of the set.    Billy Crocker (Thomas McFarlane), the young Wall Street broker is in love with the attractive debutante Hope Harcourt (Lynne Fyffe) but she is engaged to the stuffed shirt Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, amusingly played by Roger Topping.   Lesley Gamble cast as Hope’s mother Evangeline was suitably haughty and overbearing, although near penniless and Lindsay Stevenson gave a solid portrayal of a Wall Street Ivy League banker.   Comedy was safely entrusted to Fiona Prior as the attractive evangelist turned night club hostess Reno Sweeney with her Angels with the dubious names of Purity (Alison Mathers), Virtue (Jennifer Claire McKay), Chastity (Marianna McLauchlan) and Charity (Jennifer Lindsay).   Mike Driscoll made a fleeting appearance as the Right Reverend Henry T Dobson only to be supplanted by Moonface Martin (Mike Denholm) masquerading as a minister of religion but in fact merely a second rate Gangster.   He is travelling with his girlfriend Erma (Jean Hutchison) – sailors beware!   Ian McAulay took the role of the dignified but harassed Ship’s Captain with  James Gordon as the Ship’s Purser.   The remainder of the cast were various ship’s passengers, crew, FBI agents and journalists.
The show romped on with its many hilarious scenes, mistaken identities and Lord Evelyn’s eccentricities.   The dialogue was well pointed and the audience caught and enjoyed the humorous lines.   The music is simply delightful and one leaves the theatre with one or two of the melodies still playing along in the memory.   Truly an evening of premium light entertainment.        

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