Newsletter November 2006

HONK... if you loved it! - An audience review

The much-acclaimed BROS TC presented the award-winning musical Honk last week at the Arthur Cottrell Theatre in Kingston. Winner of the Olivier award in 2000, this is an updated version of the Ugly Duckling story with catchy tunes, poultry puns and much humour and pathos, and provided the audience with an evening of sheer enjoyment from start to finish.

The characters were all well defined, from Ugly the large duckling who could only honk instead of quack, (a charming performance which gave Andy Clarke plenty of opportunity to exploit his fine singing voice) to the small duckling family, the interfering neighbourhood Hen, the fine "self-basting, self-boasting" Turkey and Her Grace (lately paired with a mandarin).

Mother Duck Ida, played by Lizzy Ross, was the lynch-pin of the whole piece, giving us a lovely warm performance with much humour but also bringing a tear to the eye as she searches for her son; her partnership with the wayward Drake, convincingly played by the increasingly accomplished Jim Trimmer, had just the right balance of exasperation and affection.

The tunes were catchy and rhythmic and delivered with tremendous panache by a talented cast. Other notable performances were afforded by the gossipy moorhen Maureen (Janet Simpson), the shambolic goose squadron led ably by Captain Mainwaring lookalike Carl Smith and his wife Dot (Deb McDowell) and a lovable frog Laurence Keal, who nearly stole the show with Warts and All, backed by his froglets.

Queenie (Sue Astbury) and Lowbutt (Karen ) gave classy performances but the scene stealer par excellence had to be Bryan Cardus's Cat, whose every move was a joy to behold. It would have been nice to see more of Matt Stainer, Zoe Harvey Lee and the rather graceful and dignified Claire Smith as the swans, as they were rather sidelined at times, but this is a very minor quibble. I believe it was also Claire who gave us the beautiful and poignant lead vocal line during the Blizzard.

A minimal set was dressed by Ed Padgett's imaginative lighting and Zoe's colourful costumes. Nick Saunders's tight band added atmosphere to the proceedings.

The show was directed by Clare Henderson Roe with choreography by Edz Barrett. BROS TC have put their own professional stamp on another style of show, demonstrating yet again their range and versatility.

Anne Ally

What the papers said...

Taken from the Richmond & Twickenham Times review by Mark Aspen

What a quacker of a show!

Lizzy Ross delicately spiced this comic role with piquant pathos and superb singing.

Drake was energetically played by Jim Trimmer and Ugly was played with bemused innocence by Andy Clarke

Bryan Cardus excelled. His powerful singing voice spelt out the menace behind the silvery sheen.

Sue Astbury oozed with feline sensuality and the rumbas and tangos were purr-inducing.

Zoë Harvey-Lee's costumes and Louise Turnbull and Lauren Mathis' hair styling and make-up wittily hinted at the character of each animal.

Jackie Daw was played by the ever exuberant Robbin Pierce,

The nimble manoeuvres of the air-force squadron of geese were choreographed by Edz Barrett, and led by Greylag, robustly played by Carl Smith

As Bullfrog, Lawrence Keal shone with iridescent irrepressibility in a sparkling performance.

Penny was elegantly portrayed by Claire Smith.

Musical Director Nick Saunders with his skilled sextet of musicians gave a lively and well-balanced performance

Director Clare Henderson Roe hatched and incubated a fully-fledged swan of a show.

'Hello all' - From new editor... Deb McDowell

In a new approach designed to improve communication whilst keeping costs to a minimum we are proposing to take Chorus Lines 'on line'. This will mean that most of you will receive your copy of Chorus Lines via email. Those members who are not on email or who express a preference for a hard copy will continue to receive Chorus Lines in the traditional manner. Would you prefer a hard copy? Just let me know. Do you have a specific email address you would like Chorus Lines to go to...and more importantly perhaps, an address you do not want us to use for such frivolities? Just let me know.

This approach should allow for a more regular circulation of Chorus Lines every couple of months via email with important notices info about BROS and what we're up to: information about the current and planned shows, social events and theatre trips. As ever, we will also supply information about other local companies' shows, especially those where members and friends are involved. A more regular Chorus Lines will enable us to avoid filling your already full inboxes with random information emails and fliers.

So - who actually receives Chorus Lines?

Chorus Lines is sent to all Full Members, all Friends, and many of our Associates (these are the extremely vital non members who work with us, mostly in a technical capacity, when we are in production). The committee assure me that the email address list is up to date and that there are only a few members who are not on line, who should have automatically received a hard copy of this issue. Is there anyone you know who should be receiving Chorus Lines who isn't? Are there any lapsed members we should be making more effort to keep in contact with? Please let me know. Chorus Lines exists, in partnership with the website of course, to keep the wider BROS family in touch with what's happening and so maintain our healthy creative and social links.

