Mod, cool

Carnaby Street was the famous fashion street for '60s London and it was represented with a mock street sign on stage.  I was wondering about the other street sign, for Denmark Street.  I just looked it up and it turns out that it's famed for music and instruments and I actually remember visiting a bass shop there.  Small world!  The Queanbeyan Players presented Downtown! The mod musical at the Belconnen Community Theatre.   It had caught my attention months earlier for the great '60s female-sung songs that formed its core.  Downtown, of course, but others like You don't have to say you love me, Those were the days, To Sir with love, I know a place, Signs of the times, You're my world, James Bond theme, and perhaps two dozen others, not least several from Burt Bacharach, a personal songwriting hero.  The plot is five women friends and their experiences in love and the like in that era, linked with the song themes, eventually moving into the '70s and ultimately satisfied with their lives and memories.  Simple and satisfying and good natured with a fabulous sound track.  The five women appeared in colours, so Orange girl, Red, Blue, Green and Yellow.  They all read Shout magazine and variously asked advice from columnist Gwendoline Holmes, who mostly just appears as a voice over the PA.  There are 5 other women, "alternate colours", who appear on stage in black as dance accompanists and maybe cover for absences.  Yellow is an American over in London to chase Paul McCartney; Orange is married but with a cheating husband; Blue is gorgeous and wealthy and unhappy in life and love; Green is the goer; Red is young and hopeful but hopeless.  Their resolutions are stories of our times.  The instrumental music is provided by a band of drums/percussion and 2 keys.  I don't ever expect the supreme professionalism of pro-musicals but QP always do a great job and they did here.  I'd highlight some wonderful harmonies even if some high notes were a stretch at times.  Otherwise, the theatre of it was wonderfully effective.   I loved this show!  I must get to more musicals, but they are not all quite so pertinent to Megan and me.  As one cast member states at towards the end, this is the story of your wives or mothers or even grandmothers.  Too true.  BTW, this musical first appeared off-Broadway as Shout! The mod musical and is listed in Wikipedia under this title.

Downtown was presented by the Queanbayan Players at Belconnon Community Theatre.  At least this night, it featured Alaxandra McLaughlin (Orange), Kay Liddiard (Red), Emily Pogson (Blue), Hannah Lance (Green), Sarah Hull (Yellow) and Tina Meir (Gwendoline Holmes, voiceover).  Anita Davenport (director), Tara Davidson (musical director) and Laurenzy Chapman (choreographer) were backstage, and literally backstage were the band, Andre Le (keys 1), Adam Bluhm (Keys 2) and Jarrah Palenthorpe (drums, percussion).

Job well done

Job well done and lots of fun.  Thanks all.  I ended up playing 5 performances of the 10 session series.  Never perfect but always pretty OK.   Locked in the dark pit, just seeing the light for a final pic after the final performance.  And here it is.  With most of the orchestra present, but not all.  

The Queanbeyan Players presented Gilbert & Sullivan  HMS Pinafore at TheQ.  Matt Greenwood (musical director, yellow shirt) conducted the orchestra.

Bonnets

Life has made me cancel my musical commitments over November: jazz gigs and preparation and performance of a few classical outings.  So when I got the opportunity to fill in over 9 days of HMS Pinafore I was thrilled and jumped at it.  The timing was perfect and I love pit work even if I have no time otherwise to partake.  It's four sessions to relieve bassist Mel Fung under MD Matt Greenwood for Gilbert & Sullivan's well known operetta presented by the Queanbeyan Players at TheQ.  Too late for rehearsals so it's a sight reading job with a instructions and changes over the phone and before the first performance.  The last 20 minutes before the first performance were busy moments!  But it's not too hard and the music is often recognisable.  My main preparation was just to listen to the music while following the score.  So far, it's 2 down and 2 to go and getting to be more relaxed.  Perhaps the strangest thing is interval: characters in gaudy costume and wireless mics eating sweet treats and the musicians in black.  It's a world of its own and a blast.  Great fun and thanks to Helen for the contact and Matt for the opportunity.

