The musical was not seen for decades, as the original scores went missing during Bart’s ‘unsettled’ years. In this period, he sold the rights to ‘Oliver’ for $200 to Max Bygraves, in order to get money for booze. A 19-year-old Australian fan, Andrew Jarrett, restored the show.

This two and a half hour, energetic and lively musical is being presented at the Limelight Theatre, in Wanneroo at 8.00 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until 10^th December.

Alan Brock’s elaborate sets, included the Bank Underground, Victoria Station, Petticoat Lane, and a London street on fire during an air raid. Alan Brock and Dave Browning built the sets. The magnificent scenic artist was Ursula Kotara.

The sets were cleverly designed to rotate to produce a new location, but it was the extras like the ruins after a bomb had dropped – and a special effect in the last few seconds – that really gave depth and realism to the show. The stage crew of Deb Anderson, Maddie Innes, Helen Smolders, Zak Ozolins and Jen Edwards worked quickly and silently.

The highly realistic lighting design was by Robert Benson Parry and Jacob Anderson, with the operators being Wally Fry and Jacob Anderson. The lights flickered as the bombers flew over, and the red glow was threatening. To the number ‘As long as this is England’ the lights oscillated red, white and blue as the Union Jacks were waved.

The most convincing and multifaceted soundscape was designed and produced by Patrick McGinn and Kim Elford. With a sensible use of the smoke machine, the technicians gave us a true day in the Blitz.

This complex production with a cast of ‘thousands’ was co-ordinator by Ros Guye.

The orchestra was positioned in front of the stage, but in a ‘below the ground’ pit. Thanks to the multi-talented Musical Director, conductor and on keyboard, Lyn Brown, the sound balance was perfect and you could even pick out individual instruments. The orchestra musicians were Violins – David Maconochie, Pam and Henri Pougnault, Jeanne Vernon and Tamara Scott. Cello – Russell Vernon, Bass – Roger Tuffley, Reeds – David Lawrence, Miriam Wholer, Chelsea Kittler and Bronwyn Booth. Brass section – David Lawrence and Sandra McKenna with Terry Murphy on drums. Great accompaniment.

     The scene is the platform of Bank Underground station, where the residents of Petticoat Lane are sheltering. They are singing along with Vera Lynn on the radio. The widowed, pickled herring seller, patriarchal Mrs Blitztein (Susan Vincent – outstanding) then sings to the people who are lying on the platform, avoiding the bombs outside. Her Yiddish accent and singing are abused and insulted by fruiterer, Alfred Locke (Alan Markham).

     Alfred’s son, Georgie (Oliver Bourne) is in love with Mrs Blitztein’s daughter, Carol (Catherine Dunn), and her son Harry Blitztein (Adrian Price) seems to have rejected his usual girlfriend, lodger Elsie (Tania Morrow) preferring a married Shiksa (a disparaging Yiddish term for a non-Jewish woman) posh Joyce Matthews (Libby Cooper) whose husband is fighting overseas.

     The bombings are becoming worse, and so with suitcases in hand, the schoolchildren are led by their teacher (Elinor King) to Victoria station for evacuation in the country. Next to leave are the army reserves, supervised by the Sergeant Major (Glenn Rowan), who are heading for the docks and the Front.

     Ever pessimistic Ernie (Tim Riessen), Alf’s best friend and fellow air raid warden, announces the damage so far. Mrs Blitztein’s best friends, shopping bag maker, Mrs Joseph (Kerry Goode) and her husband, baker Mr Joseph (David Nelson) are desperately trying to get a few shillings by selling their wares. Rachel (Colleen Hopkins) and Cissy Blitztein (Colleen Hopkins) are well-loved in the market and help the stallholders.

   The ‘Queen of Petticoat Lane’, Mrs B. has taken in Mr Sen (RJ Smolders) and his wife (Karen Thompson) as lodgers, because they have lost their home to a bomb. Mrs Murphy (Gwen Browning) and daughter Peg (Lauren Hulatt) go to live with Alfred’s family. The other folks in this close community are Mr and Mrs O’Hara (Tom Kinshela, Jayne Triffitt), Mrs Smith (Joan Braskie), Mrs Jones (Carol Keppler) and Mrs Higgins (Hope Baylis).

