Happy Days

This was the first time I had seen Happy Days although I could remember Fonzie and the Happy Days on the tv from my distant past!   I had little idea how the musical would work and how it might be received by the audience but what a wonderful surprise the evening was.  This was an excellent choice for a youth group and It made for a refreshing and most entertaining evening for the audience.   The story is centred around the young people who are about to graduate from their Milwaukee High School and head off to college.   Great consternation is felt by all when they hear that their favourite meeting place, Arnold’s Malt shop, is under threat from a construction company.   What follows is their plan to save it with dance competitions and wrestling matches, but it is also the story of Fonzie and his need to be strong whatever happens in his troubled life. 

An excellent group of talented and enthusiastic actors had been cast.  There were some superb performances.  Characterisation was strong and a good understanding of the relationship between them was demonstrated.  There was a feeling of truth to the performances that held the attention of the audience.   Being set in America there was a need for American accents and because of this, there were moments when the diction was a tad unclear.  It is important to remember that the audience is probably hearing the dialogue for the first time. 

Although the majority of the characters are young people there are several of the older generation and it was impressive to see how consistently those young actors maintained the demeanor of an older person.   

It was good to see a show that involves the full company for much of the performance.    There were many dance numbers and the choreography was exciting and performed with so much energy.   This group is blessed with some very fine singers and the solos, duets and company singing were a joy to hear.  The harmonies of the Dial-tones were excellent.  The small orchestra played those wonderful tunes superbly and accompanied the singers in the most supportive way.

A great deal of research must have been taken to make the late 50’s early 60’s scene come alive so successfully and there was so much attention to detail.    The costumes were colourful and exciting and there were many ponytails in evidence continuing this nostalgic feel.   

There was a stunning set for Alfred’s with the most fantastic signage, very reminiscent of America in that era.   The Cunninghams’ kitchen, where Marion Cunningham does so much baking, was just right with no sign of a modern fitted kitchen.   It is always interesting to see how a show with many scene changes is run without interrupting the flow of the story.  After the performance, I enjoyed a tour backstage and was shown that for this show the flats were hung so they could be run on and off stage and this is not an unusual method. At this theatre, there is insufficient height in the wings so at a scene change the flats needed to be lifted off to temporarily store them.  All this, of course,  goes on without the audience having an inkling of the backstage activity - so impressive- the magic of the theatre!  

Lighting was exciting with good use being made of the follow spot.  Especially dramatic was the lighting for the raised side areas just before Elvis and James Dean made their appearance.  The sound balance was good and it was most effective to hear at one point the sound of the motorbike moving across the stage.  It is attention to that sort of detail that helps to raise the quality of the production to another level.

This was a most impressive production and it was clear that the hard work and teamwork from all members of this club, young and older, had contributed to this.  Congratulations on providing the audience with a wonderful evening of entertainment.

 

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