Space Wars

Limelight Scripts’ Space Wars includes anything space-y; Star Wars, Star Trek, Toy Story, Flash Gordon etc. and you don't have to be interested in anything to do with these films or space itself to find the script amusing.  Cast names are a play on words and one soon catches on.  Names such as Flash Jordan, Barf Raider, Captain Berk, Stella Leapyear and her son Buzz to name but a few.

As always with HATS the staging was good. Gary and Sue Sander’s set design was great depicting space and planets behind the starship’s computers with lots of attention to desks and chairs for the Bridge of the Starship Economise. Great thought had gone into the items in the displays of space junk in Grabba’s place.  Nice lighting design and operation from Chris Anderson also the Sound which was well-balanced by Ashley Sismey with good voice overs from David Sismey and Bertie Sander as the voices of Snotty and Alexa respectively.

Costumes were excellent.  Lots of hard work from Carol Haigh, Joan Ellison and Sue Sander who created the colourful space uniforms and top marks for the RU12 and C3BO robot costumes. The Storm Troopers looked just right and Buzz Leapyear’s finale costume with the ‘wings’ made to open out was a great touch.

Before the show I heard that illness had decimated rehearsals and that some of the cast were still recovering. This affected dialogue at times but nothing mega although I felt opening night could have had a bit more pace overall.

Full of energy though was Dom Bunten as space hero Flash Jordan extremely well-played with more than a little nod to Rik Mayall’s Lord Flashheart!  Jedi turned bad Barf Raider nicely played by Kaci Sander enlists the help of two droids C3BO (Andrew Gookey) and RU12 (Sue Perry) to gain control of the Starship Economise.  The two robots were excellent and like Flash were a great hit with the audience.  Congratulations to you both on coping with your outfits particularly Ms Perry who was more constrained but still managed to do the Time Warp expertly.  Well done too to the Storm Troopers. A super scene.   Inadvertently helping Flash spoil Barf Raider’s plot were Jill Enefer absolutely splendid as Stella Leapyear, the ship’s cleaner, and David White who did an amazing job as her son Buzz.  It is never easy opening a show alone but David did a grand job and kept it up throughout the show. 

Minor principal roles were well done and gave fine support to the main principals: Mary Sullivan (Captain Berk) Hannah Sullivan (Smock) Gary Sander (Princess Lola) and Eleanor Vaughan (Grabba The Butt). Good support too came from Graham Whitaker as Doctor Decoy also from the Ensemble: Joanne Sullivan, Peyton Purvis, Oliver Sinclair, David Sismey, Lewis Sismey, Harley Bool, Carolina Ruddick, Penny Hammon, Chloe Anderson who took on numerous roles between them.  Never underestimate a minor role as they don’t go un-noticed; even something as small as someone endeavouring to mend the out of order equipment. It all adds to the overall picture.

Congratulations to Gary and Bertie Sander, the cast and support team for overcoming all the odds to bring a different type of pantomime to the stage. I hope you all stayed well enough to enjoy your production week.  Thank you for inviting me and, as always, for the warm welcome

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