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Show: PARADE the Musical
Society: Epsom Light Opera Company
Venue: Epsom Playhouse, Epsom, Surrey
Credits: Book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 22/04/2015
Parade
Chris Abbott | 23 Apr 2015 09:00am
Photo: Isaac Lo
This was an enterprising choice for a company that have begun interspersing new and less-known pieces among the Gilbert & Sullivan operas and well-known musicals on which they built their reputation.
Parade is a difficult show to produce successfully but it has much to offer a large cast, with many roles and plenty for the chorus to do. Casting is key however, and not many societies would be able to meet those challenges as the Epsom Light Opera Company were able to do.
Once I eventually obtained my ticket (not an easy task, and an issue which I’ll briefly allude to at the end) it was good to see the house almost full with enthusiastic supporters.
The rather low-key and slightly confusing prologue that began the production was made clearer through the always-helpful surtitles that were used throughout to indicate timescales and locations. This was a very sensible response on the part of the director to a book that needs such help.
Once the Civil War was left behind and we found ourselves in the early years of the Twentieth Century, the tone became much clearer and the arrival of the townspeople introduced us to a chorus whose singing and dancing was of a high standard throughout.
In a large cast there were no weak links, but inevitably some performers made their mark more than others. In the central roles of the accused and his wife, Russell Hawkins and Charlie Qureshi were an entirely convincing couple, their relationship building to the tragic conclusion in the second act. So often in light opera the singing is more convincing than the acting, but this was certainly not the case here; and Hawkins in particular had to carry much of the action from beginning to end, with Damien de Roche highly effective as his nemesis.
Others who made their mark included Peter Wheeler as Frankie Epps. Not the largest of parts and with little to do in Act Two, but this was an engaging performance by a young actor who has a confidence that belies his years. Chris Evans as Governor Slaton was entirely convincing bringing a triple threat to his performance. Daniel Haswell as Jim Conley owned the stage whenever he appeared, and bought an authentic feel to the swagger of this character, crucial to the plot it would seem although Alfred Uhry’s book never really establishes the nature of this.
Jason Robert Brown’s music and lyrics deserve to be heard more widely and it is to be hoped that more groups will consider this show. It is very episodic and needs an abstract approach, with only limited sets and much use of lighting to suggest location and mood. This was the approach taken by James Fortune as Director, and for the most part this worked well, although perhaps the stage hands moving trucks could do so in lower light levels rather than being fully lit as was often the case.
Choreography by Helen Parker was excellent and in keeping with the period. The hardworking Musical Director, Dennis Hooker, was all alone in the orchestra pit, with keyboards and headphones and working closely with the sound design of Stuart Vaughan.
An excellent account, then, of a flawed but sometimes rewarding show by a company well able to take on the challenge. However, this review very nearly didn’t happen. The importance of everyone in the company (front of house and onstage) contributing to the success of a show was made apparent earlier in the evening before the curtain had even twitched. After arriving early to collect my press ticket, as arranged, I was passed from person to person for almost 45 mins before someone dug out a ‘spare’ unsold ticket enabling me to sit at the back of the auditorium.
- : admin
- : 22/04/2015