The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice

Bolton Little Theatre’s final show of the season is penned by Jim Cartwright, originally written for Jane Horrocks. Starting off as a play it was also adapted by Cartwright for film in 1998.

Walking into the auditorium the set is on two levels. With living room Centre and Stage Right and a kitchen Stage Left. Two-seater settee Centre Stage with cushions. A door to the outside Stage Right with coat hung on the door and small window at the side of the door. Various sideboards Upstage including one with drink bottles on and a record player on another – also Upstage three flying ducks on the wall, Hilda Ogden-style. The kitchen had a table with cloth on and chairs. Against the wall Stage Left was worksurface with sink and tea-making things with fridge, cooker and ironing board propped up against the wall. Leading from the kitchen were stairs with handrail and at the top you turned right to Mari’s room and left to LV’s room, visible to us, with entrance door into the bedroom and curtained window Stage Right. The bed was under the window and covered in a pink candlewick bedspread. A white chair and record player was on the floor, with pictures of famous singers Upstage. In the lounge Stage Right a piece of the wall was missing so we had a view into the alleyway, which was brick and a street lamp.  In front of the curtain was used for the club. Set Design Geoff Millard and Construction Jeff Lunt, Helen Livesey, Simon Mott, Andrew Gradwell, Peter Beckett, Roger Boardman and Steve Butler. Props were all in keeping even down to mouldy cornflakes and the hammer left on the stairs used to bang on the stairs. Props Jade Mulraney and Helen Livesey. Lighting and Sound all helped the show. With Lighting by Peter Gower, John Lyon and James Walton. Sound Janice Lyon. All the costumes worked for the characters with Mari’s short tight outfits, Mr Boo’s over-the-top suits and Sadie’s loud orange going out outfit. Wardrobe by Janet Hardman.

Geoff Millard directs and also designed the set. The set worked well - especially with the missing wall to show the outside. Using the front of the curtain also helped the action flow and using the audience seating worked with Mari and Sadie joining us in the audience and using the back of the auditorium for another entrance. The stage was covered and used well - no masking.

The Phone Man was played by Harvey Walton and Mr Boo was by Glenn Robinson. Connor Beckwith takes on the role of Billy - Connor did a great job and you could sense his nervousness and see his confidence build as he was getting to know LV and they had a good connection on stage albeit the awkwardness. Steve Harrison takes on the role of Ray Say, who manages third rate acts and thinks all his Sundays have come at once when he hears LV sing in her bedroom. Steve played this differently to what I’ve seen before as he was a softer Ray: so, when he loses his temper, it was a real shock and you see his nasty side come through. He lets Mari have it with both barrels - shattering her dreams.

Shaz Holstead takes on the role of Sadie. Her characterisation was spot on and kept up all the time even when not speaking. The walk was hilarious even walking up stairs and when you slung LV over your shoulder and took her upstairs - so funny! Eating the mouldy cornflakes and enjoying them may stick with me for a while - not to mention being sick - well played!

Lisa Barlow takes on the role of Mari Hoff - a difficult character as there is nothing to like about her. Selfish and abusive to her daughter she thinks only about herself. Although Lisa has done this role before, she appeared a little nervous at first but soon got into her stride and as the week progresses will be less nervous. It’s a full-on part and Lisa delivered as Mari with some scathing comments to her best friend Sadie. The dancing scene was very funny and especially the one where Sadie is drunk. Using the hammer left by the Phone Man to hammer on the stairs and going out to the ‘caff caff’ and shops in her slippers. At the end when Ray Say lets her have his wrath, we see the woman who wants to keep her youth and actually needs her best friend Sadie whom she hasn’t treated well.  Mari appears to have a language all of her own which certainly got the laughs from the audience.

Amber Marie takes on the role of Laura Hoff known as Little Voice (LV). Shy and very young for her age she lives in the bedroom listening to records her dad left her of Gracie Fields, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey. Verbally abused by her mother Mari her bedroom is her safe haven where she sings like a caged bird imitating the singers. This irritates her mother but almost like an act of defiance she carries on. Amber really had the timidness down and you felt the only person looking out for her was Sadie until Billy comes along. Billy with his awkwardness and LV with her shyness they slowly navigate each other and each time they meet he breaks through to her a little bit more. Good chemistry on stage with the two of them. Amber plays the shy girl well. From an audience point of view I would have like to see more of her face from her hair strands but I get the wanting to hide behind thing. We see Amber portray LV coping with larger-than-life characters around her and the juxtaposition she finds herself in giving her mother a piece of her mind. Although she has lost her home - and been falsely accused of doing it – together with her precious L.P.’s – at last, finds herself. We first hear her sing snippets in her bedroom then we see her at the club. Most people know this show and may have seen the film so you have a fixed idea in your head. I think Amber did a great job and especially with La Vie en Rose. Well done.  You cannot help but feel a sense of comfort that the underdog comes out on top watching this show.

Thank you for the invite and hospitality from my guest Craig and I.

Liz Hume-Dawson

District 5 Rep

 

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