This musical is a challenge for any society and one to which this company rose with some success. If you have two people who can develop an onstage rapport, then the whole production has that extra edge. Here we had two such people in the form of Mr and Mrs P T Barnum.
Allison Smith was ideally cast as the steady hand at the wheel, Chairy Barnum. The supportive but steadying nature of the character was completely captured. Allison gave a lovely performance enveloping all the facets of what, I believe, makes an outstandingly well rounded characterisation.
In complete contrast Gary Harvey displayed the vibrant ever changing chameleon-like nature of P T Barnum. He had the energy and physical agility for the part and managed to capture the sincerity of a Barnum who really seemed to believe in his own bunkum.
Lindsay Farnworth sang beautifully. The sad inevitability of the final scene with Barnum was well defined and she made a glamorous Swedish nightingale, Jenny Lind. The unicycle riding Ringmaster was played with authority by Ryan Entwistle and whilst Stephen Lim made an engaging Tom Thumb, he was a little vocally insecure. No such problems for Jane Bickerstaffe as the impressive Blues Singer and Joyce Walters as Joice Heth.
A small chorus and several cast members playing two or more lesser characters allowed the choreographer, Lara Crombie, to make the most of the available stage area. Whilst the characters’ multiple roles might habe been a little better defined, Mike Bailey was Julius Goldschmidt, James A Bailey and Sherwood Stratton, whilst David Witt played Chester Lyman and Edgar Templeton.
Scenery from Prosceneium and costumes from Costume House were excellent. The orchestra, under musical director, Ben Smith, was occasionally overloud and unsympathetic to the players. Congratulations to the society for successfully tackling such a challenging musical.
