Thoroughly Modern Millie

Thoroughly Modern Millie, based on the 1967 film of the same name, tells the story of small-town Kansas girl Millie Dilmount, arriving in New York, anxious to marry for money rather than love – a thoroughly modern aim in 1922. Her life is complicated by checking in to a sleazy hotel at the centre of a white slavery ring and not realising she has fallen in love with the first man she bumped into.

Director Liz Marsh’s debut show with South Downe is a real breath of fresh air. Her very strong cast and the stark setting – a black stage, extended at the front, with just a few props and some extremely well chosen videos and images to set the scene – brings humour and new life into what I felt was rather a tired show the last time I saw it.

Helen Stoddart really shone as Millie Dilmount. Her obvious enthusiasm for the role, and her beautiful, pitch-perfect singing injected enormous energy into the show. She was instantly likeable and we all wanted her to find the man of her dreams. As that man, Jimmy Smith, Matt Gibbins was the perfect match for her: smooth, laid back, full of naïve charm and perfectly underplayed. This was Matt’s first lead role with South Downe and, I hope, the first of many – his smooth tenor voice was a joy to hear. Nick Williams made an excellent womanising boss, Trevor Graydon, completely oblivious to Millie’s interest in him. His duet with Millie, The Speed Test (to music by Sir Arthur Sullivan), was masterful. How they both managed to deliver the words so perfectly as they went faster and faster, I do not know!

The rest of the cast was equally well chosen. Becky Musgrave was spot-on as Millie’s bubbly blonde friend Dorothy Brown.  Emma Brown made a nicely sinister and scheming hotel owner, Mrs Meers, and Jane Pegler, as Muzzy Van Hosmere, was the perfect bon vivant – a beautiful singer and mover. Alan Jenkins and Gilly Williams were a great double-act as the Chinese servants, Ching Ho and Bun Foo – thankfully, their very realistic-sounding exchanges were translated for us on the screen. Emily Horner also impressed as Miss Flannery, the curmudgeonly head stenographer. She has a great comic touch and delivered the “canary” line perfectly.

Singing, by both principals and chorus, was excellent throughout and the band, under Alan Pring’s assured baton, complimented them nicely – never too loud, thanks to the hall’s excellent sound system. Positioning the band on one side of the auditorium probably helped, although they proved a little too loud for some people sitting on that side, who moved during the interval.

Liz Marsh’s choreography was inventive, with some nice touches (I particularly liked the way the typists all tapped their way on and off stage) and made good use of both levels on the stage. It was also executed extremely well by everyone and, combined with the fantastic, colourful costumes (a great credit to Wardrobe Mistress, Carole Gennings) and luxurious lighting, created a fantastic picture against the black background of the stage.

This was another triumph for South Downe Musical Society and a most fitting end to their sixtieth anniversary year. I wish themevery success for your next sixty years - with the standards they’ve set, I’m sure they will be rewarded richly.

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