Barnum

Wow!  I have just returned from a spectacular night at the theatre watching CODYS Productions production of Barnum.  I only hope there are enough superlatives to show what a great show it was!  We all now know the story of PT Barnum, thanks to the massive success of its modern day make-over, in ‘The Greatest Showman’.  Barnum was written and first performed in 1980 and has had a revival – and it’s not hard to see why!

CODYS productions have been nominated (and won) various NODA awards in the past and this production is up there with the best of them.  It truly was a spectacular show and no expense was spared on the set, costumes and visuals.  From the pre-show circus outside of the theatre to the final number and curtain down – there were smiles onstage and even bigger smiles in the auditorium. 

Visually, it was stunning!  The set was a character in itself.  If any society out there is thinking of doing this show and has a large theatre space then this is the set you need!  The show cloths that were flown in; the old-style theatre boxes; the huge elephant that was onstage – everything was excellently presented, and the audience were visually treated.  Well done to the director Nick Cupit, and his team, for producing a fantastic show.  There is a lot of youth talent in Warrington and most of the talent was on that stage tonight. 

The direction was great, and all actors were totally in control of their track.  Whether it was dancing, singing, circus skills, or all of them combined, all of the youth were very well rehearsed and performed brilliantly.  The dancing and singing were particularly very strong.  If I was to be a little harsh, I found the storytelling was not quite up to the same standard as the singing and dancing but most of the audience would not have noticed this.  The scene changes were slick, and it was a great idea to have the stage crew dressed in circus costumes so that they went un-noticed by the audience.

Simon Pickup was at the helm of the orchestra.  I must say that, for me, the orchestra were excellent.  Great tempo with a sympathetic ear for the ‘rall’ bits of the score when the actors controls the tempo.  I particularly liked the flute solo during the ballet dance sequence.

Natasha Bill was the choreographer.  I found the choreography visually great and all dancers gave 100% commitment to their contribution to the overall show.  The choreography was sympathetic to the era and style, which was appreciated by me.  I loved the ballet section in Act 1 – Well done!

The costumes, props and make-up were brilliant.  I loved the directorial choice of the brightly coloured wigs and costumes throughout.  It reminded me of a kind of dystopian world (like Hunger Games) where the crowds outside of Barum’s circus were just as strange as the circus itself.  The costumes in particular were used very effectively throughout to convey character and enhance the visuals.

Lighting was excellent.  I loved the array of colours, gels, gobos and effects used to enhance the story and the visuals for the audience.  There was the odd follow spot that was late, but it didn’t really distract from the action.

Sound was equally brilliant.  Its hard to have a large orchestra, a large cast of 65 children with various head mics and a gap between them and the audience, but I found the balance between all three was perfect.  I hoped that the orchestra wouldn’t drown out the cast, but they didn’t at all – well done.

PT Barnum was the protagonist of this piece and was played by Clayton Roberts.  I liked Clayton’s interpretation of this character.  He is almost on stage throughout the entire show and has SO much dialogue.  Clayton did well and held his own.  He had a good rapport with the rest of the cast and seemed in control all the way through.  For me, Clayton lacked a lot of diction, articulation and projection which impacted on the storytelling.  This was only true during the scenes as his singing was lovely and he has a really good singing voice and vocal range.

Charity Barnum was brilliantly played by Sophia Thompson.  I loved Sophia’s version of Charity – she very much underplayed her role as the submissive wife to her wealthy husband.  This is appreciated by me.  Sophia has a stunning singing voice!  I could listen to her sing all day long.  ‘The Colours of My Life’ was beautiful!  I have no doubt that if Sophia wanted to pursue a career in the West End – she could easily do so.

Erin Smith played the role of Jenny Lind.  She had great stage presence and good comic timing.  Erin also has a fantastic soprano voice and sang beautifully during ‘Love Makes Such Fools of Us All’.  She was a joy to watch and listen to.  Well done Erin. 

There are far too many other characters for me to mention, however, I think its unfair not to say well done to the Ringmasters (Jamie Pollard and Gemma Clarke) who were perfectly cast, along with Mollie Neal (Joice Heth), Joe Campbell and Sophie Powell (Blues Singers) who all sang brilliantly.  What I will say is that, no small part goes unnoticed.  Barnum had a very large cast and each performer gave their all.  I appreciated the smiles, the enthusiasm, the singing, dancing, stilt-walking, circus skills and the fact that you gave up months out of your life by travelling to circus school during your summer holidays.  Congratulations to all involved in CODYS productions; Barnum.  It truly was a brilliant show and a visual treat!  Good luck with the rest of your run and I cannot wait to return for your next production of Joseph!

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