Walmsley Church AODS provided a heady performance of Strauss’ champagne operetta “Die Fledermaus” on Saturday. It’s a show with a magical score, the second act especially having one hit number after another.
Musical Director Jessie Whittaker gave a strong, energetic pulse to the music. The act one finale, for example, had a real lift to it.
It’s an elaborate revenge story in which “The Bat”, Dr Falke, pays back his friend, von Eisenstein, for a practical joke, of which he had been the victim. Producer Audrey H. McL. Raistrick points up the comedy in the Here’s To Love trio and in the clashes between Eisenstein and the prison governor.
Margaret Steel’s Rosalinda is an expressive featured comedienne, while Alec Greaves provides a good-humoured Eisenstein. Adele is pleasantly sung by Joyce Foster, while Robin Foster gives the comic performance of the evening as the governor, Frank.
Jennifer Edgington captures the Russian dourness of Prince Orlofsky, lending strength to the image of royalty always having their arms behind their backs. Graham Edgington makes a handsome, grey-streaked Dr Falke, and has a pleasing light baritone voice.
Walmsley’s sets, as in previous years, are impressive, with a long balcony overlooking the dancers for the ballroom scene. In the prison, however, it isn’t only the governor who has a hangover. The words Kit Kat Klub (from their previous production “Cabaret”) hang on a sign over the entrance to the cells.
