Hello, Dolly!

BAOS were “lucky” that they performed their 2020 show two weeks before lockdown and it was great to see them back on stage after a two year break with their production of “Hello, Dolly!”.

The title role of Dolly Levi is a big ask for any performer and from Gill Matheson’s first entrance we knew we were in safe hands.  Her experience and talent shone through as she swept effortlessly through each scene handing out advice and business cards to everyone in her quest to land the well-known half-a-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. 

Graeme Baird played the curmudgeonly character of store owner Horace just right. As Graeme himself says in his programme notes he may share some of Horace’s traits – but he doesn’t see it himself. Enough said...

A large part of the humour in this show is provided by the characters of Cornelius Hakl (Alan Matheson) and Barnaby Tucker (Ross Robertson); Vandergelder’s two store clerks. Their youthful sense of adventure and exuberance was certainly a hit with the appreciative audience. Both worked extremely hard and paired well, both with each other and with their partners Irene Malloy and Minnie Fay.  Alan’s version of “It Only Takes A Moment” suiting his voice perfectly.

Caroline Fenwick as the flirty hat shop owner Irene Malloy was on excellent form, with her rendition of “Ribbons Down My Back” being another one of the many memorable moments of the show. Her scatter-brained shop assistant Minnie Fay confidently played by Emily Baird who is certainly a great addition to the company in her first adult role with the society. The antics of these four in their bid to escape the boys from being seen by Horace as he arrives at Mrs Molloy’s hat shop were hilarious.

“Dolly” provides an opportunity for a host of minor principals all of whom have their own well defined characterisations and these were all carried out admirably. Ermengarde (Emma Ferguson) and Ambrose Kemper (Millar Young) formed an excellent partnership with good individual characterisations. As were Rudolf (Keith Cuthill), Mrs Rose (Anne Andrew) and Kerry Guthrie who stepped into the role of Ernestina Money at short notice due to the unfortunate absence of Alison Niven.

The chorus put a huge amount of effort and enthusiasm into the show and obviously enjoyed being back on stage. With great chorus ensembles in “Sunday Clothes”, “Before the Parade...” and the title song "Hello Dolly" the hard working production team of Graeme, Colin and Liz certainly managed to get the best out of this talented cast. Special mention must be made of the hours of hard work from the company that went into the inventive choreography for the infamous “Waiters’ Gallop”. No mean feat in the confined space of this stage.

In preparation for this show the society did not have its problems to seek right up to the final performance but they overcame them all and treated us to a great evening’s entertainment.

Well done BAOS - it was worth the wait and nice to say “hello”.

I was also delighted to be asked to present a total of eight awards for various lengths of service to well deserving members of the company culminating in a long service medal for 25 years dedicated service to Teresa Warden. Congratulations to them all.

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