Godspell

Now and again this Society moves away from the splendour of the Theatre Royal in York and uses this as an opportunity to offer a production which benefits from a more intimate setting.  Such was the case with this show performed in the more modest surroundings of a former Church Hall just outside the walls of the city.

The production worked well within the limited space available and indeed, was all the more enjoyable for it. The opening, a mixture of every day sounds, was a perfect illustration of the way we are all inclined to be immersed in our own particular world and it was only when the cast began to tell us the familiar Gospel story that we were reminded of what we might call the bigger picture.  A cast of 13 representing Jesus and the twelve he chose (if we allow a little licence to include John the Baptist as one of them) handled the words and music with comfort and it is a tribute to the strength of the Society that they did so without so many of their regular principals being on show.  Costumes were colourful and so the background of black drapes in lieu of scenery was not a problem whilst the four piece band provided ample support.  There were some clever touches, such as references to credit cards and some snatches of more recent music, which brought the show, now more than 40 years old, a little more up to date.                  

This was a successful first production for the Society by this Director and I hope she will be given other opportunities in the future.

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