Guys & Dolls

Burnley Light Opera always produce shows to a high standard which are comparable in many ways to professional shows. This one, their 80th anniversary production of 'Guys and Dolls', music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, confirmed this statement. This show did not disappoint and met all expectations.  'Guys and Dolls' is a comical musical which revolves around four main characters and their relationship troubles and love issues. Throughout the show we are introduced to many underlying themes such as lies, trust, illegal gambling and religion. As with many classic musicals happiness came to all.

The show opened with an exciting routine of interesting choreography involving props. The lighting in this section was superb and made the routine even more dramatic. The routine had a lot of movement across the stage and the cast made numerous shapes creating a captivating piece of theatre. This said, the number did look slighting squashed on the stage especially the diagonal line section and there were also a few mistakes made by individuals which, due to the use of props, were emphasised. As it was the opening night of the production, when we attended, a few minor mistakes could be overlooked. The energy that the cast put into this routine was maintained throughout the show.

The show moved forward at a good pace and we were treated to some fantastic singing, dancing and acting. Choreography throughout the whole show was first class and the cast could easily dance the routines. 'Luck Be A Lady Tonight' and 'Sit Down You’ve Rockin’ The Boat' were highlights of the show. This was due to the precise execution of the routine and exciting movements, which were combined with superb vocals. The small sharp and subtle movements throughout were simple and effective. The differences between the male and female choreography worked well and contrasted each other creating a real difference between the ‘guys and dolls’.

Throughout the show cast members managed to put across their emotions exceptionally well and the audience could really feel for the heartache of the couples. This was partly down to the well chosen and considered characterisations that the principle cast members took on. These were excellent and the contrast between the two leading females was easy to see and worked well. Authentic accents where maintained throughout and every word could be heard, this shows how much time and effort had gone into making this is quality production. The principle cast were very strong from start to finish making the audience laugh and almost cry in some sections. This leading four really were the icing on the cake of the whole cast which contained no weak links.

The show ended on a high where happiness came to all involved, even if this did mean dramatic lifestyle changes for some of them. The closing routine of Guys and Dolls was superb and created an uplifting final impression of the whole production.

The technical aspects of the show, supported the cast throughout with a set that was well designed and robust. The use of the stage trap door gave an extra dimension to the show. The sound overall was good and the costumes were very effective on the stage. The dresses in the Hot-Box routines with their ‘reveal’ functionality worked very well and enhanced these sections of the production. The Salvation Army uniforms also need a mention as these were very neat and tidy, just as they should be.

Of course a musical can't be a musical without songs and music. The nine piece orchestra sounded well rehearsed and together throughout. The balance between the cast and the instruments was expertly managed. In addition to this, the singing as always with this society was first rate. No mistakes or bum notes from anyone and the well drilled harmonies were appreciated.

Overall a fantastic show which entertained all who attended. The strong cast, quality staging and high class direction made this production a success. The society again have put together an extremely varied cast of many ages, this a real triumph to themselves as other societies struggle to do this. The future of this society is very exciting and due to the varied cast a promising time is ahead of them. I am sure they will continue to produce these quality productions for many years to come. We would like to thank Burley Light Opera once again for inviting us to their production and we wish the society well for their two 2015 productions.

Members past and present should be proud of the last 80 years that the society has created enjoyment and memories for themselves and the people of the local area. We hope that the society will continue to entertain people of Lancashire for many years to come.

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