Thoroughly Modern Millie

My colleague and I were invited to represent Tessa Davies for TOPS latest production of the 1920's musical 'Thoroughly Modern Millie".  This is a show that we were familiar with, having staged it ourselves some years ago. We thus approached it with affection for the source material and an understanding of the particular challenges this surprisingly technical show can present.  We were therefore even more interested to see how TOPS would cope presenting this within the confines of the Thameside Theatre with no flying and minimal wing space.

From the overture we were gripped and noted what a strong orchestra Robert Miles had assembled for the show. Added to this they did not overpower the singers and were very well balanced [Well done to John Wallace on sound]  no mean feat when you place a 10 piece orchestra alongside the audience in a relatively small auditorium.

The open stage allowed us to see the scenery,  we loved the fact it was painted in shades of purple and pink, creating a visual motif that really tied all the scenery together.    Set was used sparingly and to great effect, it was great to see another company follow the 'less is more' approach instead of filling the stage with as many props and flats as they can.   It really allowed the cast and the costumes to shine, and also gave the impression of a much larger stage. The dreaded 'doors' which, I am sure, have caused many a director to tear their hair out did indeed suffer a few first night jitters!!   However the cast coped admirably, got to grips with them and we were sure that as the run progressed they would have become as slick as the rest of the scenery changes

The use of lighting was good, it was subtle and gave the costumes and scenery a really polished look, we also liked the way it was used to denote changes within scenes, such as Jimmy’s song moving from the confines of the prison cell and back again with such ease.

The team should be really pleased with the wardrobe they assembled.   The twenties outfits in the opening were lovely, we really liked the stenog’s outfits, especially the addition of the horn-rimmed glasses, a real twenties touch and perfect for this kind of tongue in cheek show.   The contrast between Miss Dorothy and the 'Moderns' was evident, whilst both still being suitable for the period.

So technically, well done!    But what of the performances?

It is hard to know quite where to start on this aspect of the show as, when we left the Theatre, our first comment was how strong every performer on the stage had been.  It is worth noting Tessa's comments, which adorned your flyer; "It is a joy to watch a company with so many strong singers and the entire ensemble all had their own characters which they maintained throughout the production" I totally agree with Tessa's assessment and apologise that I cannot mention everyone.

Victoria Purton nailed the title role, she gave us a Millie who was funny and vivacious yet vulnerable, you rooted for her throughout.  She has a great singing voice, and more importantly Victoria really performed her songs, adding in accents, mimicking other characters in parts. What's more she is a superb dancer and should be immensely proud of this role. The show is after all called 'Millie' so the success of a production can rest upon the shoulders of the actress chosen to tackle this lead. Victoria Purton was a very confident, very safe pair of hands for the role, and a real joy to watch.

We were bowled over by Matthew Capp's performance as Jimmy, capturing the streetwise attitude essential to Jimmy whilst still endearing the audience to him. His singing was impeccable, he got some good laughs and he really showed us just how talented a performer he can be.

Also of particular merit, were Josh Handley and Mathew Purton who provided a solid comic partnership as Ching Ho and Bun Foo, with flawless mandarin dialogue as well as great comic timing.   David Philips really captured the pomposity of Mr Graydon and provided really funny moments throughout the show.   Lisa Povey's wonderful take on the fearsome Miss Flannery and Angela Phillips, who's twinkle eyed Miss Dorothy was a great contrast to Millie, and produced some of the shows many highlights in her scenes with Mr Graydon.

Originally written for the show as something of a star vehicle, it would be very easy to overlook an average performance of the role of Muzzy Van Hossmere.  However Sue Cawley’s performance was anything but average, and she exuded a star presence clearly built from her years as a cabaret singer. The role was written for her, and she played it perfectly. When Muzzy was performing she owned the stage, great timing, good characterisation and a good relationship with the audience, really well done!

In closing, our congratulation to TOPS and particularly to Ann Sullivan, who has produced, directed and choreographed a great production. We loved the twenties charleston routines, the tap dances, the nuttycracker suite and in particular the ingenious staging of the window ledge scene. Again, there is too much to mention when all was of such a standard. It is clear Ann really put a lot of thought and care into this production and it really paid off. As we said at the start, we hold a great affection for this show, and TOPS did it proud! And in terms of how you coped with the restrictions of this particular stage, superbly! We hope you enjoyed the remainder of your run, and can take pride in a job well done!   

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