How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

It has to be said from the onset … my association with this title goes back a few years. I found myself in New York and, like any dedicated am-drammer fancied a Broadway show. ‘Avenue Q’ was sold out and so … there it was ..’ How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’. Restricted view tickets for $20 a seat (two available!) Boom! Sorted! Daniel Radcliffe has opened this revival and he had just been replaced in the last two weeks by Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers … I know it’s one for the kids and in a cast including Michael Urie of ‘Ugly Betty’ fame and Lloyd Bridges … this was very exciting. The experience was amazing and the show itself spectacular. Whatever you may think about the Jonas Brothers … Nick was remarkable! So, fast forward a few (good few) years, and here I was in Watlington, to see a show that never gets and outing in the UK because it is Box Office poison!!! Opening night had been cancelled - I guess for that very reason. So, there we were. Second night, which was the opening night and, mercifully, Cyril Pyke was back on the door. His absence last time out had left me scared … emotionally…. Bizarrely, ‘Guys and Dolls’ is always in my top three favourite musicals and HtSiBWRT was another of Frank Loesser’s offerings. Based on the book of the same name, it is a musical extension of the title. The story is simple as you would expect. As J. Pierrepont Finch (ex-window cleaner) starts work at the World Wide Wicket Company, armed with his trusty copy of the reference work, he quickly applies the principles of the author’s text and rises dramatically through the company hierarchy. Throw in an overbearing owner’s nephew (Bud Frump), a beautiful girl (Rosemary) and philandering boss (J.B. Biggley) together with his mistress (Hedy LaRue) and you have a good, old-fashioned American tale of ambition over ability. The set (construction by Kevin Rooney, Richard Bennett, Chris Bailey, Bertie Ellison, Jamie Smith and painted by Claire Cooper and Matthew Kerslake) was a complicated affair. It had to do a million things and actually did most of them really well. Central to it was the elevator, and my compliments to all concerned for making it so realistic. By the end I believed that that was in fact exactly what it was! On balance I have to say it was something of a triumph. Lights (Smithers and Kevin Rooney) were just creative enough to add a little extra to proceedings. Sound (Jamie Robinson) could not be faulted and the costumes (‘Dame’ Judy Parsons and Eileen Cook) were so incredibly good they gave a weird technicolour feel to the whole show - every character was perfectly dressed and that is not easy with a cast this big. Wigs, makeup and hair (uncredited) were all perfection and, to be honest guys, deserved a mention in the programme! Sound recordings (Ian Gooda) were brilliant and incidental props (Mandi Field and Kate Carpenter) were plentiful and … caused me no offence whatsoever. This was a large and exceptionally talented cast and ‘How to’ .. is one of those shows that needs a lot of people on stage, a lot of the time. When it just so happens that they are all rather good … that’s a bonus. The chorus were actually not really chorus at all. Certainly, an ensemble, and actually a supporting cast. Jan Wiegand, Holly Wiegand, Julie Turner, Meg Shorthouse (this girl is good) Mandi Field (you can trust the name) Amy Power (you really can’t trust the name) Philly Macfarlane (a revelation recently) Ellie Fradley (beautiful inside and out) Jess Field (interesting) Becca Field (always vivacious but must have upset Dame Judy as she got all the frumpy costumes!) Lucy Beeton (was it? You can never be sure) Leslie Judd (legend of this parish) and Ady Lockwood (new to me but great none the less) along with Arun Day, Liam Baker (friend and mentor) and Kevin Rooney (who knew he owned a suit). Nice to see Sam Lord in and amongst the Watlington massive, although, in truth, he could have phoned this one in. Of the actual supporting cast, it was nice to see Mr Gilbert and Mr Sullivan’s favourite son, Brian Turner, as the wealthy Mr Womper. A nice cameo and not a taranta-ra in site. There was other nice accessorising from Steve Waters as Twimble and Steve Brooks as Gatch and Ovington. Richard Abel is always a class act and this was a show he was really needed in. As Bratt he gave a masterclass in enough but never too much! I will not lie to you - this show was all about the girls, and the delightful Chloe Philipot did everything she needed to do as Miss Krumholtz. Those who don’t know may have missed it but her beautiful singing voice could be heard loud and crystal clear through every chorus number. A paragraph on her own is the very least she deserves. So much talent, so much overt sexuality, Megan Abbot was sublime in the female comic lead (I think) as