Oklahoma!

What a feeling of life and energy and great singing from this well-known and loved show: excellent casting with a lot of experience on stage and extracting every moment of vivacity and enjoyment throughout: a real feel-good reaction throughout. As soon as the overture began, the audience knew it was going to be a good evening, excellent pace under the direction of Jo Kemp, and such a good sound. Set well realised by the team. Very lively choreography with that team especially in the ‘Farmer and Cowman’, and all together under Jackie’s guidance.
 Aunt Eller (Lucy Ferris) gave a great portrayal and vocal and set up the bench-mark, and Ben Francis as Curly just lifted the spirits with the opening number as he sang with great presence: what a show to have so many great numbers just in the first scene, and then more to enjoy later. Excellent rapport between Ben and Maria Cutting as a tom-boy Laurey, their voices and moods just perfect for the roles. A very nasty piece of work from Russell Beveridge as Jud, the menace worked but would have liked him dirtier (clean shirt), good song. A very mobile nimble-footed Will Parker from Alex Chidichimo with nice manner and voice, worked well with newcomer and stand-in Hayley Penney as Ado Annie: she is a find to cultivate for the future, delightful. Well matched in comedy touches with Ali Hakim the pedlar (Rob Garrett), good number with the men. That laugh was appalling! Becky Jefcoate wins the prize for the most excruciating noise on stage and hopefully the voice will last the run. And how lovely to see old favourites Grant Harrison as a curmudgeonly and loud mouthed Andrew Carnes, and Robin Hawkes in cameo role of Cord Elam the Marshall.
 This was an extremely strong cast of principals but one should not ignore the amazing strength and power and liveliness and energy of all those in the lovely young support team of the chorus and smaller roles, no doubt many from FADLOS Kidz, this is what gave this production the enjoyment and feel-good factor, and the deserved applause for the whole show.

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