Betty Blue Eyes - A Musical Comedy

A South Yorkshire premiere! From principals to ensemble the post war era was depicted with first class costumes and shoes etc., hair styles were amazing - the Society held a workshop to help with the 1947 styles - well worth it!. Props also were very good - to source and obtain items of the period like the pram and bicycle made such a difference. The set worked really well - congratulations to Hansel D'Roza for his design and the stage crew for their efficient changes. Good lighting by TD Lighting and sound  by Paul Minott helped to complete the picture.  The direction by Jeremy Tustin assisted by Leah Rhodes-Burch, Jane Blythe and Amber Parry made you believe that you were actually part of the postwar era. The 8 piece band under Gavin Usher's direction was excellent.

Now to the cast. Matthew Walker (Gilbert Chilvers) and Keeley Kilby (Joyce Chilvers) worked extremely well together and their solos and duets were certainly showstoppers. Helen Kempton as usual gave a first class performance - her comic timing was exceptional, as Mother Dear. The trio 'Pig, No Pig' with Joyce, Mother Dear, and Gilbert was certainly a marathon. David Jefferson, Neil Kirkman and Ray Hawkins (Dr. James Swaby, Henry Allardyce and Francis Lockwood respectively) made a great trio of Councillors portraying their individual characters in style. Last but not least I must mention 'Betty Blue Eyes' and Francesca  Bray (Puppeteer) - well done, there must have been hours of practice. The ensemble all had named parts and they certainly made the most of it with individual characterisation

A delightful piece - the Company gave the audience an evening of pure delight taking us away from the troubled days of the week (the Westminster Bridge incident).

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