Class Act

How many of us have gone to a school reunion and discovered how life has change people we knew from our schooldays?  Having attended her own school's reunion, Charlotte Prichard came up with the idea for this very original and bittersweet musical comedy, collaborating with Cat (Catherine) Quigley, whose acting background is strongly based on Stanislavski's technique of drawing out the emotional underlying story of each character.  And what a splendid job this duo made of writing and directing what turned out to be a very powerful and yet entertaining piece of live musical theatre.

They were equally blessed with a cast of very experienced and talented actors, who so convincingly and enthusiastically brought to life the many fascinating characters that Charlotte and Cat had created in their script.  Coupled with a great selection of well-chosen musical numbers, amazing high-energy choreography, and a very clever costume plot, you couldn't help but be drawn in by the antics and emotions of such a diverse group of 1985 classmates, who meet up again some thirty years later at their school reunion and discover that for some, there have been real life-changing experiences!

(This production, I discovered, had not been without its problems.  Jay Brown, who had been cast as the macho-man, Brendan, had to pull out through injury only two weeks before the show.  The society's Chairman and this show's production manager, James Humphreys, stepped in to play the role and what an amazing job he did!  Also, Delia Gow, in the role of Miss Hamilton, Head Teacher, had fallen badly during Friday evening's performance, which involved her being taken to A & E and Charlotte taking over the role for Act 2.  It is a testimony to Delia's professionalism and courage that she was back on stage for Saturday's performance, with no-one any the wiser!  A real trouper!)

So, on with the show!  First up, we meet the school's staff - enjoyable and OTT cameo performances from Doreen Musgrove as wheeler-dealer Dodgy Deidre, Verity Buckeridge as post Moody Marie and Anne Senior as kleptomaniac Loopy Louise, the school's cleaners for the past 30 years and who've seen it all, and Richard Ould as Derek the curmudgeonly school caretaker who hates children, but has faithfully supported Miss Hamilton through all her trials and tribulations as Head Teacher.  Delia Gow delightfully portrayed this embittered spinster who equally can't abide children and needs to prop herself up with frequent swigs of gin!  Kris Tyler gave a good performance, too, as the harassed biology teacher Mr. Williams, assisted by Natalie Pressman, the school's music teacher, who secretly holds a torch for him.

And what a class!  There's the three Dreamgirl Meangirls, Helen, Willow and Crystal, who posture and preen and belittle those that are less attractive - well played here by Tash Crossley, Sophie Judd and Zoe Kirton.  (At the school reunion some 30 years on, Willow and Crystal have realised their dream of marrying rich men, but Helen, who's repeatedly put down class mate Jason, the not-so-funny man, well-portrayed by Sean Burke, hasn't been so fortunate and after two disastrous affairs, finds herself pregnant again and finally realises after all these years that Jason is her true love!)  Next up are the Geek Girls, Susan, Valerie and Mable - studiously portrayed by Carrie Everett, Lorraine Berry and Emily Robshaw.  (Their transformation into a "Lady Gaga" tribute style pop-trio, with their raunchy number "Bad Romance" at the reunion brought the house down!  They always say "it's the quiet ones you have to watch!")  Great performances, too, from Emma Middleton as artistic Ariel Moonbeam, frequently lost in "creative moments" during class and fianly realising her dream as an iconic exhibition dancer, and Emma Gibson as Darla, the Goth, who becomes a celebrated authoress.  But the show-stopping performance must go to James Humphreys, as macho-man Brendon, who's destined to follow in his father's footsteps as a boxing promoter, but finds his inner-self and appears at the reunion as a very convincing look-alike of Conchita Wurst, the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest's Austrian drag-queen winner!

With good support from Will Jamieson and Bernie Bush on sound and lighting and a simple, but effective set, this was a very enjoyable and entertaining evening.  Well done to all the movers and shakers!

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