Love Story the Musical

LOVE STORY – THE MUSICAL staged by Adlington Music and Arts Society at Adlington Community Centre, Railway Road, Adlington, Chorley on Saturday, 28th October, 2023.

What I didn’t realise until I started to write this review, was that it was twelve months to the very day (28th October 2022) when I last saw AMAS on stage performing SHOUT… how’s that possible…time fly’s when you’re enjoying yourself!  What a difference twelve months makes… ‘Shout the Mod Musical’ to the classic ‘LOVE STORY – THE MUSICAL written by Stephen Clark with music by Howard Goodall and lyrics by both Clark and Goodall a musical inspired by Erich Segal’s bestselling 1970 novel of the same name!  In the same year the novel was published, the highly acclaimed film of the same name starring Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neil was brought to the ‘big screen and in 2010 it was brought to the West End stage as a musical! The narrative centres around the two leads ‘Oliver and Jenny’… Oliver comes from a rich family, goes to Harvard and is sporty, Jenny is a ‘polar opposite’ comes from a poor family, goes to Radcliffe College and loves to play music. They meet at Radcliffe’s library… they fall in love and then later, against the wishes of Oliver’s father, they marry, this results in Oliver’s father severing all ties with his son. The couple struggle to pay for Oliver’s passage through Harvard, but Oliver graduates third in his class and takes a position at a respectable New York Law Firm. The ‘twenty-four-year-olds’ then decide to try for a family, but after failing, and after many tests, they discover that Jenny is dying!  Oliver isn’t able to pay for Jenny’s medical treatments, so he goes cap in hand to his father and asks for money, not telling him the true reason why!  In the final scene Oliver’s father discovers the true reason for his son’s request and immediately flies to New York only to find Jenny has already passed… his father apologises to Oliver and Oliver replies with something that Jenny once told him… ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry!  This is THEIR story… a celebration of love and life and using the lyrics from the opening number … ‘What can you say’ about a girl, a twenty-five-year-old girl, who dies!

The Production Team… Chris Bailey (Artistic Director) was the person tasked with bringing this musical to stage.  In the Chairman’s programme notes we’re told that ‘Love Story’ had been in the pipeline for AMAS pre Covid and was a favourite musical of Chris’s.  There was little or no doubt that Chris knew exactly what he wanted from the production and how to achieve it… be proud Chris, good job!  Emily Bailey (Chris’s wife – took on the role as Production Manager) with the ever so talented Dave Dossett (Musical Director) in control of the music, which supported the singers superbly, and brought a romantic poignant atmosphere to proceedings throughout… congrats Dave, be ever so proud!  

The Cast… a cast of thirteen took to the stage which included seven named characters and six ensemble members all of whom looked confident, assured, well-rehearsed and ready to give us their all. The narrative for this musical, as previously stated, centres around our two leads… ‘Jenny Cavilleri’ and ‘Oliver Barrett IV’ played respectively by Steevie-Leigh Crossley and Christian Brabin.  If I’m to stick my neck out, which is usually the case, I felt that Steevie-Leigh’s portrayal of the working-class Jenny Cavilleri was the standout performance from the evening.  Steevie-Leigh was able to show the many sides of this spirited young lady.  She took us on a journey, she was confident, assured and had great stage presence… loved the interaction with Oliver’s parents and there was a warm, loving feel about her scenes involving her father. Well done Steevie-Leigh… be ever so proud!  Christian wasn’t very far behind, again stage presence aplenty, confident, assured, loved his rendition of ‘The Recital’ sung by Oliver and the Company.  The discord between Oliver and his father was ever so real, you could see and feel the loathing between them both… be very proud Christian, good job sir!  John Whitehead took on the role of Phil Cavilleri (Jenny’s father) … not the biggest of roles, but one that John made his own creating a totally believable character! John has real stage presence, the empathy shown throughout the production to his daughter Jenny was palpable and his last visit to the hospital when Jenny was dying was really moving and a highlight for me… be ever so proud John!  Philip May took on the role of Oliver’s father ‘Oliver Barrett III’ and another great character created!  As stated above, the discord between father and son was real and tangible. The final scene, when father rushes to New York and meets son in the hospital, was so unpretentious yet so visually loud… it just shows that you don’t have to make a ‘song and dance’ about something to make it special (Congrats Chris…)  Allison Fox took on the role of ‘Alison Barrett’ (Oliver’s mother); Joe Cunliffe took on a dual role of ‘Doctor Ackerman’ (Doctor who looked after Jenny in hospital) and ‘Timothy Blauvelt’ … (Reverend who marries Jenny and Oliver).  Diane Simmons took the role of Jenny’s late mother and was also a member of the ensemble which also contained Emily Bailey, Kimberley Barker, Helen Dickinson, Allison Fox, Amy Smith, Mike Wickham and Joe Cunliffe/Philip May who also played named parts within the production!

The Orchestra … lead by Dave Dossett, with Janet Hitchen and Helen Andrew on Violin, Jess Holding on Viola, Phil Turner on Cello, Phil Reynolds on Double Bass and Justin Proudman on Guitar.  Although I didn’t know any of the songs in this musical, they were sung beautifully with some amazing harmonies, and as previously stated, accompanied to perfection by this wonderful orchestra… the music without doubt enhanced the show ever so much… be ever so proud one and all!

Staging/Set/Tech… the production was played to an open stage in a ‘three quarter type round’, situation, described in the programme as a ‘thrust’. The orchestra and a grand piano were positioned on stage with steps running down onto the ‘thrust’ (stage floor). There was no scenery as such, the scenes being played out to minimal stage furniture brought on and taken off when required by members of the cast which worked ever so well… slick, fast moving which allowed the production to flow!  The ever so experienced Stephen Pilkington (Stage Manager) was in charge stage side.  The staging/set was constructed by Stephen and his team of Cliff Hill and Lydia Nolan.  Lighting… I can only congratulate Stuart Naylor (Designer) / Kirsty Lofthouse (Associate) for the lighting.  I would have thought that the lighting design for this new ‘set up’ would be totally different to the norm, but it worked well and looked effective throughout… well done you two!  What was impressive was the Sound… under the watchful and experienced eyes of Natalie and Joanne Sweet… the sound throughout was ‘crystal clear’… missed nothing, cues were perfect… be ever so proud ladies!    

Costume/Props… were, as always, first rate and enhanced the show ever so much… congrats to Meredith Atherton and Helen Dickinson (Costumes) and Sharon Morris and Natalie Cleary (Props).

JACK FIELDING… in the programme we are told of the passing of a society stalwart who, from the aged of 18 months old, had been battling cancer! He defied so the odds for so many years, and battled its return in 2018, 2021 and again in 2023… but a chest infection led to his immune system being too weak to fight it any longer!  Can I, on behalf of NODA and myself, pay our respectful wishes to Jack’s family and to AMAS … RIP Jack, you will be missed!

Finally, thank you so much for your invite, it’s always a pleasure to make the trip to Railway Road… and can’t wait to see Caractacus, Truly and The Potts family in April 2024…

Stay Safe – Keep Well
‘Stronger Together’

Jim Briscoe
NODA NW
District 6 Rep

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