Barnum

Barnum is a very colourful and energetic show with a lot going on. Centre Stage ticked all the boxes and are to be heartily congratulated.

On arrival in the Pavilion foyer, we were transported into a circus atmosphere, then into the auditorium where the walls and ceilings were festooned with different coloured fabrics to make it appear that we were sitting in a Big Top. Very effective and deceptively simple (a lot of work had been put into that alone!). This was a first class production and going by the audience reaction, very well received!

Max Johnson is to be congratulated on his versatility in this title role, not only for his confident acting and very able singing voice, but his spectacular tightrope walk. You could have heard a feather drop during this remarkable feat and demonstrated Max’s commitment to this major role. Just outstanding!

Chairy Barnum (Sylvie Hodgson Smith) had an understated style of acting.  She was poised and mature from the start. Her depiction of Chairy’s death was sensitive and very touching.

Regan Meadowcroft did well as the small circus owner James A Bailey and as Arnos Scudder the owner of the American Museum.

Lucy Sansom as Jenny Lind the Swedish soprano singer had a superb voice and her acting was great.

Jack Woodthorpe made an excellent and energetic Tom Thumb and the clever way that the huge chair and the chorus on stilts emphasised his smallness, was done beautifully.

Jack Arthur as the ringmaster kept things going well, along with Luella Lewis as the Blues Singer and so many more ,too numerous to mention individually. This was a show full of spectacle, it had great pace, just kept going without a hitch. Time well spent in rehearsals was clearly evident. The costumes were colourful and spot on. The lighting, as always, was good. The orchestra under Jeremy Rawlings sounded good and the problems that could have been caused by their position at the back and above the stage were clearly overcome. This show was well thought out and the chorus magnificent with their many circus skills on display. The grouping and choreography was clever and effective.

This production of Barnum is surely another great hit that audiences have grown to expect from Centre Stage. Congratulations to Director Sue Bonnett and all the enthusiastic and talented youngsters who make up this Company.

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