     We soon find that Harry has not boarded the troop ship, and is actually AWOL. He met an old friend, Bird (Andrew Brown) and has become a spiv.

     Playing several parts were Taneeka Hall, Dave Browning, Brad Beckett, Jacinta Buckland and Gabrielle Bright.

‘The Kids’ troupe comprising Brandon Orgill, Zackary Gosatti, Lucie Lockyer, Grace Elford, Arion Marama, Katie Moloney, Faye Whitwell, Indianna Rowan, Daniel Grant, Jenna McGougan-Shaw, Lilly Varley, Georgie Lockyer, Joe Neil and Jacob Miles was the best set of young singers and dancers that I have seen in years. Every single member was perfectly in step, even throughout the complex routines, everyone smiled; and when acting was required, the expressions and body language were that of an experienced adult. Fabulous work from every single ‘kid’. Superb stage awareness and wonderful teamwork.

The director and choreographers, Jen Edwards and Alan Brock, even in quiet scenes such as the homeless sleeping on the platform, ensured that there were various groups doing different antics. The stage was alive. The intricate dances with the lively foot work, was jaw dropping at times.

The demand upon the costumes department was huge. With the show being based 80 years ago, the dresses had to be researched, and then made with the styles and patterns of the day. There were soldiers and police uniforms – all tricky to source. The children’s clothing and their board suitcases added to the nightmare. However, Joyce Gilbert, Kim Elford, Kerry Wood, Elinor King, Meg Considine, Marion James, Shelley McGinn and Pearl Jensen have done a mammoth task, to bring such quality to the stage. There were a few unusual props supplied by Susie Benson-Parry and Carryn McLean.

The blitz was obviously a depressing time, but this cast clearly demonstrated the greatest message of the day – love and support your neighbour through hard times.

This was a very expensive show to present (a massive licence fee), with numerous sets and a huge cast, but thank you for taking the risk and giving us a rarely presented musical. A wonderful, light-hearted fun show, crammed with several great singers and catchy tunes. Every scene was a visual feast. Dare I mention that some of the dancers were a little more mature than usual, and yet they had all of the drive and vivacity of youth in every step? The mass entrances and exits ‘just happened’ with no obvious crowding, such polished planning.

This production had to show tragedy, happiness, antisemitism, the darker side of a blitz, as well as find a cast that could tirelessly sing and dance. Everything worked a good, solid success.

The two-and-a-half-hour shows, with an updated script, are being performed by The Garrick Theatre Company, and can be seen at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8.00 pm, until 13^th August. The Sunday matinées are on 31^st July and 7^th August at 2.00 pm.

The set is the oak panelled lounge of the Monument House Hotel in Norfolk. The hotel is under renovation and is soon to re-open as a Health Farm.

On one wall there is a set of patio doors, at the back a massive Gothic-style, Jacobean wooden fireplace, and to the right a door leading to the main passageway and kitchen. There are two settees and a couple of armchairs. In a house like this there had to be a palm in a pot standing on a whatnot. This most impressive set was created with a great deal of hard work, by Keith and Heather Abbott. The oil painting of the matriarch was by Carol Koppler. Wendy Goodwin and her backstage crew of Marion West and Karl Cechner had plenty to keep them occupied.

       It is a foggy night in February. In Monument House, the family home of the Tombs since 1784, are two of the remaining descendants of the Borgias, quaint Aunt Hecuba (Kerry Goode) and her warped, teenage niece, Drusilla (Hayley Derwort). They are discussing the good old days, and the various guest who have died in their mansion.

      There is a loud knocking on the front door, and local businessman, Sir Beverley (Keith Abbott) bursts in. He is furious that a large financial agreement with a Tomb relative had not been carried out, and he is now in big trouble.

      Just as things are getting really nasty, a famous writer, Philippa Collins (Sarah House) who is fed up with driving in the dense fog, arrives with her dippy secretary, Daphne (Heather Abbott) looking for a room. They are convinced they were being followed by another car. Feeling the cold, Sir Beverley’s driver, Anthony (Morgan Hyde) comes into the house for a warm drink, bringing with him a tall stranger he noticed wandering around outside.

