HMS Pinafore

Act 1 commenced with the men singing the well known ‘We sail the ocean blue’, they were dressed immaculately in white trousers striped shirts with red neck ties... they looked so good! Unfortunately  I could not hear any of the words they were singing as the orchestra was so loud, perhaps the microphones were not immediately active as from the end of this first song I could hear perfectly and the orchestral  volume was perfect.

The Scenery As a single set production, it was interesting to view, with lots of detail.  The steps stage right afforded good levels of interest and the upper level presented good opportunities for Josephine to pause upon entering (her favoured entrance). There were many entrances both SR and SL and also from the back to coming aboard ship, allowing speedy entrances and exits by the cast. A nicely painted backcloth represented the harbour and in night scenes was lit so well the moon looked luminous.

The Props were all appropriate, barrels for seating, a table with wine and glasses...everything that was necessary to complete life aboard ship and progress the story.  

The Lighting was good; occasionally rather dim but then this represented differing times of day. I appreciated the intense red light on one scene (I don’t recall which scene) but it was dramatic and effective.   Good use of spots and haze/smoke added atmosphere and dramatic effect.

The Sound The sound reinforcement was much improved on last year and I could understand most of what was being said/sung. Diction was also improved apart from ‘Josephine’ where the coloratura style of singing voice interfered with some of the clarity.

The Costumes were very good indeed. The sailor’s outfits were first rate, particularly the uniforms of Captain Corcoran and Sir Joseph.   Josephine looked very pretty and very elegant.  Little Buttercup looked just right for the comic character she portrayed, casually interesting. Lots of sisters, cousins and aunts were lovely ladies in pastel coloured gowns and they made the company scenes look most attractive. Wigs, where used were worn well and make up was perfect for the period.  Dick Deadeye’s deformity was well displayed.

The Music  The excellent orchestra once again was skilfully managed by experienced MD Carol Kenway. With such well known music it was performed just as one would wish. Once again Carol had worked well with the cast and harmonies were apparent and the company singing was very good.  There do seem to be some very good voices a  little lost in the chorus, but this bodes well for the future of Clevedon G & S Society.

The Direction   Once again the two directors Rowena Ayres and Mark Beardmore  had leading roles, but they managed to  bring interest into the scenes in which they appeared and the company scenes.  The groupings were good... no straight lines and only one semi circle which were right for the singing and the action.  ‘Pinafore’ is quite a short operetta and because of excellent pace, both scenes progressed very fast.  It was a nice touch to include to delightful children in the cast.  The direction was very good and I congratulate you both on the end result, once again an entertaining piece of theatre, classic G & S!

The Chorus   Every member of the cast was enjoying the performance. The singing was good, reactions were excellent, entrances and exits were slick thus ensuring continuity and pace. You all looked good and very professional, well done. 

PRINCIPAL PERFORMERS

Ralph Rackstraw...Mark Beardmore with his excellent tenor voice sang with ease and his excellent diction meant I could understand every single word of his performance.  His characterisation was very good as was his humour and emotion. This was an outstanding performance very well done.

 Josephine...Glynis Barcham ...Another perfect role for Glynis and she appeared to enjoy every moment. She really has a flair for G & S and because her roles are often very similar (I expect she is now repeating some roles), we regulars are getting to know what to expect.  I loved her intoxicated behaviour in ‘Never mind the why and wherefore’. it was  slightly out of type casting for Glynis and therefore all the more enjoyable, very well done.

Sir Joseph Porter KCB...Dave Kelly. Excellent performance... looked right, sang well, perfect for the role, well done.

Captain Corcoran...David Nicklen Another excellent casting, these Clevedon men do suit a uniform!  David gave a good performance as the captain, but his good voice wasn’t at its best during the Friday night performance.  I suspected a throat problem and hope it has improved.

Mrs Cripps-Little Buttercup...Rowena Ayres Rowena wrung every ounce of humour, coquettishness and humour from her role. This performer understands comic timing and demonstrates it very well.  Good singing of ‘I’m called Little Buttercup’ and a lovely explanation of the Captain and Ralph mix up. I much enjoyed this performance

Dick Deadeye...Dave Robinson Another role made for Dave he really understood the ‘grimy’ role. I could have imagined him in the past playing Sir Joseph, but Dave took Dick Deadeye and made him real, very well done.  

Bill Bobstay and Bob Beckett...Steve Schollmann and Dan Mullholland both added their characters and talents to the excellent crew and made  HMS Pinafore come alive... well done to you both.

On the night we attended Jill Chaney and Anne Nicklen shared the role of Hebe. The show progressed without a hitch, so I congratulate you both in stepping from the chorus at short notice to ensure totally smooth continuity of the show and the performance of this role.

Once again we had a really enjoyable evening. This was a super performance of a well known operetta and your society certainly did it justice.    Due to lack of communication I am sorry I didn’t get the opportunity to tell you all in person. Thank you for your welcome and hospitality.

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