Guys and Dolls

From the opening, where the chorus portrayed the variety of life of New York to the dramatic climax of Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat and the happy ending, the whole cast gave their audience sheer entertainment. Nicely(Graeme Scott), Benny (Cameron Leask), and Rusty( Ross Miller gave an assured performance beginning with a successful rendering of the challenging Fugue For Tinhorns, following up with Nathan in an equally well sung The Old Established. Sandy Queenan as Nathan Detroit was a great foil to Carol Fraser‘s Miss Adelaide. Both brought humour and depth to their roles: Nathan in his betting, dealing with gangsters while keeping his fiancée; Adelaide in delivering a polished characterisation of long suffering fiancée, particularly in singing The Lament; culminating in their tense but comic duet Sue Me. The leading couple were likewise well-matched. Alison Train as Sarah Brown played a convincing naivety in her early dealings with smooth Sky and a credible inebriate after Havana. She was in fine singing voice, especially for I’ll Know. Calum Campbell exuded a sophisticated and authoritative operator caught up by love and sang confidently and strongly. Both delighted with their duet I’ve Never Been in Love Before. Eric Brown as Arvide gave a suitably avuncular performance and sang touchingly, Bob Clark gave a totally selfish twist to his Big Julie abetted by his pal Sandy Bain as Harry the Horse, while Ruth Campbell gave General Cartwright a less strident interpretation and Les Fulton as Lt Brannigan never failed to alter the mood of the scene. The principals were well supported by the dancing of The Hot Box girls, the folks in Havana, all the Guys and Dolls and of course the Mission Band. The production team can justifiably be proud of the fruits of their efforts. Congratulations to all.

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