Finding Nemo Jr.

It was a very hot night for a dress rehearsal  but all thirty of these young performers looked as cool as the underwater creatures they were portraying.  The set consisted of a colourful backcloth with projected underwater scenes illustrating corals, seahorses, starfish and all sorts of fish which had been  cleverly designed by Samantha. There were also numerous hand painted props decorating the stage  with  a multitude of different sea creatures. They had also been designed by Samantha and constructed with the help of cast, parents and members. In one scene the stage was filled with jelly fish which had been ingeniously constructed using clear umbrellas with colourful trailing tentacles hanging down.   It all really set the scene wonderfully and I’m sure all the children in the audience today will be transported into the underwater world and are going to love all these characters.

 The three main characters which the storyline revolved around were little Nemo, her Father, Marlin and Dory, who helps Marlin to find Nemo when she gets lost. Nemo is a confident, inquisitive young character, eager to explore the reef around her yet unaware of the dangers beyond.  Eden Smy plays her wonderfully and singing confidently beyond her years. Marlin, by contrast, is more cautious and constantly worries about his little Nemo, with Theo Wedderburn giving a strong performance as the protective father. Yasmin Staff brings Dory to life as a cheerful but forgetful character, adding gentle humour through expressive facial reactions. Beautifully and sympathetically played.  The remaining cast played a vibrant variety of underwater creatures, each bringing something special to the production. Well done to all, you were brilliant. Ranging in age from 6 to 17, some were appearing on stage for the first time and had clearly grown in confidence throughout the rehearsal period. Director, Samantha had also taken the time to individually help some of the slightly nervous little ones pre-production to give them the confidence to get onstage. I was told that Deben Players had been able to accommodate all 30 of those hopeful young people who had come forward to auditions and it was a perfect platform for some of those wanting to start their on-stage journey.

 There were many well-choreographed sequences, performed with energy despite the heat and they all  deserve praise for performing the songs and challenging harmonies so delightfully. The lighting and sound helped create the underwater atmosphere effectively, enhancing the colourful costumes. I must add that three of the crew were juniors, so a big well done to them for getting involved in backstage work.

Many congratulations to the cast for bringing this charming story to life and to Samantha, Rebecca, the crew and all the helpers for their hard work in inspiring the young performers and giving them an unforgettable day on stage.

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