Me and My Girl

CAOS are one of the few genuinely old established societies who will be celebrating 100 years in 2024 with the iconic musical Oliver in April 24. This production will give the opportunity of incorporating CAOS academy into the adult group in celebration of this momentous achievement.

Me and My Girl is based on a true love story when East meets West with all the Upstairs Downstairs happenings of society and those not so fortunate set in the 1930s. The London Society friends are travelling to their friends in the country for the summer. The Harefords of Hareford Hall , a very old established society family are about to find out that their new heir has been found and is on his way . The writing of this musical by Stephen Fry is of the highest order giving the Actors so much to work with. Silliness and comedy mixed with over-the-top stiff upper lip of the landed gentry compared to the rawness of the East End cockney provides the platform for this iconic musical. I was very impressed with your programme not only including an excellent synopsis ofthe musical and the society along with featuring all 40 cast members with their individual bios. 

This fast-moving musical needs lots of thought in how to bring out the best from the lib, and in Jan Jackson, your producer, this was done to a very high standard. The show contains so many interesting and varied scenes and I enjoyed the way the performers used their spaces and brought the script to life so well.

The singing from the main principals in their solos and duets along with the many show stopping ensemble pieces were well delivered and compliments to your MD Peter Piper for achieving those high standards. I was genuinely surprised to see the Orchestra was made up of only 4 people who produced the excellent sound throughout. Your Choreographer Rachel Croke did a wonderful job with so many memorable ensemble pieces. The Lambeth Walk, The Sun Has Got its Hat On to name but two. The tap numbers were a joy and performed really well. One of the main cast being the lovable Eastender with all the rhythming slang making for many innuendos and raised eye brows, Lee Hilton-Brammer as Bill Snibson, a role requiring many guises along with a string of well known numbers including Me and My Girl , I’m leaning on a Lamppost was performed with gusto throughout and along with the love of his life Sally Smith played by Connie Hughes , they formed a formidable team . You sang beautifully with such depth and character, and whilst enjoying them all my particular favourites were the duet with Bill in Me and My Girl and your solo, Once you Lose Your Heart. Maintaining accents is never easy but you both worked hard at the Cockney, well done. Bill in conversation with Sally and realising he was to be an Earl, for them to think would become an Earless !! so many great lines.

By total contrast we have the Hareford family with all the upper crusty carrying on.

Maria, Duchess of Dene played beautifully by Fay Banks, the family member determined to make Bill a fit and proper gent to take over Hareford gave a really powerful performance with such contrasting scenes with Bill as the teacher and in relationships with the love of her life, not that she knew it, Sir John Tremayne played by Ben Jackson. Interestingly Ben played this part when they previously performed the show in 2006. Well done the stiff upper lip, afraid to branch out , got the girl in the end , with memorable scenes throughout including the drunken one with Bill in the library .Lady Jaqueline ,the Duchess’s daughter played by Kerry Masson-Wilson , determined to get her hands on Bill or was it his new found wealth?  , a great performance with the memorable couch scene with Bill, along with the  well performed duet, You Would if You Could , the way you snubbed The Hon Gerald Bollingbroke played by Phil Tuffin who struggled to tell you he really loved you .Gerald what a great character part this is , performed really well with such humour and emotion, being totally distraught when snubbed by Jaqueline but winning the lady after the lapping advise from Bill. Herbert Parchester played by Michael Parker, the family Solicitor, a tremendous performance along with the memorable Family Solicitor song. I really enjoyed all your interactions throughout and the returning to the solicitor song, great fun. Lady Tring by Andrea Woolston , eh eh , lovely character part with your hearing aid at the ready . Charles the Butler by David Clayton , well performed and disciplined character part , see all ,hear all, and little or no reaction . Some iconic scenes and so many classic lines, aperitif My Lord, no I’ve got my own !!!  one of many, well done. Lord and Lady Battersby by Rob Dixon and Jenni Newton-Smith well done to you both,maintaining the stiff upper lip of the gentry. There are so many other named parts with Cameo performances all 

performed well, and though not individually named non the less integral to the excellent evening entertainment. The Ancestor scene such fun, the many ensemble numbers with lovely stage awareness well performed. I must mention the Pearly Queen and King by Lynne Pilkington and Anthony Palmer such an iconic part of the show with the foot tapping Lambeth Walk brilliantly fronting all the others involved in this fast moving number and really enjoyed you coming into the audience, a special moment.

We were delighted to be invited to your opening night and compliments to the back stage team along with the vision in choosing such interesting back cloths and set pieces. One or two tough changes which I’m sure will speed up through the week, never easy as the unsung back stage team have little or no rehearsal time, well done. The sound and lighting was well balanced adding atmosphere to the production whilst allowing the audience to hear the music and spoken and sung word clearly. Compliments to the costume department, your choices and continuity throughout was excellent. The correct shoes, wigs that fitted the period and costumes making the visual effect totally believable for the time.

This production is full of so much humour, song and dance, colour and flair and deserves full audiences. No, it isn’t a new juke box musical but has so much more to enthral the audience , if you can spare an evening you will not be disappointed . 

Thank you to the FOH who made us feel so welcome and to your stalwart Chair Julia Hughes, a member for more than 60years, who we were delighted to spend the interval with

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