      This unusual guest turned out to be a TV presenter, Quentin Danesworth (Graham Miles) who seems to know a great deal, perhaps too much, about the house’s history. As he is talking to Hecuba’s friend, Cecily, from the village (Jenny Trestrail), a honeymoon couple arrive. The husband is fawning Robert (Richard Hadler) and his bimbo wife, with bouncing attributes, Miranda (Kylie Calwell) who is also a TV personality.

      With so many undesirable visitors, the name and reputation of the Borgias must be maintained.

Geoff Holt’s lighting and sound design captured the mood of the spooky venue perfectly; and the lighting and sound effects, that required split second timing, were carried out impeccably by Sandra Cechner.

The esteemed director, Lynne Devenish, was generous enough to take on two or three actors who had little or no experience, or had been off the stage for a few years. It always adds extra work, but the whole cast drew together immaculately, giving us a flawless who-dun-it that totally fooled me. However, with their superb stage presence, Kerry Goode and her play nemesis, Keith Abbott were exceptional.

The final curtain call gave a new meaning to ‘curtains for all’ or ‘the actor died on stage’.

A well-presented play, that takes a little bit of concentration, but the very varied and unusual characters brightened up the whole drama. Along with a few directorial innuendos, this comedy gave us numerous laughs. You will die laughing.

This very well produced, fast moving, two and a half hour drama from the Garrick Theatre Company, can be seen at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford at 8.00 pm nightly until 23^rd April. Sunday matinee is at 2.00 pm.

The season is almost sold out, booking essential.

The setting is August 1930 on Soldier Island, off the coast of Devon. The scene is a luxurious, massive sitting room (I did not know that the Garrick stage went back that far), with sliding doors leading to a rear patio overlooking the Bristol Channel – which actually rippled (clever art effect by Carol Keppler). This superb set was built by Robert Vincent, Clayton Reichert and the tasteful décor added with the skilful aid of Susan Vincent and Carol Keppler.

On the mantelpiece of the log fire are ten wooden toy soldiers, dressed in regimental scarlet jackets and busbies (made by Narelle Borbely). The sumptuous room décor carries through the soldiers’ theme of black, scarlet and white.

Smooth stage management from Colleen Bradford and Jenna McGoughan-Shaw.

        The play opens as the overbearing butler, Rogers (Graham Miles), and his pale, nervous wife, Ethel the cook (Colleen Bradford) are checking the food supplies for a private gathering. The couple were hired by Mr and Mrs Owen, a couple of weeks earlier, to clean and prepare the newly purchased, remote island house and to look after the guests.

       As there is no ferry to the island, a local fisherman, Fred Marracot (Tom Goode) transports any guests and domestic requirements to the house. Today, on his first voyage, he has brought a young schoolmistress, Vera Claythorne (Fiona Forster) and a couple of men. The first is flirtatious Phillip Lombard (Alan Shaw) a cruel mercenary, military officer who has just returned from Africa; he is accompanied by a reckless, self-centred young student, Anthony Marston (Ben Lowther).

       On his second crossing, Fred has ferries the mysterious South African, William Davis (Alan Morris), the semi-senile, war hero General MacKenzie (Les Lee) and the religious zealot, the elderly prim, Emily Brent (Kerry Goode). The last two guests to arrive are a heartless, retired judge, Sir Lawrence Wargrave (John Gwilym) and an alcoholic Harley Street medic, Dr Armstrong (Robert Vincent).

      Rogers announces that the hosts have been delayed and won’t be arriving until the following day, but that the guests should all make themselves at home in the meanwhile. However, when a cryptic recording is played to the gathering, it seems that they all have sordid pasts and because of that, each one may well die over the next 24 hours.

I must have seen this play half a dozen times over the years, but there are so many red herrings that I still have trouble recalling the killer.

Fantastic director, Susan Vincent has selected a terrific cast, who are each perfect for the rich characters that they depict. There is a good pace to the story, with the chemistry between all of the personalities being both delightful and threatening. You can watch every actor for that slight flicker of a hint as to who the killer is – without success. Top rate performances. There are numerous little details inserted by the director that make the mystery just that little bit more intricate and baffling.

