Viva Mexico

Although not often staged, this show has an interesting plot, a huge variety of characters and some good musical numbers such as The Mexican Hat Dance, La Curaracha, The Clapping Song and the Ritual of the Rising Sun. It was clearly popular with the society in rehearsal and a good choice for the production team.  Anne Hainey played a convincing Mama Inez, owner of El Rancho Grande, keeping in check her wayward (and bandit) son Ramon (Tommy Campbell).  Alistair Dempster played the arch-revolutionary Mendoza, somewhat let down by Ramon and his Handymen (or rather Handypersons), the incorrigible and hopeless Pablo (played by Ann Black) and Pepe (Dale Parker). Their antics with the stolen luggage revealed their prowess as budding comics. Philip Doole brought some status and normality into the action as Senator Vanders with Lyndsay Cook as his charming daughter Lucille. The only problem was that Lucille recognizes Ramon as Zoro, the bandit – but fortunately, keeps that knowledge to herself. Creeping around all the time was the villainous but incompetent Lopez, Chief of Police, interestingly portrayed by Joe Smith, his Sergeant Bernardo (Matt McCreadie) being no better as a sleuth. Sarah Hainey played Raquelita, the attractive fiancée of Ramon, supported by her friends Lola (Skye Galloway) and Casilda (Hazel Fleming). The highlight of the show is, of course, the scene in Act 2 on the site of the Aztec Temple and Ruth Douglas gave a memorable portrayal of the Priestess and fine rendering of her solo number. Originally adapted for the amateur stage in three Acts, I was pleased to see that CAMPS chose to present the show in two Acts which did not detract at all from the latter numbers in the score. An eleven piece orchestra under the baton of MD Robert Lowe made the most of the music to round off a fine evening’s entertainment.
 

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