Oklahoma

In the annals of musical theatre, Oklahoma is head and shoulders above all overs. It broke all the rules at the time and paved the way for a revolution in style and content which is still appreciated today.  A new production being staged, still carries with it the feeling of being a part of something special and Andy Poulton’s production for The Tab did exactly that and we were not disappointed.

A hugely impressive set awaited the anticipatory audience drawing appreciative remarks from the audience members around me. It was used to great effect as were introduced to the familiar characters and their equally familiar songs – my fellow audience members near me could not resist joining in with Curly’s infamous – ‘There’s a Bright Golden Haze on the Meadow’ ! Jack Humpherys as ‘Curly’ made that all important first impression with great aplomb and confidence and extracting every ounce of humour from the role with much to the audience’s delight. Curly’s love interest ‘Laurey’ is a difficult part to accomplish, as her character is not as deeply drawn as some of the other roles, but Charlotte Mason was superb in giving the role many different shades which worked extremely well, marking the relationship with ‘Curly’ with mutual teasing, pride, and misunderstandings, complicated further by the brooding farmhand ‘Jud Fry’, menacingly played to very great effect by J. Paul Murdock and in complete contrast to the feel-good feeling of the story, whose obsession with ‘Laurey’ introduces a darker undertone.

They were all ably supported by a talented cast of characters all convincingly brought to life:  Linda Georgiou’s ‘Aunt Eller’ was excellent as the overseeing matriarch; Manhunting ‘Ado Annie’, played by Fleur Petford and dim-witted but good-natured ‘Will Parker’ played by Ricky Stevens were an ideal pairing, sharing some delightful moments; John Nicholas’ ‘Ali Hakim’ the slightly shady Persian Peddler, was a joy to watch as he skilfully manipulated events in his favour; Stephen Homer’s ‘Andrew Carnes’ was the voice of reason and ‘Gertie Cummings’ played by Elle-May Davies captured the annoying qualities of her character superbly, especially with her tell-tale laugh!

An enthusiastic and well-drilled ensemble of both adults and children was the icing on the cake, with some amazing choreography by Helen Kendrick and Musical Director, Nick Jeavons, achieved an amazing sound – setting the Town Hall alight with the famous score accompanied by a very talented orchestra that complemented the stage action perfectly. The Dream Sequence was particularly moving and performed to perfection.

Due to its notoriety, every number in the show is captivating and welcomed with sheer gusto – classic after classic was lovingly welcomed by the audience. An entrancing rendition of People Will Say We’re in Love from ‘Curly’ and ‘Laurey’, the chilling Lonely Room  from ‘Jud’ and ‘Ado Annie’s’ I Cain’t Say No were especially memorable as well as the impactful and striking title number.

The action on stage was complemented by a splendid set which was handled with great ease by Stage Manager, Stephen Taylor and a remarkably efficient Stage Crew. In turn, the technical side added to the overall enjoyment of the production with lighting from Dan Woodall at DW Technical Services and Sound from Ian Davies at Black Country Audio. A splendid array of costumes was on display from Leo’s Theatrical Costumes and supervised by Jane Larner.

As you would expect from The tab and from this ground-breaking show, this was a thoroughly enjoyable night at the theatre and my thanks go to everyone at The tab for their kind invitation and hospitality, which was very gratefully received.

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