The mood lighting design and powerful soundscape are the hard work of Geoff Holt. He must have had his shoes and socks off, as at times he would have required several hands to create the perfectly synchronised, dramatic and demanding, sound and lighting effects.

I thought the only person left on stage must be the guilty person – the lass working the curtains!

Audiences love a good thriller, and this is one of the VERY best, both by the playwright and this clever Garrick team bringing you terrific suspense.

This Kalamunda Dramatic Society’s two and a half hour performance starts at 8.00 pm at the Kalamunda Theatre, Barber Street, Kalamunda – be warned the car park has disappeared, being replaced by a tasteless concrete monolith. This Sandra Sando production can be seen on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings until 5^th December.

The time is early October 1993, the one hundred and eightieth anniversary of Verdi’s birth. The scene is a sitting room / music room in Beecham House, a retirement home set up for elderly, famous musicians and singers by Sir Thomas Beecham.

The carpeted room has pale green and peach walls. With a fine collection of props (Jason Millman), it looks the genuine article. There are posters of famous classical concerts on the walls. The furniture comprises a writing desk and a solid oak sideboard, with several comfortable chairs and a settee. Various musical instruments are lying around.

The apron of the stage represents a paved veranda garden outside the music room’s French doors. Set design Rose Weighell and Jan Taylor.

The lighting design was quite simple, but operated smoothly by Stephen Marr and James Glasson. Julie Hickling and Alexis Marr’s sound design was clever with subtle low-level bird sounds from the auditorium speakers – placing the audience in the garden.

      Three aging members of a world famous operatic quartet have fallen on hard times and, thanks to charity support, now live at Beecham House.

      Despondent baritone, Reg (Kim Taylor) sits fuming at Matron’s (Lesley Broughton) control on his eating habits – especially breakfast. He consoles himself by silently doing a jigsaw. Across the room, dippy but loveable soprano, Cissy (Kerry Goode) – who was a bit of a girl in her time – sits with her eyes closed, listening to her CD player unaware that the wickedly funny larrikin, Wilf (Douglas Sutherland-Bruce) lusts after her body. In fact, the tenor of the group, Wilf hungers after every woman. However, Cissy much prefers lithe young men like Nobby (Jason Millman) the gardener. Wilf seems to receive most affection and attention from Bobby Swanson (Les Marshall), still struggling after 60 years to come out of the closet.

     Cissy returns from a wander around the home, searching for the latest gossip. She has just learnt that there is a new inmate in the house, non-other than the fourth member of their quartet, feisty Jean (Anita Bound). Jean was the contralto star of their group, but she is now a broken and miserable woman.

     Cissy’s surprise news brings mixed feelings to the group, Wilf is happy but Reg is horrified, because Jean was his only wife and love. 50 years later, he still has trouble coping with their breakup. Perhaps if they join in the retirement home’s celebration, by reforming their quartet and singing together, their ‘good old days’ may return.

As the promotional material said, ‘this is a script that could be an inert embarrassment if performed by less accomplished players’, how very true. The script demands, humour, tragedy, sadness, even a little lust – and so the list goes on – but with the magnificent cast breathing life into every second, the play comes alive. You don’t have to be old to appreciate the predicament of the inmates. Lonely and frustrated they fight in their own way with their aging bodies, whilst determined to have fun and attempt to regain their much admired youth.

The director is Terry Hackett, one of WA’s most competent leaders; she has been recognised numerous times in the Finley Awards. Terry has chosen an outstanding cast, whose names also appear frequently in the nomination and winners’ section of the awards.

KADS is a small theatre, around 70 seats, but Terry has employed every inch of the stage and turned the auditorium into ‘a busy garden’, this made the whole action much more exciting. Clever skilling.

Poor Douglas lost a very good friend on the morning of the show, but like the true trouper that he was on the stage, with a performance that was both hilarious and flawless. His heartfelt delivery of the foibles of old age had many audience members nodding sympathetically.

Kerry Goode was given the bubbly, excitable part of Cissy. One minute, as the Alzheimer’s took over, she was hugging her friends on their arrival home, when most had not even left the room; then totally confused, she would fall asleep, drugged, in the chair. Kerry excelled in the last scene.

