Half a Sixpence

The show staged by Largs AOS was the new version by Warner Brown based on the book by Beverley Cross with music and Lyrics by David Heneker, the plot being based on the novel of 1905 by H. G. Wells entitled Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul. The dialogue has been re-written and changes from the original stage production made in the musical numbers, but the halves of the sixpence exchanged between Arthur Kipps (Ben Gilmartin) and Ann (Karen Wilkin) when they were childhood friends remain central to the story when they meet later in life and rekindle their childhood friendship.
The familiar characters remain, John McKenzie taking the role of the eccentric actor/playwright Chitterlow, the bearer of news of Kipps’ inheritance of a fortune, Rachel Scott playing the genteel Helen Walsingham with Angie Kelly in the role of her domineering mother, impoverished but still mingling in high society. Kipps’ fortune melts away through speculation by Helen’s brother Young Walsingham (Alistair Maxwell) although money later returns from a different source. There are many other principals involved in the complicated plot with many twists and turns but all comes right in the end for Kipps and Ann.
The show benefits from the re-write but the main attraction is the music with such numbers as the theme song Half a Sixpence, I Know What I Am, If the Rain’s Got to Fall, Too Far Above Me and All in the Cause of Economy and many others. The production team and cast staged a very successful production, adding a different show to the society’s repertoire and giving the audiences and patrons something very worthwhile and entertaining.          

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