Trail on Pinafore

~~Crediton Operatic & Dramatic Society                            QE Academy Upper School Crediton            
                                                     “Trial on Pinafore “
 Director Mike Canning (Pinafore)                             Director Phil Ward (Trial by Jury)
                                           Choreographer Pam Swan                               October 30th 2014
What better way for C.O.D.S to celebrate their 50th Anniversary than picking up the tradition of the founding fathers of their society and performing G&S. One that traditionalists(and maybe their founders)would tear their hair out at, but C.O.D.S always like to do something a bit different and this production of” H.M.S. Pinafore” combined with ” Trial by Jury” was the sort of entertaining and clever production that  CODS  do so well in their own unique style.
As you entered the foyer you were immediately involved with the show without even realizing it!  As if you were boarding the Pinafore; you had your picture taken; there were crew members milling around and sea shanty’s being sung .this is what C.O.D.S are so good at doing; making the audience part of the whole experience and atmosphere BEFORE the show.
The cast were in identical tee-shirts, all marked Crew and the only way to tell who was chorus and who was a Principal (apart from when they began to sing) was in the wearing of a particular hat. So simple but very effective.
It is unusual for me not to mention each character separately but they all were so good, as were the chorus that they all shone in this production. All enthusiastic and obviously enjoying every minute.
The singing was first rate, the clever touches just made the whole thing flow, it was witty clever and inspired to have Sir Joseph in a wheel chair with a children’s steering wheel and hooter, (a device to enable an experienced actor to perform despite recent hip surgery) to have the judge’s wig made from a mop head and the bows of the Pinafore turned around to become a court room were all such wonderfully good touches that made you realise what thought had gone into this whole show.   The two musicians were so versatile they sounded like an orchestra! Margaret Chave did a splendid job as did Ian Crew who played so many different and unusual musical instruments I thought he may have come from the sea, having learnt his dexterity from a friendly octopus!
The Directors Mike Canning & Phil Ward have my heartiest congratulations for thinking outside the box. So much can be done with G&S these days that it can easily go over the top, but not in this production; it was pitched just right. To sum up “superb” (and very rare for me) faultless. An unforgettable evening of sheer pleasure. Again; well done C.O.D.S.
Graham Liverton NODA Rep

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