Honk!

What a joyous experience is Honk!  Directed by Jacky Bacon, with Liam Fletcher as MD, Scunthorpe MTS really brought this traditional tale, retold with the beautiful music and clever lyrics/book by Siles and Drewe, to life.  The story is one familiar to all of us of the ugly duckling of the brood, who runs away on an adventure of self-discovery whilst trying to outwit a very hungry cat.   There is of course a happy ending, but many adventures along the way.

It’s not been an easy time for anyone in amateur theatre over the last two years and SMTS made a fabulous return overcoming several challenges on the way.  Not least the need for a quick change of cast when the actor playing Drake was taken ill only 8 days before the show and Jake West stepped in to play the part.  He did a super job and even more remarkable in the short rehearsal time he had.  He worked well with Vicky Toward who was fabulous as Ida (the mother duck).  Her songs were beautiful and her comedy timing added to part.  There was a strong dynamic between her and ‘Ugly’ played by Tom Toward and it was lovely to see them together onstage.  Toward gave Ugly such a genuine naivety that no doubt audience members wanted to get up on stage and take him home.   The Ducklings were a delight and had clearly worked hard to bring their little characters to life.  Laura Hunt was very entertaining as Maureen/Pinkfoot and Livija Kiselyte was truly engaging as Henrietta/Penny.

There was much hilarity in the scene with Bev Evans and Jo Hageman who played Grace/Lowbutt and Queeny/Snowy respectively.  They played their parts to full comic effect and Hageman’s ‘Strictly’ styled routine with Cat was wonderful - very clever dancing techniques.  The role of Cat was fabulously interpreted by Kaius Calver-Hart.  Wonderful feline moves in both dancing and prowling with a super song and dance routine – excellent work.  Rod Wheat was a super gobbling Turkey – desperate to avoid Christmas and he also took the role of Greylag.  John Parsons gave a great performance as Bullfrog (and Barnacles), lovely use of the accent and a great production number involving many of the cast and their lily pads!.  With super supporting performances from Clare Prior as Mother Swan, Janine King as Dot/Old Woman and Dave Arrand as Jack Daw this show had been very well cast and the ability of the actors to play the double cast parts is very worthy of note.

The ensemble were fully engaged throughout and all looked to be delighted to be back on stage.  There was beautiful dancing from the Dancing Team – congratulations to Becky Toward for some super choreography.

The six-piece band was able to give a wonderful rendition of the delightful score, under the leadership of Liam Fletcher.  Props and set were quickly and efficiently moved around the stage by both cast and crew and there were beautiful lighting effects in The Blizzard.  With great props, scenery, costumes, sound and lighting this was indeed a welcome return to the stage.

Director Jacky Bacon and all the Production Team deserve great praise for their work to bring together a production full of energy and enthusiasm with many important underlying messages of the need to ‘love our neighbour’, to care what is on the inside not the outside and to be a little adventurous – this is a super show and still time to see it as it doesn’t finish until Saturday 5th March.

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