Aug 1st 05
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Trial by Jury 

Cast

The Learned Judge:  Ian Henderson
Counsel:    William Revels
Usher:  Michael Rayner
Defendant:  Richard Miller
Foreman:  Paul Ensell
Associate: Marc Shepherd
Plaintiff: Charlotte Eriksson
1st Bridesmaid: Alex Saunders
Bridesmaids: Joy Rayner, Jo Dunbar,  Vikki Willoughby, Astrid Marchal,


Jury
Brendon O'Brien,   Jonathan Ichikawa, Stuart Bull, Philip
Walsh, Les Richardson, Liam Geohgegan, Stuart Box,  Kelsey Thornton,
Laurance Weissbrot, Peter Featherstone,

Seeing justice done:
Carol Davis,   Tony Smith, Karen Ann Loxley, Chris Wain, Clair Little,
Denis Wicken,  Angie Arnell, John Penn, Tim Bartlett, Fleur
Grenig, Sylvia Grenig, Collette Woodhouse,  Christopher Hall, Arthur Kincaid.

This production was presented by "Peak Opera" which seemed to be a collection of members of the SavoyNet.  When we entered the theatre the tabs were already lifted to exposed the classical set of a courtroom with the judge's podium set to centre rear, the jury stalls to the left and the public gallery to the right.  A tipsy Usher was preparing the court and sampling the Judge's bottle of spirits. As Ian Smith came on to introduce the evening there was much interaction between him and the usher.

Eventually the music, under the direction of David Cookson, struck up and an assortment of individuals started to enter the court.  They were all in excellent period looking costume and after much “wandering about” they were eventually put into their correct locations by the usher.  A brisk, well sung opening chorus with good interaction from the chorus members.

The usher sang to the jurors explaining that this trail must be free from any bias but that they had to just look at the plaintive and the defendant to see that she should win!

The defendant entered, what a cad he looked and this image was enhanced by the way he twirled his handlebar moustache as he sang his opening "When first my old, old love I knew".  He was dressed in very bright clothes  He had a wonderful voice and excellent diction - every word coming over clearly.

We all awaited the arrival of the judge - and he did not let us down - a very dapper chap, full of energy with clear voice.  He had a poor wig on which looked to be too large and, as was pointed out by the adjudicator, it tended to muffle him some what. He explained how he had risen through the ranks to become a judge by taking on some dodgy cases and a calculated marriage. 

The counsel entered - he had a good deep voice with clear diction.  He asked for the jury to be sworn in.  The usher carried this out with great gesticulations of his staff. Four attractive bridesmaids then entered - the Judge was smitten by one of them and he persuaded the Usher to take her a message.  However, this message had to be taken from her and passed on to the Bride when he saw her! 

The Bride was full of energy and not the sort to be trifled with!  Some of her actions and reactions were not in the mode of a true Victorian - more of a modern day Miss!  She had a good clear voice.  The Counsel and Bride were constantly plotting small distractions and plans to get the Jurors onto their side.  Lots of flirting and reeling about.  She then went up to the Judge and flirted with him behind the newspaper.  A good topical cricket joke was shown on the jurors' newspapers at one point.

The Judge suggested that the problem was the defendant only misbehaved when tipsy and therefore why not make him tipsy and see?  The defendant agreed but the Bride and Counsel did not.  This lead to an excellent rendition of "A nice dilemma" during which all participants seemed to keep together and finish at the same time! 

At this point the Judge gave up and suggested the solution would be for him to marry the bride himself - everyone agreed and it lead into a rousing finale of "Oh joy unbounded..."

A very good performance from everyone involved.  There were times when the orchestra was too loud and occasionally they were not in time with the singing.  The set was quite good and the costumes were very good.

Cox and Box

This was as interesting performance - Cox and Box is not one of the best know operettas but it was handled very well by the young cast. The tabs were lifted to reveal the bed-sit with a four-poster bed to the left and a fireplace to the right, windows and doors to the rear and a table and chairs in the centre - a rocking chair was near to the fireplace.

Cox - John Savournin

The first innovation occurred when Cox got out of bed - accompanied by a young serving girl!  She made several appearances during the performance often in a similar situation!  Cox was a superb singer and actor - he has a magnificent deep baritone voice which he uses with consummate skill.  He was asking Bouncer about a chap he often meets going the other way on the stairs - Bouncer put him off more questioning by his usual technique of singing Rat-a-Plan - a stirring military marching song. Bouncer also had a good bass/baritone voice although it was more difficult to hear his words. 

Box - David Menezes and the maid

Cox left and Box entered - Bouncer was letting the room to them both and neither knew about the other as one worked days as a Hatter and the other worked nights as a Printer.  Box put his Bacon on the fire to cook.  Box had a superb tenor voice with good diction.  He sang a delightful rendition of the Lullaby. He then went off to bed.

Bouncer - Phillip Canner (photo taken later at the Festival Club)

However, today it was going to be a disaster for Bouncer because Cox had been giver some time off and had come home.  He was shocked to see some bacon cooking and threw it out of the window, hitting a poor chap walking below.  He replaced it with his chop. Box woke up and was shocked to see the chop which he threw out of the window - again hitting the poor pedestrian. Eventually of course they meet and this puts Bouncer in deep trouble which he solves by singing Rataplan.  They are at first shocked but get to like each other and sing a delightful duet "The buttercup dwells.." 

Cox is not happy about his forthcoming wedding but as they chat he finds that Box was once married to the women he is to marry - but he escaped by pretending to kill himself by jumping off the cliffs.  Just as Cox is sorting out to do the same sort of thing he gets a letter to tell him that the engagement is off - she will marry someone else.

They now get on so well that they decide to keep the arrangements as they are because it now seems that they are long lost brothers?? A bright finale "My hand upon it" closes the production.  

The set was adequate, the costumes were good and the singing was excellent.  The major problem was that much of the story was lost because we could not hear the words over the volume created by the orchestra - it was far too loud - the MD should have kept the sound coming from the pit at a level which would enhance the singing rather than drown it.

 (It would have been more if the MD had not kept the orchestra so loud)

A Disagreeable Man

This was a superb one-man-show by Charles Pemberton.  The set was just a blacked out stage with a table and chair. The concept was that Gilbert had just died from heart failure after trying to save a young girl who was swimming in his lake.  Gilbert was in limbo between heaven and earth awaiting his call from St. Peter to see if he was going to be admitted.  Through a series of stories and letters Charles Pemberton went through the important facets of Gilberts life.  Of course the main emphasis was on his relationship with Sullivan, D'Oyly Carte and the Savoy Operas.

This was an excellent production and I enjoyed every minute of it - you really can believe the Charles Pemberton IS WS Gilbert.  Well worth a visit to the theatre to see this show or if that is not possible Charles has a CD out at present.  Have a look at his website for more details.