Some Enchanted Evening

Lovers of the music of Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein were treated to a fine evening’s entertainment with Gateshead AODS’s production of “Some Enchanted Evening” a concert which showcased some 35 songs and extracts of well loved and not so well known songs from the pens of these two great writers.

It takes some logistical feat to tackle such a project and ensure that quality is maintained but it was achieved under the guiding hands of experienced Director Ann Chadwick and the talents of Musical Director Ross Norman.

With limited floor space available and a cast of 28 and a combo of 5 to accommodate the set was of necessity simple and unchanging throughout. However it proved to be very effective with good use being made of the Hall’s own sound and lighting.

The Society’s concept for the show was to place the performers in a theatrical setting first backstage where the songs were sung as interplay and then onstage where they were performed for the audience.  This was to allow each performer to bring their own style and personality to the songs  and the situations in which they were set.

Whilst I felt that this did not always work, and in some instances the correlation between the songs and its setting seemed a little out of kilter, the overall concept  worked well.

Despite suffering the perennial problem of the lack of male performers (like many societies) the overall musical balance of the ensemble and the quality of their voices and harmonies was pleasing and was well suited to the content of the programme.

The bulk of the solo work was undertaken by four experienced principal performers in  Mike Beckford, Jim Cowper, Laura Dollimore and Lawrence Chadwick who gave us  a cross section of solos, duets and trios from different  genres which displayed their understanding of the writers’ work.  They were also well supported by a quartet of younger members of the Society which bodes well for its future.

As well as directing the Show Ann Chadwick also deserves a special mention as she also took the time to perform herself and aptly gave us lovely renditions of “Something Wonderful” from the King and I and “Love Look Away” from The Flower Drum Song.

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