White Christmas

What an enjoyable evening of nostalgia was appreciated by the nearly ‘sold-out’ audience, great singing afterwards on journey home.

An excellent band as usual under Jo Kemp, and we hummed along from the first moment of the overture and all those very familiar melodies, what a joy of nostalgia.

An inspired decision to spend all that money on the ETS video screen and project the sets, no space in wings, who cares, and no time wasted in a fast show with scene changes, definitely a good idea for small and awkward stages. Well done to Ben to find authentic pictures for the graphics when possible (army camp, nightclub, hotel), add in barn and Christmas scenes, and how good it looked. Also those costumes so colourful and the many changes, a feast for the eye.

Remembering Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in the film, certainly Ben Francis as Bob Wallace and Alex Chidichimo as Phil Davis did brilliantly in their song and dance routines and the re-enactment of those roles, very smooth in style and vocals, slick in movement, and as a duo performance could not be faulted.  And opposite them as the two girls, Lucy Ferris as Betty and Maria Cutting as Judy, the Haynes sisters, great vocals from these two and interaction, dance routines and whole style so smooth, and how well this foursome worked with great empathy and period. And in the funny character role, Paula Graver was in her element as Martha Watson, the hotel manager, with her huge voice, that great sense of timing and comedy, what a treat to watch her. And this group of performers showed the experience and long-term talent on the FADLOS stage, and how well balanced this show could be.

In lesser roles Michael Silvester as General Waverly gave some dignitas to the performance and a rational for the whole enterprise. Susan played by Olivia Cunningham complimented the action with a fresh approach and reaction to all, nice voice. Stand-in for illness, Michael Stoker did not show how little rehearsal time given; and loved the awkward Ezekiel from Peter Blakeley.

The chorus well drilled, good numbers both vocally and in movement, full of energy and life needed for this musical, and looked good in those costumes. Altogether a very happy feel production and worthy of your good houses, loved it.

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