Whistle Down The Wind

As the Proverbs say  “You reap what you Sow” and  “Hard work brings its own rewards”  If that is the case then Jarrow MTC certainly did with their showcasing of 'Whistle down the Wind.'

In writing this report I initially found it difficult to determine which superlative to use to adequately reflect and describe this show.  I finally decided that “STELLAR” best sums it up.  Without doubt that‘s what it was.

It is often the case that no show is perfect but before an audience that contained two representatives of the Really Useful Music Company, whose attendance was unannounced and not known by the Company, this came as close as one can get to that state.

When compiling a show report it is often easy to pick out some aspect or individual performance and focus on that. However in this performance it was that good of an all round show that to single out any individual above the others would be a disservice. From the Ensemble, Production Team, the Band, Front of House and Backstage staff, Principals and of course the children and their chaperones, coupled with wonderful sound and lighting, everyone played their part.

Having said all that however, nothing comes to fruition without the conceptual ideas of the Director and praise is not too high enough for Michelle and she deserves tremendous credit for bringing this show to life. She would of course admit that her efforts would be for nought without the wonderful back up she received from Musical Director Freda Carney whose interpretive use of the Score and fine Band brought that extra dimension.

There are 13 Principal Parts in the show of various sizes and every one of them delivered and stamped their own mark on the roles in fine style. However,  there were some standout performances from Ian Bianchi (The Man) who portrayed the role with both strength, power and vulnerability,  Shaunagh Kelly (Swallow) who has the voice of an angel,  Lia Challoner (Brat) and Sam J. Scott (Poor Baby) who are definitely stars of the future, Christopher Perry (Amos) whose strong and powerful vocals were a joy to listen to and Frances Wood (Candy) who showed a new dynamic side to her singing.

To paraphrase Dame Edna “I loved it all”

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