Singin in the Rain

The Club is very fortunate indeed to have a theatre such as that contained within the brand new Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock in which to stage its shows.  Seating around 500, it boasts not only a sunken orchestra pit but also a fly tower, stalls, Circle and balcony!!   My visit to the Club in early November was my first outing to this impressive venue and the Club Secretary kindly gave me a brief conducted tour of the backstage area.   The deep stage with ample apron and wings gave plenty of room for the rain-set to be concealed behind a backcloth without diminishing the playing area for the earlier scenes.    Chris Smith took the role of the long-suffering Don Lockwood with Sarah Campbell as his silent movie co-star Lina Lamont – certainly to be seen but not heard.     Chris Gavin took on the role of R F Simpson the head of the film studio and Ruairidh Forde appeared as Don’s friend Cosmo with Gerard Gordon as the film director Roscoe.   Julie Henry was cast as the attractive aspiring actress Kathy Selden doubling as Lina’s voice and the strands of the plot came beautifully together when Don, Cosmo and the R F Simpson conspire to expose Lina as the fraud she is.   The “other cast” in the black and white projected silent movie deserve mention as an essential part of the story and notably Euan McDonald as the young Don Lockwood and Alasdair Smith as the young Cosmo.   The technical aspects of the projection of the silent films proceeded without a hitch as did the centerpiece of the show “Singin’ in the Rain”.     The rain came on cue and Don’s dancing was excellent!

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