Our House, The Madness Musical

This adaptation of the film of the same name certainly proved a winner with Littleport Players and their audience. It was a big risk for the group to step away from their more traditional seating for their shows and a huge effort had gone in to transforming the village hall with an impressive set and an intriguing audience arrangement giving everyone a view of the action.  Full marks to talented Director Karen Booth for the skilful way in which she used every ounce of available space not only in the acting area but also in and around the audience.

The fast moving production, with the music of Madness, follows the story of Joe Casey, a teenage lad, who breaks into a property on a spree with his girl friend.  The storyline then follows his two different choices, to be good and admit his act or do a runner.  The show follows Joe in his good and bad choices. I know all this as I looked it up because unfortunately the music overpowered the dialogue and the first half was totally lost to me.  After a quick word with the Director in the interval it was marginally better in the second half.  MD Mark Checkley had drawn some stunning harmonies from the cast and there were some good vocals from the principals.  However, it must be borne in mind that all their hard work is for nothing if the audience is struggling to hear the under scored dialogue or the lyrics.

With those comments out of the way, I have to say that the Madness Band was very good.  In fact this show was something of a spectacle particularly on the choreography front.  Choreographer NiKki Scott had created some breath-taking routines.  The show was non-stop and the work which the cast must have put in was phenomenal.  As mentioned above vocally too the show lacked little.  Some of the harmonies were super.

Lighting and sound was all it should be.  The costumes - of which there was a great number - were excellent with the alternatives for Joe taking the path to good or bad well portrayed by the changes which were fast and very efficient.  In fact again well done to Sheila Goodall and the whole cast on the speed with which changes were made; some seemingly in only seconds.

The show had the benefits of a good all round cast led by George Harrison playing  both Joes. He was hardly ever off stage. George faced a most challenging role - two roles in essence - and his sheer stage presence, likeable personality and all round stage ability to dance, sing and act proved a wise choice for the role. Nikki Scott gave an excellent performance as Joe’s girlfriend Sarah.  Her beautiful duet with Joe, ‘It must be Love’ was lovely and I also very much enjoyed Sarah and Dad duetting with N.W. 5. 

Their friends Angie and Billie played by Megan Bidecant and Chelsea Booth and Joe's side-kicks Lewis played by Jack Barry and Emmo played by Jack Byng added to the humour of this well presented production. 

The bad guy Reecey was extremely well portrayed by Jack Wright coming over as a really unpleasant piece of work causing Joe to stray whenever he tried to go straight.  Both Becky Green and Darren Hitchings as Mum and Dad - he being a ghost (in Marty Hopkirk fashion) - did a fine job.  

Other chorus members:Ethan Nelson, Laura Fuller, Erin Malkin, Charlie East, Isabel Frammingham, Jessica Gillet-Woodley and Sue Caller, took on one or more of the minor roles and all gave sound and extremely enthusiastic support.  I am sure there were many more in the cast than the sixteen on the cast sheet I was handed - there certainly looked double that at times! 

Overall, it was a high energy, rollicking show with a cast who clearly loved their involvement, though it may be a close call as to whether cast or audience enjoyed it more as Littleport Village Hall certainly became the "House of Fun".

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.