Whistle Down The Wind

The iconic film Whistle down the Wind from 1961 has become somewhat of a classic and it is doubtful that the musical of the same name will go down in history in the same way. However CLOC set about presenting the musical version of Whistle down the Wind with their usual efficient and effective approach. Having seen the musical several times, both amateur and professional, this was by far my most enjoyable production so far. The tempo of the music and slick dialogue coupled with clever scenery allowed the show to move smoothly and seamlessly with excellent pace. The whole show revolved around ‘Swallow’ and ‘The Mans’ relationship... from ‘Swallow’s’ innocent belief that ‘The Man’ is Jesus Christ, to a deeper and much more disturbing connection. This relationship was beautifully portrayed; their emotion grew and was tangible throughout the theatre. Coupled with the arresting melodies of Andrew Lloyd Webber this production took the audience and held it spellbound within the expertly created time frame of 1959 and its associated beliefs and bigotry.  

Scene 7 was the only scene where quality and realism slumped, this scene could easily be cut as it seemed like a filler to make the show longer; it added little to the story. (I fully understand you cannot just cut scenes without permission, and the loss of this scene would have made a fairly short show even shorter)

The quality of the performances from everyone was very high. The chorus attacked the very difficult score with enthusiasm and musical skill... well done MD. All the principals were very good and rightly deserve great praise for their interpretation of the characters and their vocal talents. ‘Swallow and The Man’ deserve a special mention, they were outstanding! The children were a sheer delight... talented, confident, well rehearsed; very well done. The standing ovation testified as to the audience’s enjoyment and pleasure.

The finale of the show was very powerful.... the barn fire was expertly portrayed, quite believable and shocking. Congratulations to the set designer, the lighting and effects were excellent in this scene, quite outstanding.

Congratulations to the company for their talent and skill in presenting a very enjoyable evening and congratulations to the production team for having the vision to present this modern musical, (one that can easily become overly dramatic and schmaltzy) in a clever, stimulating and well balanced manner; very well done.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.