Copacabana

Her name was Lola . . . With what is probably one of the best-known opening song lyrics of all time, Walmsley Church Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society high-kicked off Bolton's first presentation of Copacabana.

The plot, somewhat improbable as it is, involves a nightclub, a gangster, a handsome songwriter and, yes, a showgirl. Taking us from the bright lights of New York to the seedy underworld of Havana, Copacabana is a glittering display of fantasy and glamour.

Walmsley's costumes and sets are nothing short of superb, evoking the glitz of the 1940s thanks to some very brave (and possibly very cold!) chorus girls. This is spectacle at its very height.

Allison Smith turns heads as Gladys Murphy, the gobby but kind-hearted cigarette girl that takes the newly arrived Lola under her wing. And Mike Taylor talks the Broadway talk so well he could be a native. But it is Christian Brabin and Lindsay Farnworth who steal the show as Tony and Lola. Together they light up the stage, bringing both romance and drama to the show. Lindsay's Lola is a delight as she turns from naive newcomer to the star of the show. And as the bumbling, pushy, but big-hearted Tony, Christian again proves his merit as a musical performer.

Further support comes from Mike Fallon's sleazy Rico Castelli and Hazel Bumby's Conchita Alvarez, Havana's dangerous power couple. But when the time comes, will Conchita help save her rival Lola? Director Nora Howcroft's love of the show is evident throughout, and for sheer panache, energy and sense of fun, the cast and crew of Copacabana are at the top of their game.

And by the end - which is truly spectacular - the audience found it impossible not to tap and clap along. At this Copacabana you certainly will fall in love.

Kat Dibbits

This was quite a contrast from the society's last production of Sweeney Todd to this all-singing, all-dancing glitz and glamour production by director Nora Howcroft and choreographer Zuleika.

An audience can, of course, be easily beguiled by all the pizzazz as, indeed, can the company, into thinking average performances can be disguised behind all the gloss. Not so in this case. It would be parsimonious in the extreme of the reviewer to pick holes in this production as the holes were very few and very, very far between.

Stephen, the creator of Copa, and his alter ego Tony Forte, was played by Christian Brabin. An excellent display of all disciplines of stagecraft. In the same vein Lindsay Farnworth played the parts of Samantha / Lola-la-Mar. Truly a performance that would withstand any comparison and have graced any stage, any time, any where.

The comedy was in the capable hands of Mike Taylor who was an instant hit as Sam Silver, he of the half mast trousers and wobbly wig as was Allison Smith as the been there, done that, seen it all cigarette girl Gladys Murphy. The malevolent presence of Mike Fallon was exactly right for the gangster Rico Castelli whilst Hazel Bumby played the part of the fading star Conchita Alvarez very well. Minor roles were all well played and accents were realistic and maintained throughout.

The set was bursting with colour and beautifully designed to display the best of the Copa Girls in the set pieces. The Copa Girls' routines were well constructed and executed whilst a large orchestra under the baton of musical director Ben Smith added that final touch to what was an outstanding evening's entertainment.

Glyn Neary