Queanbeyan Players presented HMS Pinafore at TheQ.  Eric Pozza (bass) covered for four performances under Matt Greenwood (musical director).

Warring the sexes

How incorrect can you get? It's massively out of era, but I loved it. It was Guys and Dolls, the musical from 1950, performed by the Queanbeyan Players. Amateurs, perhaps, but with some seriously good singing, some decent dancing, a capable band, huge commitment and lots and lots of performers. It's not something you'll see with the profs these days because they can't pay for it and keep the ticket prices reasonable, but the amateurs can have 40 performers on stage, plus a band of 25 musicians, also on stage, and everyone's loving it. This was the final performance of the season, so the preparation was evident and the enjoyment was rife. And the music and book, all great. I'd listened to the sound track before and it didn't particularly click, but with the story and characters presented live, it all worked. G&D was released in 1950 and would have won the 1951 Pulitzer prize for drama but for writer Abe Burrows having troubles with the House Un-American Activities Committee and Columbia University vetoing the selection. In the end, there was no Pulitzer for Drama for that year. G&D is the story of Nathan Detroit, local Craps promoter, and his lover of 14-years, always soon-to-be-married, Miss Adelaide, bar singer. And in parallel, Sarah Brown, Broadway Salvation Army sergeant and her to-be beau, Sky Masterton, superior gambler. It's a story of its time with dark shades to feminism, but it's got essential truths amongst the period romanticism. The music is great; the characters and the story work. Perhaps except that it ends so suddenly and strangely unsatisfactorily, when Sky, in a totally unlikely, sudden and unexplained twist, joins the church. But there's a certain humanity here and that's important. I loved it. The players performed with gusto and plenty of serious capability. And it's not a lightweight outing: including interval, it lasted 3 hours. A fabulous outing that I'll remember. Just another example of the very capable and productive local non-professional theatre around here in Canberra.

Guys and Dolls was presented by the Queanbeyan Players at TheQ. Key performers were Kitty McGarry (Sarah Brown), Tina Robinson (Miss Adelaide), Steve Galenic (Sky Masterton) and Anthony Swadling (Nathan Detroit). The Production team included Jude Colquhoun (director) and Jenna Hinton (musical director).

The main pic is my photo of a publicity pic on show in the foyer. I guess that's kosher for copyright purposes.