Reviews

I've stood in the bar at Hampton Hill, Richmond, Questors (and numerous other theatrical establishments) with many of you, and we've always got plenty to say about the shows we've seen. I would really like to hear from you re: reviews of shows, BROS and non BROS. Pseudonyms (preferably witty ones!!) will be used to protect the innocent reviewer from the many amateur dramatic divas (non gender specific) out there, and the review does not need to be long and involved. You can simply email a few comments, and I can do the rest. Has anyone seen Dirty Dancing yet? Cabaret? What did you think? I'm looking forward to hearing all about Spamalot!

Letters - we want to hear from you.

Please feel free to email me with any letters or comments on anything you think would be of interest to members: shows, concerts, workshops, excellent singing teachers, cats needing good homes, the state of the arts world today, the price of a pint, etc..

Next up... Man of La Mancha

Those who have been to Minack all agree that it is a fantastic experience. Being able to perform in this unique venue is an honour in itself, but we all know that it is the 'craic' that really makes Minack so special. Don't miss out on the opportunity to be part of the next BROS adventure.

'Man of La Mancha' is to be directed by Wes Henderson Roe, with choreography by Melanie (Smels) Edwards Shaun Critten is the musical director.

Here are the important dates for your diary. If you missed the presentation evening it's still not too late to come along and find out what it's all about.

Check out the website for information and the contact details of the team who will be happy to supply any further info you need.

Workshops

Workshops all take place at St Michaels Church Hall, Elm Bank Gardens, Barnes (2 minutes walk from Barnes Bridge Station) @ 8pm

• Tuesday 14th Nov Character work and role-play with Wes.
• Tuesday 21st Nov Character work, role-play and movement session with Smels and Wes
• Tuesday 28th Nov Character work, role-play and movement session with Smels and Wes
• Thursday 30th Nov Music session with Shaun
• Tuesday 5th Dec Music session with Shaun Wes and Smels will also be available for any early auditions.

Auditions:

SUNDAY 10th Dec from 12 noon at Putney Scout Hall, Oxford Road, Putney (2 min walk from East Putney Tube / Putney Main line station)

Other BROS Events Coming Up

December 2006 6th Theatre Trip: Spamalot 8th Christmas Party
January 2007 16th Showcase evening
February 2007 13th Quiz night

MEMBERSHIP NOTICE

Membership is now due for everyone (unless you were in "Honk!") Please send a cheque for £35 for full membership or £5 for friends membership to our esteemed treasurer (and treasure) Cathy Makepeace, at 3 Wychwood Close, Sunbury on Thames TW16 7RF . Please make cheques payable to BROS TC.

Moonlighting

'Listen To My Heart' Songtime Theatre Arts, Questors Theatre. Featuring Robbin Pierce and Maria Waters. Robbin's musical assertion that she was 'not like her mother' was hilarious. Many of the songs were overly sentimental but Maria's perfect rendition of the Mother's song had us rightly reaching for the hankies. Maria has been very busy lately. She was superb in the challenging role of Mrs Erling in Teddington Theatre Club's production of Lady Windermere's Fan.

Coming Up

Helen 'Lowe' in City of Angels with SEDOS 14th -18th Nov @ the Bridewell Theatre. www.sedos.org.uk

Chris Dobson stars in Two Hats Theatre Company's production of 'A Servant to Two Masters' at the Waterside theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, 16-19 November. www.two-hats.org

Songtime Theatre Arts present Lizzie Brignall, Angela Sturgeon in 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' 21st ­ 25th Nov. Questors Theatre. Also, 5th 6th Jan 'Side by Side by Sondheim' Call 001372372352

Mandy Stenhouse,John Pyle and Jim Trimmer in Noel and Cole with TTC @Hampton Hill Playhouse January 2007.

If you get the chance, don't miss adaptation of '39 Steps' now playing at the Criterion Theatre starring BROS chum Rupert Degas.

**Christmas Greetings from Faye Brann in Dubai. More news in the New Year!

Night of a Thousand Tarts ­ sorry, Stars.

A candid column by our own showbiz gossip-meister

The annual Richmond upon Thames Arts Council Awards evening usually echoes to cries of "we wuz robbed", but hardly ever to an incredulous "What??" as one of the most coveted Swans is announced. But that was the reaction of a clearly gobsmacked Terry Saunders to the news that 1000 Day Productions' Transport of Delight had been voted Best Musical Production of 2005/2006.

