Iolanthe

Nicely welcomed by Janet Green and the front of house team, we looking forward to a good evening's entertainment. We took our seats in a slightly chilly theatre and settled ourselves. The Plaza Theatre Romsey is a new venue for EOMS, who generally perform at the Point Theatre Eastleigh. The shameless four figure rate increase by the local council has effectively priced them out of their spiritual home and they were forced to look for alternate venues. Yet another bureacratic swipe at local theatre and local arts.

We were greeted by an open stage, flats to stage left and right with a raised platform to the rear. The front of the stage were three dressing room tables and lit mirrors. The lights dimmed and the band, a four-piece, struck up with gusto and had just the right volume balance. It was very clear from the start that this was not going to be your traditional G&S fare. The bulk of the score was there but heavily, and cleverly, intertwined with a audience participation "Old Time Music Hall" numbers, a great idea and one the audience was very happy to be a part of.

Excellent lighting (Philip Edge, Livewire Consulting) and sound (Richard Wyeth) added very well to the overall feel of the show, the balance between the principals, cast and band was very good. Equally the costumes, and many of them enhanced the evening. It's quite obvious that a lot of work has gone into this production.

The cast were very well led by Lyndsay Smith as Iolanthe, Lucy Francic as Phyllis and David Tatnall as country bumpkin Strephon, and were well backed up by Mike Pavitt as the Lord Chancellor. Earl Tolloller, Jason Sly and the two grumpy dressers, Carole Lilly and Elizabeth Spencer held it all together well. The Queen of the Fairies was played by Graham Barnes and his mix of tenor, soprano and bass, where needed, was very humorous, along with his comic timing, it added to the overall feel of the performance. The diction, as I have come to expect from EOMS, was of a very high standard, both sung and spoken. The story (such as it is) was followable. Choreography was inventive and challenging in places, but Louise Hodson had rehearsed them well and they all looked as if they knew where they were supposed to be, and why. This was a happy cast, and that came over well into the auditorium. Which in turn meant that we were very well entertained.

Overall this was a highly entertaining evening, not one that I was expecting, but should have, with the inventive David Tatnall at the helm backed by Louise as his choreographer. Very well done EOMS, a great evening. Thank you.

 

 

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