THE McADO

What a delightfully bold and humorous adaptation of The Mikado, all the elements were there, but simply set in Scotland!  A lot of work for the Director, but very well-achieved, and also getting everyone invested in a Scottish accent was no mean feat.  I felt the overture could have been stage-populated to maximise audience appeal, as although beautifully played, it was a little long, and interest always wavers, leaving the audience a little late on being engaged.

Musically good, nice to see new MD Tom Arnold working with this experienced G&S Society, vocals mostly good, and I enjoyed the overall sound of the band, the horn added depth and other instruments complemented the ethos of the adaptation.  I very much enjoyed “Brightly dawns our wedding day” and “The flowers that bloom in the Spring” – lovely harmonies and expression.

Choreographically simple but well-accomplished, and movement around the stage was good.  I liked the props that suited the feel of the piece, as did the lighting, and sound was good, particularly as there were no mics involved.  There were a couple of points where I felt the band was a little overloud, but overall sound balance was good.

I liked the ladies costumes they were colourful and looked good.  The male principals were all very smart in their kilts, however some of the ensemble were a little unruly, with some questionable wigs!  But the combined look was very Scottish. 

Toby Wheatley (Bonnie Drew) sang beautifully and with lots of expression, his partner Claire Moore (Wynne-Somme) was charming and matched Toby vocally – a lovely partnership.

David Crew (The McAdo) gave the part gravitas, but also executed some very funny moments, with a twinkle in his eye – and some Scottish dance moves!

Sue Wookey (Katrina) used her facial expressions to perfection, outrage, pursed lips, a slight snarl and sneer at times, whilst singing with conviction – very good.

Jonathan Field (Co-Co) a super part, well-accomplished, and lovely to see Jonathan back on stage again, in a part that suited his diverse skills to a ‘T’.

Emma Crew (Pretty Jean), Eve Rapley (Brave Jo) and Claire Moore (Wynne-Somme) were  perfectly charming and giggly as the Three Little Maids, each showing their individuality but coming together as a group with well-sung numbers.

David Laurie (Pished Ross) acted his part throughout with great aplomb, whilst showing a lovely voice in his musical numbers, whilst his bagpipe playing was exceptional, and earned a huge cheer from the audience, which was very well-deserved.

Peter Davis (Proud Bruce) rounded out the principal line as Lord High Everything Else! – always a good part which he could get his teeth into.

Karen Wedekind (Headmistress) gave us a stern persona, contrasting well with the other lighter characters.

The ensemble rounded out the production, with enthusiastic participation, and lively facial expressions.

There were some lovely touches that I enjoyed, such as Sneaky Steve following The McAdo with a chair, obviously the bagpipes, Katrina’s “Glasgow Kiss” and the Headmistress giving out the safety notices, to name but a few.

Our thanks to David Crew and the front of house team for their welcome, and good to catch up with the production team and Society contacts after the show.

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