Singin' in the Rain

It’s never going to be easy to transfer a favourite film to the stage and when this is what is usually considered the best musical ever made, it’s all the more difficult.  As one who also subscribes to such a view, I found this production rather understated.

The Principals were impressive: William Eley, though far too young to have starred in all those silent films, was as confident and personable as you will see in a leading man and has a rare talent. Michelle Rundle as Lina left us in no doubt why her voice could not translate to the “talkies” and her song “What’s wrong with me?” was a highlight of the rather short second act. Smaller parts such as the Head of the studio, the Director and the voice coaches were well played too.  Credit must also go the stage crew who handled the frequent changes with great skill. The orchestra provided excellent support and made a great sound from their very first notes.

It was surprising to see our hero dispense with his umbrella after only a few bars of the title song and I would have liked to see him make more use of this important “prop” during the dance routine. The ending too was rather underplayed and the revelation of Lena’s shortcomings and its repercussions lacked the usual impact.  Some of the costumes were not always true to the 1920s style which the show requires.     

All in all, this was a reasonable effort which will have pleased most of the audience and the cast, who were involved in as many scenes as possible in what is not usually such a good show for the chorus.  After the high standards which this Society has achieved in recent years, however, I found this production a little disappointing.           

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