Barnum

Weston Operatic Society Juniors The Oppitts

What a charming way to spend one of the hottest evenings of the year…watching the Oppitts perform the complex and adult themed musical ‘Barnum’.

The Blakehay Theatre was the best choice of venue for this show… the stage area being small, meant the production team could resist the temptation of putting in vast scenery and circus apparatus and the director concentrated on  performance with very good song and dance. The ‘circus elements were all present with acrobatics, clowns juggling and plate spinning and we were left in no doubt about the story.

The Oppits have recent lost some of their older ‘star’ performers to the WSM OS and further education and I wondered how the younger up and coming cast would cope. I am happy to say they now have many more ‘stars’ of the future and the energy and talent was as good as ever.

This is a complex musical with adult themes and these were handled with sensitivity by the director who, sensibly concentrated on the company performances as a whole. The teamwork was great with everyone giving 100%.

Ben Fryer handled the difficult role of Phineus Taylor Barnum very well, he showed maturity, empathy and affection to Charity Barnum and was able to convey the ironic humour (tongue in cheek absurdity) of some of the situations in which he found himself. Well done Ben for undertaking a large difficult role, just try to slow your dialogue a little, as some very witty lines got a little lost along the way…… excellent young male talent!

Both Amelia Seaton and Kate Pattinson as Charity Barnum and Jenny Lind demonstrated talent and with experience and maturity are going to become fine performers. Amalie Carraud as Joice Heth gave an excellent performance having a beautiful mature voice and Liberty Sprake-Cooper was an outstandingly agile dancer and singer as Tom Thumb. Joe Thomas and Charlotte Doswell both show great promise for the future portraying James A Bailey and the Blues Singer. The remaining cameo roles, too numerous to mention and the ensemble performed extremely well and offered wonderful entertainment.

The production team are to be congratulated for encouraging these fine young performers to tackle  a subject certainly not always seen as easy musical theatre entertainment (and even with the advent of  ‘The Greatest Showman’ - I still maintain Barnum has the best storyline)!

So Director, MD and Choreographer take a bow, for together with the fine performers, the small but perfect band and the good lighting, sound, costume and back stage crew, you brought  great pleasure to this Noda Rep and her husband and the rest of the very hot audience.

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