Mame

This was my first encounter with the amateur version of “Mame”, and, I sincerely hope it won’t be my last!  It carries that “feel good” factor that is often sadly lacking in shows these days. The opening chorus “It’s Today” set the standard for this show, both in excellent choreography and first class singing. Mame (Catherine Palmer) displayed her obvious experience in all aspects of performance – singing, dancing and acting (comedy included). Her scenes with Patrick (Joel Allsopp) were completely relaxed and, I am sure, helped in no small way to put this young actor at his ease also. Gooch (Karen Skene) was played to perfection. Her part in “We Need a Little Christmas” along with Mame, Ito and Patrick, and “Gooch’s Song in Act Two were for me highlights in a show which sparkled with enthusiasm. The high quality of performance did not rest, however, with the main principals. A host of minor principals made their own small additions to the show and must be congratulated for this. Choreography in the show was very watchable – at all times never seeming to stretch the capabilities of the cast. This is not in any way a criticism of the choreographer, rather a testament to the quality of the dancers!

The sixteen scene changes were handled well by the stage crew assisted at times by cast members. The simple set worked well in the confines of this studio space. Good use was made of projection in most scenes – possibly, slightly larger images would have been beneficial on the reasonably large expanse of projection screen. The orchestra and sound engineer soon dispelled my initial doubts about siting the musicians at the rear of the auditorium, by providing a good balance between performers and orchestra throughout the show. From all aspects, GAMA, a most enjoyable show. Well done, and thank you for inviting me along!

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