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Carrots

Author: Geoffrey Haywood

Information

Date
18th July 2012
Society
Priory Players
Venue
St Ignatius Parish Centre
Type of Production
Musical
Director
Gillian Shelton
Musical Director
James Greatorex

Choreographer: Vicky Webb

With a cast of almost thirty youngsters, many of whom were under 12 years old, the Priory Players Youth section using a “theatre in the round” technique gave a most enjoyable performance of Carrots, the story of Dr. Barnado and the founding of his now well known charity for the care and protection of the homeless and destitute children of the London rooftops. This charity is now of course worldwide. The named orphans and the chorus orphans were appropriately scruffy and unkempt, full of cheek and mischief and always on the lookout for easy pickings as Dr Barnado discovered. Jessica Dickinson who played Dr Barnado gave an excellent performance which was full of character and at times extreme emotion. Hannah Mullen as Barnado’s wife was very supportive and showed sympathy and understanding of the plight of the orphans, encouraging her husband in his work. Hannah Barton as Nobby the leader of the orphans had a running battle with the police (Georgina Steel and Sophie Amber) and was not originally prepared to go along with Barnado’s ideas for a school. It was only later when the suggestion of a home for the orphans was mooted that he persuaded the gang that this would be alright. In spite of the excellence of the aforementioned members of the cast the main award must go to Eliza Keane who played the part of Carrots, a ginger haired imp, twice as mischievous and crafty as the rest of the gang, always ready to help his mates, always ready to steal food to supplement their meagre fare but on the side of Barnado from a very early stage in the show. His solo from within a prison cell, where he was locked up for the night was most poignant and then, following his death during the night when he was turned away by Barnado from the school where he wished to spend the night, his re-appearance as a ghostly figure advising Barnado was remarkable. The humour, emotion and pathos drawn from this production left several of the audience in tears and I must admit to having a lump in my throat. Well done to all concerned with this production, it certainly was a night to remember.

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