Guys and Dolls

The company delivered a performance full of energy and style. In the opening scene they caught the busy atmosphere of New York with different groups milling around -  tourists, hustlers, artistes, shoppers, families – stopping to watch the Save Our Soul mission set up its stand but fading away uninterested. Then the focus shifted to the three guys concentrating on the racing odds and where the next illegal gambling meet would be. Fionn Cameron as Nicely Nicely Johnson,  Peter Tomassi as Benny Southwaite and John Bruce as Nathan Detroit impressed with the difficult Fugue For Tinhorns. The harmonies continued with The Oldest Established. Meanwhile the leader of the mission Sarah Brown felt disappointed at her lack of success in converting sinners and couldn’t help feeling under pressure that the mission might be closed down. She was caught into accepting Sky Masterson’s invitation to dinner in Havana. Then Nathan’s girlfriend Adelaide was continually overlooked as he spent all of his time arranging gambling activities. All situations rolled together and became a tangled and comic web. The leads Greg McCafferty-Thomson as Sky Masterson and Olivia Hall as Sarah worked well together showing both very different people and the tension between them. Olivia brought out Sarah’s determination and naivety with a voice that hit all the right spots -  with tenderness in I’ll Know and drunken freedom in a well delivered If I were a Bell. Greg always gave Sky a presence, a man used to being in charge – but not with Sarah. Their harmonies in I’ve Never Been In Love Before were a delight. Sky continued the macho image in using his marker, delivering a well sung Luck Be A Lady before managing the change into ‘following the fold’ without losing his dignity. John Bruce’s Nathan, caught up in wheeling and dealing was slippery and funny with the gamblers and with Adelaide the talented Hot Box performer, who excelled at her job but couldn’t get Nathan to commit. Funny and tragic by turns, Lara Kidd made a splendid job of Adelaide’s Lament. Their duet Sue Me was sung dramatically. Supporting characters delivered their roles with the same commitment: Fionn Cameron’s Nicely Nicely was a star turn in leading Rocking the Boat; Brian Robertson came across as an understanding but protective Arvide Abernethy; the authority of General Cartwright was clear from Dorothy Johnstone’s stance and expression: and Padraic Hamrogue gave us a frustrated Lt Brannigan. The gangsters all held their roles and the execution of The Crapshooter’s Ballet and Luck Be a Lady were highlights in the show. The choreography of the chorus and Hot Box dancers was slick and lively. The costumes like the men’s suits, the Hot Box dresses and the Havana outfits all added colour to the production. The sets of of New York streets were impressive and the video backdrop of the beach in Cuba was most successful. Company singing was joyous and the whole show left the audience with a wholesome good feel factor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved  

 

Please feel free to copy this and circulate to your members

You can also find your show report on www.noda.org.uk/regions/scotland/reports

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved  

 

Please feel free to copy this and circulate to your members

You can also find your show report on www.noda.org.uk/regions/scotland/reports

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.