Gentle truth telling

It's of a time but it tells truths. It's just a musical but an important one, one of the early ones that dealt with social issues, that had some complexity, not too B+W. It's nothing like our daily diet of political anger as it talks of race and mixed marriage and love and death and humour in the face of war. Not that there was so much war, at least then and there, in the South Pacific, in real life in Vanuatu looking out on Tanna, called here Bali Ha'I. The Americans are in the tropics; the central character nurse Nellie Forbush falls through love with local French plantation owner Emile de Beque; the local worldly-wise mother Bloody Mary pairs her daughter with Lieutenant Cable; Seaman Luther Billis is ever witty and on the take, the Navy's response to Bloody Mary. Mostly it's a quiet military life, waiting for action, entertaining each other, mingling, but the war intervenes. One of the lovers is lost, one finally commits to love, Japan's navy leaves the neighbouring island. If you're of a certain age, you've at least seen the film, remember the shower scene, can sing a few tunes. The tunes are great and memorable - this is Rodgers and Hammerstein, so from a great era of American music: Some enchanted evening, Bali Ha'I, Younger than springtime, I'm in love with a wonderful guy, even jingles like Dites moi or set numbers like Nothing like a dame. Simple but memorable melodies, innocent words. On the outside, all innocence; on the inside, dealing with real issues with the deceptive innocence verging on wisdom with a dose of sentiment. Characters may wrong others, or misunderstand them, or find they are at cultural odds, but it's done in good faith through honest weaknesses and they discover themselves in the process. It's a big call for a Broadway musical, but the great era of American musicals and film and music was a great era for a reason. South Pacific was performed here at TheQ by the Queanbeyan Players, with generous amateur cast and orchestra. One friend raved of the quality of the music, the memorable tunes; he was comparing to modern musicals of recurring leitmotifs and few numbers: I agree. Another friend saw misogyny in Nothing like a dame and more and it is out of our time and conversation, but I saw difference and attraction rather than demeaning. I was taken by Cockeyed optimist, a lesser known number, that spoke of being hopeful in the midst of WW2 which resonated, for me, with Obama's hope in a time of climate, environment, terrorism and the rest. And by the wry irony of one song (can't remember which) that argued that kids need to be educated early to see difference and know their tribes. I richly enjoyed the medleys that are overtures in these musicals; I was blown out by one particularly twisted instrumental reprise; I was amused by a walking clarinet (?) feature against one song. Suffice to say, South Pacific was great, we enjoyed it immensely, the Queanbeyan Players did it justice with good singing and believable acting and some decent dance numbers. Very worth doing and very well done.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific was performed by the Queanbeyan Players at TheQ. The actors included Ellen Scott (Nellie Forbush), Michael Moore (Emile de Becque), Anthony Simeonovic (Lt Cable), Tina Robinson (Bloody May) and Andrew McMillan (Luther Billis). The production team included Janet Tweedie (director), Jenna Hinton (musical director), Jenny Tabur (vocal director) and Belinda Hassall (choreographer).

Aussies can can

The Merry Widow of Bluegum Creek had me thinking of the difference between musicals and opera. I looked it up, and the distinctions were pretty indeterminate: opera is more centred on music, trained voices, traditional; musicals include more dance and acting and use popular musical styles and are always in the language of the audience. All pretty indefinite: I expect some operas were using popular music and stories and singing styles of their days. Given the popularity of the original Merry Widow (Vienna, 1905, as Die lustige Witwe), I expect the distinctions remain unclear. This take of the MW was performed by the Queanbeyan Players at TheQ with a recent Australianised libretto. It's 1901, Australia is just federated and the first Australian Embassy opens in Paris. The newly widowed wife of a mega-rich grazier/industrialist is expected. The PM has instructed that this widow must not marry a Frenchman because the wealth must stay in Australia. An old boyfriend of the widow works in the Embassy and likes the high life: bawdy bars, Maxim's, chorus girls and the like. I won't give away the rest of the story but it's light and fun and includes the can can. Louise Keast was Anna Gladstone, the widow, and she did a fabulous job, with an excellent soprano and some wide-eyed, playful acting. Likewise a string of others with some very impressive voices. It's a big operation, including a small orchestra in the pits and a big cast on stage (professional musicals are seldom so generous: they have to pay). There were various comedy parts (if rather droll) and they went down well. The chorus singing was very good. The feature singers were very impressive. I particularly liked Michelin and the Viscount and Danny and Lady Valerie. In one joke, Michelin knew all the backstreets and Anna offered to fund the publication of a guide when he wrote it. The embassy wives and staff were humourous (not least in a final can can dance); the two real dancers did a nice job; the orchestra too, accompanied and overtured with responsiveness and skill. The music is unchanged from the popular operetta original; just the story and characters and lyrics are changed. This was a fun night with a Aussie theme but opera voices. Well done all.

The Queanbeyan Players presented The Merry Widow of Bluegum Creek at TheQ. Key performers were Louise Keast (Ann Gladstone, the widow), Charles Hudson (ex-boyfriend Danny Macquarie), Robert Grice (Ambassador), Stephanie McAlister (Valerie, the Ambasssador's wife), Matt Greenwood (Michelin) and Kenneth Goodge (the Viscount). Key roles were Peter Smith (director and the Marquis of Cascada), Jennifer Groom (musical director) and Belinda Hassall (choreographer).