Smitty. Looking a million dollars and giving a performance to match, Miss Abbott is pure quality … every time. Now it had been my intention to give the enchanting Fiona Bennett her own paragraph as well … but somehow I actually forgot to put it in. Luckily Ian Gooda spotted my shocking omission and I am delighted to right what would have been a monumental wrong. Very much in the style of Ulla in ‘The Producers’ and Babette in ‘Beauty and the Beast’, Miss Bennett took the part of the “strumpett”. Clearly the mistress of JB Biggley, Hedy LaRue is the femme fatal of the piece. Without suggesting anything disrespectful, I have to say she does it so well. In this production she got a big laugh from every smutty joke and … to her eternal credit, looked like she was enjoying herself at the same time. A wonderful performance from a really talented actress. In the leading roles, there were four cracking performances, so, in no particular order .. David Brammer. Friend (if he has got over my review of ‘Grease’) and immensely talented actor, A limited range but practically unbeatable within it. To be honest he seldom dallies outside it and, as entrepreneur autocrat and business owner, Biggley, I was completely entranced. An excellent characterisation and a delivery that was perfectly suited to the overbearing and yet sympathetic autocrat. He just keeps turning in winning performances without looking like he is even trying… The same is true of the wonderful Jess Perillo. One of the biggest female talents within a 25 mile radius of old Kings Lynn, Miss Perillo has it all and can do it all. On top of all that she clearly works hard with each and every performance. This time out she took on the female romantic lead, Rosemary, and ….. melted everyone’s heart … even mine! Now, Ian Gooda is a really talented guy. I was never sure that his biggest talent was as a performer but then he turned in Cookie from ‘The Forbidden Planet’. Then I think it might be as a Director … his ‘Crucible’ was bang on … and then … well this. Bud Frump. The comic lead (I would say) and his characterisation was pin-point. Not (I repeat) not, over the top, but right up to the summit and way beyond base camp. It was like he thought, that is far, and that is too far, and pitched it to perfection. Funny, strangely steeped in pathos and a baddie who wasn’t bad. I will just have to concede that he is omni-talented and leave it at that. To be honest … nine times out of nine and bit, penultimate paragraph honours would have gone to Ethan Robinson as male romantic lead, J. Pierrepont Finch. Mr Robinson (who has bailed me out of a few tight spots over the years) is a very talented actor with a brilliant singing voice - and not unlike a young Nick Jonas … in a certain light. He delivered vulnerability mixed with ambition and determination to truly dominate this production. Another great performance on top of so many over the last couple of years. I know what are thinking … with all the cast named, where will the last but one paragraph be directed? I have a very different opinion of this show than when I saw it through star-spangled glasses in New York, but what I am absolutely sure of is that what really, really, worked in this Watlington Players production, was the unashamed sexuality of the female cast. This is a ‘60’s misogynist fantasy and is so wrong for 2018, but the girls of Watlington, both pretty and sexy, put that to one side and really worked it. It completely made me forget that this was a dark age for women, never to be repeated. The ‘Paris Original’ gag was so well delivered I thought I would die laughing. Girls you have proved that that you don’t need to approve of it to deliver it. Ladies, penultimate paragraph honours are yours ! I once finished a review over at Dereham with a ‘but’ paragraph. I was (at that time) accused of a “sting in the tail”. It was never my intention, but know this Watlington Players, this show did not sit right with me and I have agonised over why. Here is my considered opinion. It is actually the show itself. Just like ‘Wyrd Sisters’ …, I don’t think the show is very good. It has a lot of forgettable songs (and one unforgettable one) and is certainly about 40% too long. Once I had settled that in my mind, I could reflect with a clear conscience on a magnificent production. A few added observations - I felt that Musical Director, Rachel Mycock and her four piece combo delivered a sound that struck me as being a little thin. Just my opinion - others are available. But sincere compliments to Director, Matthew Kerslake, for a top notch piece of technical direction and a hat full of innovation to boot. Equally some excellent and totally appropriate choreography from Emily Law and Lucy Beeton (you still can’t be sure) that was perfect for a stage full of dancers and cast. I loved it Watlington, I love you!

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