Trial by Jury and H.M.S. Pinafore

First impressions count a lot and the first scene of this production was no exception. We were greeted with a lovely opening number which set the tone for an excellent evening, For technical reasons we began with H.M.S. Pinafore and not Trial By Jury as is the norm. The gentlemen of the chorus ( a motley crew) got the show under way with a rousing rendition of “We Sail the Ocean Blue”. These supporting actors rarely get mentioned but in both Pinafore and Trial they were a delight, singing “strong and true” and bringing out all the little characters, something sadly missing in many productions. Rob Feeley as Sir Joseph Porter and The Learned Judge was outstanding; Gilbert and Sullivan would have surely approved of his interpretation of both characters. We looked forward to his every entrance. Sally Shaw as Josephine looked beautiful and appeared very comfortable in the role. Lynne Nolan as Buttercup gave an interesting slant to the part and her strong personality was very evident. The male principals were very strong in both Pinafore and Trial. I feel the roles of Captain Corcoran, Chris Hall and Ralph Rackstraw, Peter Crichton, should have been reversed to create a better effect. Martin Cassell as Dick Deadeye and Usher had a lovely rich voice. The scenery and costumes were first class and helped to make a very enjoyable evening. Di Prutton, Director must be very satisfied with her first production for this society. Special mention must be made of the ladies and gentlemen of the orchestra. Under the Direction of Debbie Smith, they created just the right balance, never too loud at any stage. Congratulations on an evening to remember.

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