Anita Bound had a complex part, upset at the quartet’s proposed reunion, whilst optimistically trying in her stubborn way to unite with her ex-husband. Anita had passages of fast moving dialogue, and next she would be struggling with her aging body, trying in her mind to find some logic. A very moving performance, with a superb final act.

Kim Taylor, as the shunned husband, had hilarious, well-timed, wild outbursts – mainly at Matron – and yet still he manged to show his deep love for his long lost wife. In one scene Kim had to give a bold and assured monologue, before crumbling back to his usual withdrawn state.

This stage play seemed far funnier and possibly bawdier than the film, whether the scripts were different or was it the enormous skills of the director and her outstanding cast? The pace, chemistry, comedy delivery and sad passages were all performed with colossal skill.

I suspect there will be even more Finley Award nominations from this production.

‘Armistice Day’ poignantly written by Noel O’Neill and powerfully directed by Valerie Dragojevic.

The scene is a down-market pub around 1950, with a bar and hardwood chairs and tables.

     The barman, Blackie (Rex Gray) announces ‘time’, but the two ex-servicemen have no thoughts of going home. They are waiting for their friend Davey (Phil Barnett), after all this is their annual get together to reminisce on their war years.

     As he sinks another whisky, Mick (David Partridge) recalls having his toes blown off, but for poor young, trembling Tommo (Travis McCurry) things are much worse, he has still not overcome his shellshock. When Davey arrives, with fury in his eyes, the conversation turns to an event that happened in the last few days of the war.

     Can their comradery be strong enough to get them through their psychological problems?

For those old enough to remember returning servicemen – from any war – we know their silence, the secrecy as to what actually happened, their character changes and often the inability to see the lighter side of life; Noel has once again hit the nail on the head, he has written a super script, with a huge depth to the four, perfectly conceived characters. Director Valerie has taken the cast, given them courage and guidance to enact the tremendous emotion and tension demanded. The performances were all outstanding, but a special mention must be given of Travis and Phil’s depiction of the suffering vets. A stunning play.

‘The Tip of the Spear’ is richly written monologue from the pen of James Forte. It is based on an actual army Glider Regiment’s mission in June 1944. It has been described as the most daring and clever piece of flying in the whole of World War ll as carried out by Staff-Sergeant Jim Wallwork, who died only a couple of years ago, aged 93.

The star of the play, Ray Egan, directs himself.

The scene is a local bar, just after a Veterans’ parade.

     An ex-army serviceman in a smart suit, proudly wearing his red service beret, and with a beer in hand, takes a seat at a pub table. With a wistful look on his face, he starts to relate the amazing story of his night mission to destroy Pegasus Bridge.

Ray is an extraordinary actor. Famous for his madcap ‘Dinner for One’; he now turns on the pathos, as with tears in his eyes, he recalled the ghastly happenings of that astonishing night. A magical performance.

‘Dolls from the Sky’ is a cleverly structured play, written from the heart by local playwright, Yvette Wall. It is then brought to life by director Mary Wolfla.

It is Australia in 1948; the scene is a comfortable sittingroom, with a three piece suite and coffee tables.

     Anna (Natalie Aung Than) is a widowed Polish emigrant, who has been the housekeeper – ‘and nothing more’ – for an ex-soldier, Tom Johnson (Andrew Watson), who each night, is still reliving his war memories.

     To help her mental state, Anna has asked the local priest if she can help clean the church each week. Snobbish, Miss Betty Brown (Kerry Goode) a ghastly bigot, is in charge of the roster and is sent around, with her assistant Margaret (Yvette Wall) to talk to Anna. Prudish Miss Brown detests this foreigner being on Australian soil; but Margaret, also a war widow, seems to have formed a bond with Anna.

     Will the friendship take an unexpected turn?

Yvette has written a deeply moving script. A tale that starts with the rich characters making the audience laugh and yet cringe at the same time. Award winning Kerry played an extremist, the type that were still commonly around even a few years ago. Then the mood changed to tragic drama, with this dynamic cast firing perfectly on all cylinders.

Magnificent performances that made you gasp at the tension within the house, and what a broken heart can do to a person. Luckily, we still had a few tissues left from the first play.

