Thoroughly Modern Millie

LAMP is the first society in this district to perform this entertaining show of a girl from the sticks determined to marry a wealthy employer. While in this pursuit, she uncovers the kidnapping of orphan girls and eventually finds love but not where she sought it.  I was delighted to see Amanda-Louise Clark combining seamlessly the onerous task of choreographing the show and performing the lead role of Millie. She threw herself into the role, singing, dancing and taking the show by the storm in three solo numbers – and that was only Scene 1. She was well matched against Graeme Scott as Jimmy Smith whose numbers ‘What Do I Need with Love’ and ‘Millie’ showed the versatility of his voice. Cameron Leask in portraying the role of hardnosed employer Trevor Graydon III found a repository for his talents while Siobhan Smith brought grace and sincerity to the role of Miss Dorothy. Much of the humour in the show came from the comic duo Ching Ho and Bun Foo played by Sandy Queenan and Les Fulton who engaged the audience with their antics and who did well to learn all the Chinese. A peach of a part is the evil Mrs Meers which was performed with panache, black humour and guile by Carol Fraser. Minor principals Fiona Deighton made the most out of the cameo role of Miss Flannery, Sheila Rodgers successfully sang as Muzzy while Daphne, Millie’s girlfriends and male stalwarts Dexter and Gershwin struck the right notes. The musical score is challenging but the cast grasped it. The chorus sang, moved and acted with confidence. Scene changes were handled unobtrusively and the typing pool furniture used imaginatively. Finally the costumes gave a firm 1920’s feel to the whole production, which despite having only one hit song, will be remembered as a really fun show to do. Congratulations on a grand production.     

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