Betty Blue Eyes

I’m never quite sure how many people read these reports and as such I’m going to start on this occasion with the conclusion.  GO AND SEE THIS SHOW!

I was asked to cover for another rep’s holidays at a group I’m not overly familiar with.  As you do, I try and attend as many shows in the region as I can to support other groups and had seen their work before and always really enjoyed them.  Director Julie Dryden-Smith really has an eye for detail and Chester le Street Theatre Group often choose shows which are a little more unusual, less well known and not run of the mill.  This was no exception.  I’d never heard of “Betty Blue Eyes” other than seeing some other NODA groups in the south had chosen it.  It’s a North premier as far as I’m aware and I certainly was in no way disappointed.

Set in 1947 celebrating the Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip around the period of post WW2 rationing, food shortages, queuing at shops for provisions and community spirit (some significant parallels with experiences today post Coivid-19 pandemic), and based on the hilarious comic play by Alan Bennett and Malcolm Mowbray “A Private Function”.  Members of a small community in Yorkshire are determined to celebrate the Royal Wedding with a banquet and, despite the antics of an over-zealous local government meat inspector, the intention is to serve a fine dish of roast pork as the main course.

The result is an utterly British musical, full of eccentric characters, such as the odd couple Gilbert Chilvers – an humble chiropodist, and his wife Joyce – a nobody determined to be somebody; Inspector Wormold – an obsessive destroyer of illegal meat; Mother Dear – ‘She’s seventy four and ravenous’; along with a weird assortment of bullies, spivs and snobs, and of course, our star, Betty the pig.

It was a really lovely performance to watch and really enjoyable.  There was a large cast, crew and production team, so many of which who really all pulled together as a team to have this performance brought to the audience that it’s impossible to specifically mention everyone who deserves credit.  You are all stars! 

I have to mention however those who stood out to me personally who are on the production side; June and Martin Donald who created “Betty” a moving pig on stage whim the audience fell in love with; Chinami Smith the talented musical director who’s work on those musical arrangements did not go unnoticed and were beautiful, Director Julie Dryden-Smith whose passion shone out clear as day in the production, Paul Oliver on lights and Terry Cain and Pauline Swann whose projections were marvellous and choreographers Rowanne & Sheralyn Allan who did a sterling job in bringing the numbers to life.

Performance side I did very much enjoy Karen Scott as Mother Dear whose character did not drop once on stage and had us in stitches with her antics, Phil Stabler as Gilbert Chilvers who I also understand stepped into the part quite late – well done Phil!  Alexander Rochester as the butcher Nuttall who had a fabulous clear comic delivery, Eleanor Adamson showing versatility in a multitude of parts including Sutcliffe the farmer and Mr Metcalf, Hugo Davison as Mr Wormold the enthusiastic meat inspector and also an incredible dancer and Luke Rochester as a hilarious police officer with great comic timing.  Sheralyn Allen was superb as Joyce Chilvers and Rowanne Allen again a multitude of characters including Princess Elizabeth showing great versatility.  Well done all cast you were all brilliant.

I wrote so many notes on each number it’s just a task and a half to type them all out but particularly the female vocal arrangements on “Magic Fingers” was absolutely beautiful especially that end note.  Well done ladies.  I’m also hoping there were no injuries from the baskets during “The Riot!”

I loved it all in conclusion and can highly recommend a spam sandwich!

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