Old Time Music Hall 2024

With witty lyrics, hummable tunes, quick-fire sketches and a brisk pace, Britain’s music hall entertainment of old is such a welcome and wonderful respite from today’s stresses and strife. Thanks to the Over Players for providing much merry charm in their recent production, Old Time Music Hall 2024.

Directed by Alex Turpin, with music direction by Mike Bernard and choreography by Maria Baker, the cast of 18 (across at least five generations probably) served up dollops of well-prepared singing, dancing and ‘groaner’ comedic bits that made the evening pass all too quickly. As chairman, Richard Fenwick provided the event’s narration, also amusing the crowd with his unsuccessful attempts to recite some Shakespearean lines without interruption from the cast.

This reviewer can’t get enough of the old ‘I say, I say, I say’ music hall schtick, and there was plenty to be had in this production, along with lots of ‘nudge nudge, wink wink’ comedy of the naughty variety. Maria Baker’s rendition of the music hall favourite “The Old Apple Tree”, the story of a lady who’s allegedly trying to get off the booze, was lots of fun.  Highly clever and performed as a two-hander (with a double meaning there!) by Roger Hetherington and Jessica Turpin, “The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God” was another crowd pleaser with its showcase of verbal and manual dexterity. “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” from the barber shop trio of Hetherington, Alex Turpin and Leslie Wheeler was crisp and lovely. Sue White wrung every bit of comic pathos possible out of “Nobody Loves A Fairy When She’s Forty”, quite the tragic song with too many implications to consider!

A particularly stand-out performer was Alan Kenney, who delighted the audience with “The Trumpet Song”, which he performed on what looked to be a very old instrument indeed, and “Old Sam”, a monologue which he made the most of with both pathos and comedy.

Musical director Bernard was a major contributor to the smoothness of the production with sparkling piano accompaniment.

Warm applause must also go to, again, Alan Kenney for his effective stage set design and artwork and costumers Olive Swain and Christine Turner. From pearly king and queen outfits and 1800s-era soldier attire to everyday clothing for the 1900s, the costumes reflected great research and care, and looked very high quality! Also on the technical side, the lighting and sound were assets to this production – not too much, not too little and no bumps along the road.

The care with which the show was put together – the collection of songs, sketches, chairman’s narration, and themed medleys and their running order – was evident and made sense.

Bravo to the Over Players for this early summertime evening of nostalgia, freshness and fun.

©️ NODA CIO All Rights Reserved

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.