Out of a prior age

The Mikado is another visit for us to the Canberra/Queanbeyan musical theatre scene. As before, I'm most impressed. This time, I could hear all the players (I'm told everyone was miked) and there were some great performances if against a very bland backdrop. I'm not of the class of English-heritage baby-boomers who are nostalgic for D'Oyly Carte and it's very out of time these days, so it's not particularly a favourite of mine. The caricature of the Japanese might be thought distasteful these days and the plot sexist and the central act of beheading is too agonisingly current to even be questioned as tasteless. But they were different days and it shows. I asked about known songs before the show and Megan and Sally both remembered "three little girls from school are we / we come from a ladies' seminary", but the second act had a string of tunes even I recognised: The flowers that bloom in the spring and several others that I can't recall from titles in the program. Perhaps my favourite was a lovely vocal quartet called a madrigal, but in the program as Brightly dawns our wedding day. The four unaccompanied voices worked wonderfully together and the harmonies were clear and sweet. We enjoyed the song of list of local criminals (featuring a string of currently controversial names) and another sung by the Mikado himself about suitable punishments (including a mention of Andrew Barr for Light rail). You get the picture. Megan tells me rewording these songs is a tradition: another English public-school mannerism, I guess. The Ko-Ko (Lord High Executioner of Titipu) was played by Matt Greenwood and he stole the show for me, although there were very capable Mikados and Nanki-Poos and Yum-Yums and Pish-Tushs and Pooh-Bahs and various girls and men and ladies. But it's all very silly (which it's clearly supposed to be) and not really my thing. But then, I lack the relevant heritage. Once again, well done to the Queanbeyan Players.

The Mikado was presented by the Queanbeyan Players at TheQ theatre.

Inducted as Pit player

I am now inducted as a Pit Player after finishing my half of the season of Sound of Music. I'm bass, of course, sharing with Naomi Barber. We were one of about 25 players on any one night, playing the charts for this popular, touching, if sentimental work. It's not hard to read or play, but it is surprisingly effective. SoM is by Rodgers & Hammerstein, so by a well known name in the business. It's not without reason that it's popular. I've been humming the tunes for weeks now and it's one for the kids. The opening night got a good review from our local stalwart, Peter Wilkins, so most nights thereafter were sold out or close to. The pit is partly covered so some instruments (including bass and cello) were dulled. I could just play louder and I needed to as a single bass often playing pizz. I've seen the actors in rehearsal but I could see nothing from my corner of the pit, so, other than the nuns' habits, I have no idea of costumes. What are Maria's dresses like, the ones that caused such consternation for the Captain? And how daggy were those curtains? As for the grown up dance and kiss, I have no idea. [Maybe our mature PM of the grown up government could advise; but then being grown up is not a concern for adults, just for adolescents]. I could chuckle at some quips though, and it's surprising how much extra I caught after hearing the script about a dozen times. And there were some audience comments which were good natured and fun, but some things strangely missed, like the "poverty, obedience and ... chastity" line that found some laughs in rehearsals but not in the shows I played. Cheers to the orchestra and Jennifer Groom who was musical director, and also to a great cast, including two families of children. Maria was the obvious standout, strong in acting and singing. Not for nothing that Peter Wilkins wrote "[Veronica] Thwaites-Brown's performance is a triumph in a production that will move audiences to tears, evoke laughter and remind us that we can all climb mountains to follow our dream". But the cast throughout was impressive and energetic and the singing was good and sometimes surprisingly so. Judith Colquhoun as Mother Abbess could bring you to tears with her feature song, Climb Every Mountain, and the wedding march also tugged heartstrings. It's been considerable work, lots of fun and gives a feeling of achievement. Thanks to Jennifer and orchestra and cast and crew for a great run.

Sound of Music was presented by the Queanbeyan Players at TheQ. Jennifer Groom (musical director) led the orchestra.

Peter Wilkins' review from Canberra Times