Often with short play productions, there is one good play with the other one or two sadly there to give a local author a chance to try out their first – sometimes, very average – play. On this occasion we had three, truly outstanding pieces of writing, cleverly directed and presented by three hugely talented casts. Not a weak link to be seen.

The middle play, is at the Old Mill for two nights only, before it moves over to the other side of the suburbs, Marloo on Greenmount Hill, where it will play for a couple of nights there.

You do not have many opportunities to see these plays, but cancel everything else to see them. An amazing night of theatre.

The first Act is an Old Time Music Hall, and after the interval – with its free, delicious and substantial refreshment (Lyn Devenish), there was a moving and hilarious melodrama, perfectly delivered tongue-in-cheek; eminent Guildford lad, Bernard Doyle, penned this cheerful piece.

This 130-minute, fast moving and topical production can be seen every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 8.00 in the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford. Season runs until 25^th April.

The foyer has a splendid display of war postcards (Tom Goode, Terry Brown), the cast photos are quaint and there is a thoughtful tribute to the brave folk of Guildford, who lost their lives that we might live.

The whole theatre is strewn with bunting; flags of the commonwealth are everywhere (Robert Vincent). There is a magnificent series of sepia photos projected onto the cyc at the rear of the stage (Michael Bradford). The props are moved on and off the stage by a couple of army privates (stage managers Wendy Goodwin, Marion West). Tania Tehane’s superb costumes included evening dresses, basques and various army uniforms including nurses and that of a German Hun officer.

Geoff Holt’s lighting and sound were top notch.

      The Music Hall Chairman introduced us to some of the soldiers about to sail from Albany. There was young, innocent Bertie (Ben Anderson) leaving his woop woop home, and we see Willoughby (Tim Sadleir) as he sings to his fiancée, Blossom (Colleen Bradford).

      Soft-shoe nightclub dancer, Maisie (Colleen Hopkins) shows a new, young dancer, Merle (Jenna McGoughan-Shaw – great stage presence) how to please the punters. Outside the Club, pouting their wares, stand three of the world’s oldest profession. The sexily dressed, but aging girls, Sybil and Nellie (Susan Vincent, Kerry Goode) were hilarious as they struggled to entice the attentions of passing men. Is Miss Percia (Fiona Forster) the young innocent woman that she seems?

       Louisa (Barbara Brown) sits in her sitting room reading her latest letter from her only son, now on his way to Gallipoli, when Estella (Ellie Bawden) brings in the latest postal delivery.

 

      Private Ernest Birch (Alan Shaw) became the storyteller for the Second Act melodrama.

Directors Susan Vincent and Kerry Goode have done a magnificent job in creating the atmosphere of a heart breaking send off, the letters arriving home and a joyous homecoming. Probably all of the cast were born after World War ll, a couple of the younger members may not have heard of any of the songs nor even seen a Music Hall before the rehearsals, and yet they joined the rest of the cast in capturing the atmosphere. The whole troupe worked as one throwing all of their energies into the presentation.

There were a couple of teary poignant moments in the programme, but with Alan Morris as Chairman, the belly laughs poured forth. The live musical accompaniment from musical director Lyn Brown and her quartet of Miriam Wholer (woodwind), Robert Usaraga (guitar) and Terry Murphy (drums) all played at a sensible level to enhance – and not rule – the melodious singing.

How often have we seen a theatre chorus where half the ‘singers’ silently mime badly? Here, the whole cast sang powerfully, in tune and presented with plenty of lively choreography and movement. A magnificent cast, who really understood the confused atmosphere of the day.

I went to the theatre expecting a heavy, possibly depressing documentary; however, this spectacular was one of the most up lifting in years. The saddest thing about the show was that I knew most of the words to the wartime songs.

To have a warm welcome and a really good night out, go to the Garrick soon!

nty of lively choreography and movement. A magnificent cast, who really understood the confused atmosphere of the day. I went to the theatre expecting a heavy, possibly depressing documentary; however, this spectacular was one of the most up lifting in years. The saddest thing about the show was that I knew most of the words to the wartime songs. To have a warm welcome and a really good night out, go to the Garrick soon!