Slice of Saturday Night

Anyone who missed this “Slice of Saturday Night” missed a giant slice of entertainment at The Playhouse Theatre. For a great number of the delighted audience this must have brought back memories of those swinging sixties when Saturday night loomed largest in the week’s social calendar. Can it really have been 60 years ago when we got all togged up and headed out to see whether this might be the night a dream came true would be just the all too often “ what might have been” evening. Director Mark Howard brilliantly caught the mood of the period and brought out the character of the players, strongly abetted by Choreographer Zak Yates and Musical Director Colin Wildman; although none of them are old enough to have been around during that particular era they caught the essence of the writers ideas and lyrics extremely well. The idea of involving the audience with the players, still in character, during the interval and bringing some folk to the stage was sparkling.

Harking back to days of youth many of the audience might have recognized themselves and friends from days of yore and the action which formed the basis of the plot. Gary (Kingsley Judd) every movement  betraying his certainty  that he was the one that was loved by the ladies and envied by the guys around him. Of course it all had to end in tears mainly due to Bridget ( Julie Oldfield) strongly determined not to let her friend Sue be “used” by Gary and to maintain her own hands off image. Her confrontations with Eddie( more of him later) were excellent. Sue (Dani Gallagher) lovely characterization this; being torn between her delight at being Gary’s girlfriend and her insecurity because of his infidelities was exemplified in the song “Twiggy”; how many girls like Sue must have wished they were like Twiggy? The would be lovers Sharon and Rick were both excellent; Sharon ( Amy Grundy) anxious  to change the pattern of her life and seeing Rick (Liam Kitchen) as the means of doing so and Rick dying to have Sharon as his girl but unsure as to whether his advances would be rejected or what to do if they weren’t showed fine comedy talent in the role. Their duets were great fun. The part of Sharon should have been done by Laura Tombs who was unfortunately taken ill; Amy Grundy stepped in and didn’t she do well? Eddie ( Joe Pollard) certainly made this part his own “the way out man” might have been the best description of him, great stuff. Resplendent in Red and Black  particularly reminiscent of the period and Carnaby Street was Penny ( Josephine Broadley) who made her presence felt as an ally of the other girls. Her Duet “ Love on our side” as Shirl with Terry ( Kingsley) as the hippies was very good indeed. Kirsty Chapman and Ali Roocroft maintained their characters throughout and made an interesting focal point for the musicians. Now that leaves us with the “Adult” member of the cast; Eric Rubber Legs de Vere  (Mark Kendall) the owner of the club described as a faded rock star. I chanced to be sitting next to his mother and she was quite rightly thrilled not only by his performance which was a tour de force but also his dancing ability and energy as well. I am in total agreement with his mother.

The fine cast was well supported by all their backstage team, the sound and music was right, the lighting effective and the set simple but effective, ( I liked the drop down toilets). Congratulations to everyone of you. Proud Preston can be proud of you.

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