Return To The Forbidden Planet

Bob Carlton’s musical takes the 1956 film, with plot taken from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and using many of the bard’s classic lines from other plays, (but not always verbatim eg. ‘shall I compare thee to a Barbie Doll?’) sets it to a score of great pop hits from the 1960’s  and 70’s. In 2009, mad scientist Doctor Prospero aided by his wife Gloria develop a formula with which he would change the world. However, Gloria duped him and sent him off into outer space in an old spacecraft. Unbeknown to her, their infant daughter, Miranda, was sleeping in the craft. Fifteen years later, a routine survey space flight under the control of Captain Tempest with a new Science Officer aboard is hit by a shower of meteorites and the craft is pulled towards the planet D’Illyria – the Forbidden Planet, and Gloria flees! There was good pre-show interaction between crew members and the audience and further involvement when we were given ‘polarity reversal flight emergency drill’ as part of the safety notices. The stage, during all this, was open with the crew already checking illuminated technical equipment and dials on what was the bridge of the space craft. It was indeed an extremely imaginative set on two levels with, as I have already said, complete with the equipment, dials etc. that one associates with highly sophisticated spaceship interiors. Because of limited space (sorry) the four brass players of the eight piece band were placed at either side of the stage whilst the others were well camouflaged at the back of the craft. A large video screen filled the whole of the back wall and was utilised to great effect throughout the show from the ‘Director’ informing us of certain happenings, the initial meeting with Dr. Prospero and wonderful displays of asteroid showers etc. etc. Chris Collington as Captain Tempest was absolutely first-rate. His singing coupled with his great acting skills, particularly his comic timing, was. without doubt, outstanding, and I loved his ‘posturing’. He was involved in so many of the numbers but his delivery of ‘Born to be Wild’ was simply amazing. Giving excellent support to the Captain was Josephine Pearson as Bosun and Sarah Knight as the Navigation Officer. Dan Collington’s portrayal of Cookie was spot on. He brought out the passion, the romanticism, the hopelessness, the pathos of the character splendidly and what a fabulous singing voice he has. Gloria (Bunson-Burnier) was the perfect name for the role played by Mina Machin as Mina was indeed glorious. Her powerful singing voice was ideally suited to such numbers as ‘Gloria’ and ‘Go Now’ but she showed a softer side when pandering to Cookie’s aspirations as in ‘Tell Her’. What a delightful, feisty and vivacious performance was delivered by Michelle Bruce as Miranda and as her father, Dr Prospero, Richard Pearson was commandingly superb. He expressed the melodrama and emotional trauma of the Doctor brilliantly. Luke Grainger was truly engagingly lovable (if you can say that about a robot) as Ariel. He effortlessly skated around the stage and his performance too, was so effortlessly executed. He is such a talented actor and singer. The main characters were ably supported by crew members, Simon Collington, Simon Owen, Rhiannon Bown, Victoria Palmer, Emma Fowler, Ben Gray and Ryan Taylor. The costumes were fine and Ariel’s robot outfit was fabulous. Excellent lighting and sound effects complemented the whole and the emergence of the huge orange tentacles of a ‘monster’ was a stroke of genius. The choreography was simple, very much in keeping with 60’s and 70’s stylised moves, and was carried out with so much energy and enthusiasm but none of this and the brilliance of the singing would have been the same without the backing and input that came from the terrific band. This challenging show from start to finish was a joy. I had ‘Good Vibrations’, I was ‘Shaking All Over’ and ‘Who’s Sorry Now’? – yes I was, because it had to end! Congratulations to everyone involved – ‘Yeh, Yeh, Yeh’!

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.