In a sense one could sympathise. Like its illustrious predecessors Closer Than Ever and Tom Foolery, Transport is not really a musical in the traditional sense of a perfectly good, or not, play interrupted at regular intervals by outbreaks of singing and dancing. But it was an excellent show, and in the absence of an appropriate category of award, fully deserved the accolade.

Of course we can afford to be generous, since the whole enterprise had BROS written all over it. It's just that for someone of Wesley's prodigious abilities, running one production obviously isn't enough...

Having recovered his composure and galloped down from the balcony, Terry joined director Gavin Morgan on stage to accept the trophy on behalf of the two of them and choreographer Melanie Edwards.

Back on more familiar ground, it came as no surprise to anyone ­ least of all Robbin apparently - that the Best Female Performer in a Musical award should go to her breathtaking portrayal of Katisha in BROS' Hot Mikado, nor that her on-stage oppo Carl Smith should paddle away with the matching Swan. Though why Robbin felt it necessary to stand on a box for the subsequent photograph is a bit of a mystery (see left).

Oh Kay got due recognition in the form of a Best Supporting for Jonathan Simmons as the authentically Wodehousian Pops Popham. Other winners touched with the BROS magic included Steve Taylor for his Barnabas Gooch in OHAD's The Herbal Bed, Helen Smith in The Killing of Sister George (Q2 Players) and Jane Marcus in The Soldier and the Woman (St Mary's Drama Group).The capacity audience was initially puzzled, then intrigued and finally amused when Clive Francis, one of the celebrity hosts, launched into a monologue about the raffish nature of theatricals. Your reviewer can reveal that the item was a Billy Bennett number called My Mother Doesn't Know I'm on the Stage: still available on CD and highly recommended to all connoisseurs of comic song and recitation.

All together a good result for BROS and its alumni, although that is no excuse for the fact that we were the only group to go straight to the pub next door and stay until chucking-out/falling down time.
"Gongman"

And Finally... Coping with Constructive Criticism: Food for thought!

As a member of the cast of Honk I would just like to thank Clare, Edz and the team for making the production such a happy, rewarding experience for all involved. There are many positives that emerge from this production. Yes, it wasn't everyone's cup of tea; some thought it 'a strange little show' likened in one case to 'a high standard end of year school production' but it certainly called upon BROS to act as a real ensemble, something not always required in other shows. The show itself, whilst corny, was in my opinion a well written, entertaining piece. It provided opportunities for excellent cameos from some of the more established and highly talented members of the company who might have shied away from a greater time commitment, and of course their presence 'upped the game' of a number of talented but developing performers. Importantly, this show offered debut roles for some less experienced, less confident members of the society, all of whom blossomed and developed as a result.

This will hopefully lead to continued involvement in BROS shows and higher standards across the board.

However, I personally am very grateful that some friends and BROS colleagues do feel able to be free and frank when evaluating shows. Here at BROS we like to think of ourselves as a cut above your average amateur dramatic group, and we must therefore be able to go beyond the entirely congratulatory back-slapping so characteristic of other less aspirational groups.

BROS TC exists to provide its members with opportunities to perform and be involved in a variety of theatrical productions (not all of which will appeal to all sectors of the membership all the time). BROS has always prided itself on using quality venues, including of course, the esteemed Richmond Theatre, but also of trying to find 'studio slots' where smaller shows may be attempted, providing opportunities for less experienced directors / choreographers / musical directors / stage managers to cut their teeth and refine their skills. BROS is also important socially; a break from our busy professional lives.

In addition to all this BROS TC always aims to achieve artistic and creative excellence. But in order to do this we need to explore what makes the difference between a good show and a great show.

Honk was a show of which BROS can be justly proud, offering a 'different' experience for every one involved. But Honk was no Hot Mikado.

Let's reflect on what is required to produce a show like Hot Mikado: A wonderful vehicle in terms of the script and score, a hugely creative and ambitious production team, backed up by the best technical team any amateur company could garner, a consistently high quality cast (the result of a very rigorous, stressful and highly selective audition procedure) and the massive commitment of time and energy (remember all those Sunday rehearsalsÉ) required of all involved. These conditions are not achievable (or even desirable?) for every production but they are what is necessary to achieve the highest standards of excellence. I think it is important that we don't lose our perspective, even as we congratulate ourselves on another successful production.

Let me know what you think.

Deb McDowell
EDITOR

If you have any comments or question relating to this issue of Chorus Lines, or if you would like to submit an article for publication, email me at the address above.