Our House

A dose of Madness was on the cards for EODS’ latest production, as we joined a packed-out auditorium (always good to see!) at the Henrician for their production of Our House.  This is a great, fun show, redolent of nostalgia for people of a certain age, like me and Director Alison Roberts, whose introductory programme reminiscences certainly struck a chord.  And the cast of the show certainly wasted no time in, as Alison herself put it, welcoming us to the House of Fun!

The plot of Our House follows the story of a young lad named Joe who, on his 16th birthday, breaks into a building site with his girlfriend Sarah.  When the Police arrive, he faces a ‘Sliding Doors’ moment in which he must make a decision between staying to face the music or running away.  From that point onwards we follow the journeys of the two different Joes, one of whom falls into a life of crime that leads to tragedy, whilst the other must face numerous challenges before finally emerging as a better, successful person (plus, he gets the girl!)

Ethan Nicol, who, I believe is just sixteen himself, was a warm, likeable presence as Joe.  He had a very natural, relaxed way on stage, and his layered characterisation invited sympathy for both the good and bad Joes.  One to watch in the future, I think!  As his best friends Emmo and Lou, Barney Gibbons and Gracie Catlow brought bundles of energy and chemistry – it was easy to believe that this trio were indeed old friends.  

Molly Jewitt was excellent as Sarah, Joe’s on/off girlfriend.  This is complex, emotional role, and Molly hit just the right beats, in particular during her heartfelt solo songs and duets with Joe – ‘It Must Be Love’ being a wonderful, intimately performed standout.  Rose Elson and Rebekka Swift were also good as Billie and Angie, Sarah’s best friends, forever commenting on the action as Joe’s story unfolded.

Also following the action was the ghost of Joe’s criminal father, desperate for his son not to follow in his footsteps but helpless to intervene.  Michael Bowen did a great job of showing the anguished frustration of the character, as he observed the action, with some real heart-wrenching moments accentuated by powerful singing.  Amanda Golding gave Joe’s mum Kath a steely centre, even as she took on the role of beloved matriarch. 

Completing the principal cast were Rhys Milbery as Reecey, a small-time criminal who leads one of the Joe’s into some very dark places; Dan Hampshire as Mr Pressman, a scheming property developer with his eyes set on Joe’s family home; and Nathan Warren as Callum, a friend of Sarah’s who later becomes a love rival for Joe.  All three of them gave solid performances, as they flitted in and out of Joe’s lives.

The twenty-one strong ensemble filled out the group numbers very effectively, particularly during showpiece numbers like ‘Baggy Trousers’, which featured some impressive dancing chairs; ‘Wings of a Dove’, which was full of action; and ‘The Sun and the Rain’ which saw them twirling Union Jack umbrellas to facilitate an onstage costume change for Joe that earned a justified round of applause from the audience.  Well done to choreographers Claire Watson, Hayley Roberts, Chloe French and Alison Roberts.

There were further quick costume changes for Joe when, in a bravura sequence, his two versions visited the offices of Mr Pressman.  I understand that there were over fifty costume changes for Joe alone, it must have been like a formula one pit stop backstage!  Well done to Imogen Easton, Kym Campbell and the whole wardrobe team. 

The show was simply but effectively staged, with an elevated walkway to the rear and two rotating doorways at either side of the stage – not so much sliding as revolving doors, then!  The whole thing was very impressive, and this continued into the larger props, with ‘Night Boat to Cairo’ featuring an impressive gondola that floated across the stage, and ‘Driving in My Car’ showcasing a superb vehicle that even had working lights.  There were some nice touches in the smaller props as well, with the 80s-style ‘brick’ phones bringing back some memories! 

My congratulations to Alison Roberts and her MD Paul Wood (who led a strong, seven piece band) for bringing Our House to the Evesham stage with such skill and panache.  Their well-drilled, committed cast certainly got every bit of energy and emotion out of the show, and the final, post-curtain medley brought the whole thing to a close with a bang, as the audience rose to their feet to go ‘One Step Beyond’!  Well done, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Chris Davies, Regional Representative – District 5

When attending EODS, you can always be sure of an evening of fun, and this production was without doubt that—and more. I attended a different performance from Chris; however, I was pleased to be joined by Ian G. Cox, immediate past Chairman of the NODA Trustees.

Our House, on first viewing, may take a little time to fully understand, as the two parallel stories of Joe unfold following the incident at the opening of the show. Alison Roberts, as director, clearly understood the messages within the script and successfully brought both energy and emotion to the stage.

I must, of course, mention Ethan Nicol, whom I have seen perform previously. I did wonder whether, at the outset, he truly grasped just how many costume changes he would need to undertake—around 37, I believe! These were handled with impressive efficiency, as were the frequent door changes.

Well done to everyone at EODS. I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands.

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