Concert

The cast and chorus were positioned on stage throughout the performance with narrators, Janette Clough and Vi Hurdley, strategically stood at each side of the chorus. They effectively explained this story of a child apprenticed to a band of tender- hearted orphaned pirates, with appropriate intonation and expression. Alternately, these ladies described the imaginary staging for this unfolding tale successfully introducing the characters and songs.

Jane Souter’s voice fitted the role perfectly. Her character had clearly made the mistake of apprenticing Frederick incorrectly and may have elicited sympathy from the audience when she sang,  ” When Frederic was a little lad” but the age difference in this concert between her and Frederic was seemingly not so distant. Stephen Harper played the gullible Frederic, wanting to find out more about the world and its women and entertained us with his fine tenor voice. He did, however, keep his movements very subtle, small and repetitive. Julian Souter, the Pirate King successfully delivered his songs with precision and conveyed his character through facial expression, restricted, gentle movement and strong voice. Phaedra Nicholls was pitch perfect as Mabel and whilst she gave a spirited, energetic performance with body gesture and movement across the stage, her powerful voice overwhelmed when she sang duets and some diction was lost. Rob Mead was splendidly upbeat, entertaining and strong as Major- General Stanley. He was word perfect and didn’t drop a syllable in the Major General’s song, consistently expressive throughout and not in any way static in his delivery. “ I am the very model of a modern Major General,” was delivered with speed and precision. Mac Hammond was a sterling Sergeant of police and the audience enjoyed his song, “When a felon’s not engaged in his employment,” led to much toe tapping from the audience especially when the male chorus joined in. indeed, when the full ensemble sang together the sound was good.

The accompanist, Ben Batt, kept resolute order at the keyboard with the entire score at his fingertips.

Some performers were partly dressed in evening wear, some dressed casually, others were decorated with some items of indicating characterisation like piracy /police, but there was no apparent agreed uniformity of dress for performance.

This concert did have its limitations but for its loyal audience it had great appeal and many admired this G and S production for its words and music.

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