With its customary excellence of décor, both in costumes and settings, Walmsley Church AODS is this week presenting “Song of Norway”. This follows to some extent the pattern of musical biography set years ago by “Lilac Time” which helped itself freely to Schubert’s music, but turned from fact to fiction when it came to telling a story about Schubert himself.
Not that “Song of Norway” quite flies in the face of the facts of Grieg’s life. It authentically marries him to his cousin, Nina Hagerup, the singer. But his parents, no doubt for the sake of local colour, are represented as a pair of simple peasants instead of the cultured and musically sophisticated people they were, the father stemming from British diplomatic stock. Edvard Grieg himself simply had to be romanticized before he could be made the hero of a musical. What would a tiny, black-haired Norwegian be doing to expectations! Walmsley is fortunate to have the Viking stature and true Scandinavian blonde of Michael Greenhalgh to give the role some glamour.
That Nina was indeed a singer of charm and delicacy is easy to believe as one listens to and watches Ann Barton. Valerie Walmsley sings and acts vivaciously as a would-be Delilah.
The dancing is competent and Lois Booth’s choreography expert in itself but not always in mood with the music. The climactic end comes with a condensed version of the A minor Piano Concerto no sooner conceived than played, of course. Michael Greenhalgh mimes most convincingly as soloist while, unseen, Jessie Whittaker is the actual and brilliant player.
Musical direction is by J. Arnold Thornton, the production by Derek Taylor.
