Ruddigore
Festival Production.
The overture was played at a good brisk pace and the tabs were lifted to reveal the classic set of the harbour wall and houses of the village of Rederring. The villagers were going about their business - they were well costumed and moved about the stage in a meaningful manner. The bridesmaids were in lovely pink dresses - how pretty they looked and how well they sang. Zora sang her solo parts really well as she explained to us that Rose was still unmarried and was their best chance of another wedding. They all had great movement and reactions and how well they were in time with each other. As Rose was not at home they turned their attention to Dame Hannah. She was a great actor, with a lovely voice and excellent projection - every word came over clearly. She explained about the curse on the Baronets of Ruddigore - how they had to commit a crime every day or perish in agony in the legend "Sir Rupert Murgatroyd". Her singing in the solo was excellent as was the reactions of the bridesmaids to the story.
Rose came on to the stage - she was perfect for the part - very pretty with a wicked sense of humour. He face had the most amazing range of expressions. She had a lovely singing voice with really clear diction. She explained how she had been abandoned as a baby with only a book of etiquette and how her life was governed by that book - a super opening ballad "If somebody there chanced to be".
Robin entered - he was a very timid character - played by a very confident actor! Superb interaction between the pair as they tried to converse meaningfully - it was very funny when Rose deliberately dropped her handkerchief and it took ages for Robin to see it and then when he did he just picked it up and put it in his pocket - much to Rose's disgust! A lovely duet - "I know a youth...." with first class singing from both. After Rose had left Old Adam came on - he was very good and had great fun shouting "Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd"
The villagers and bridesmaids rushed on in an excited manner - a ship had docked and on it was Dick Dauntless - they were all looking forward to his arrival - they sang the chorus "From the briny sea" with great enthusiasm. Dick came onto the stage - he greeted all the bridesmaids and then sang an exciting "I shipped, d'ye see" This actor had come over from Brazil for the festival and did a good job of playing this role. The hornpipe after the ballad was a little hesitant. Robin, who had not left the stage but was standing at the side watching all that was going on, a good way of doing this scene, came forward to greet Dick once the others had left. They had some good interaction as Robin explained how shy he was - Dick offered to speak to Rose on his behalf. Robin sang the song "My boy, you can take it from me" with great assurance and skill. He had a great voice which came over well - every word clearly audible.
However, when Dick saw Rose he decided that she was for him rather than his foster brother Robin. He and Rose had great fun as Dick expressed his thoughts for her ending up with a big kiss! They sang the duet "The battle's roar is over" with great enthusiasm and skill. When Robin and the bridesmaids return Robin is shattered to find that Rose has accepted Dick not him! He gets quite angry with the bridesmaids who keep bursting into song. However, by skillfully pointing out Dicks "flaws", Robin persuades Rose to marry him. and they sing the ensemble "In sailing o'er life's ocean wide".
They all go off and the mood changes as Mad Margaret comes on stage pushing a child's small perambulator. She has a long, flowing, battered dress which really is too long as all through her song she is constantly having trouble with it and she is trying not to trip over it. She has a good voice but it was too quite - I could not discern the words very easily. She was full of enthusiasm and moved all over the stage as she sang her scena "Cheerily carols the lark" and the ballad "To a garden full of posies". Rose entered and tried to console her until she realised that Margaret had come to kill Rose Maybud. It was funny how when Margaret explained her intentions she took the doll out of the pram and pulled it's head off with a violent tug.
The Bucks and Blades entered - what magnificent costumes - they marched on full of confidence - even if some were a little nervous. A good sound was made as they sang "Welcome, Gentry" Good interaction with the Villagers and Bridesmaids. Sir Despard entered - he was a professional actor from Estonia! He was very tall and was wearing black melodramatic costume with a short top hat, white gloves and a black cape. How well he moved about the stage and what a good rich deep voice he had. How well the chorus reacted to his menacing gestures. It was very funny how at one point he turned his back to the audience whilst frightening away the bridesmaids and villagers, he opened his cape and "flashed" at them and they ran off screaming. When he was alone on the stage he gestured upwards and a chair came down from above the stage to centre stage - he went over and sat on it to explain how he had to commit a crime each day - but he did it early and then for the rest of the day did good deeds to make up for it. He then gesticulated and the chair flew off again. Dick entered and they had good fun as Dick wondered if he ought to tell Despard that Robin should really be the baronet? This culminated in and energetic duet "You understand?"
All gather for the wedding - the bridesmaids sing a good "Hail the bride of seventeen summers" and then Rose, Dame Hannah, Richard and Old Adam joined the chorus for the madrigal "When the buds as blossoming" This was good and lead into a well rehearsed gavotte which contained lots of complex movement from all. Sir Despard entered and called a halt to the proceedings as he announced that Robin was in fact Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd! He placed his cape over Robins shoulders. Robin could not deny the fact and sang a plaintive "As pure and blameless peasant" Rose explained she could no longer marry him and rushed to Sir Despard - he rejected her as he was promised to Margaret - so she rushed to Dick - as he was the only one left.
An exciting and colourful finale to the act as everyone paired up, except one bridesmaid who went off in a sulk!
Act two opened to the interior of Ruddigore castle. Robin is practicing being evil - along with Old Adam - they sang the duet "I once was as meek.." with not very scary laughs. Good interaction as they discuss the next crime - it was good to see Old Adam dismiss Robin's evil plans as "simply rude". Richard and Rose come on with the bridesmaids to ask permission to marry - singing "Happily coupled are we" Robin threatens them but Dick protects them by opening up a flag - this time it is a Brazilian one - a good laugh from the audience and then it is replace with the smallest Union Jack you have seen. Rose sings a plaintive ballad "In bygone days..." and Robin yields.
Robin is left alone on the stage which darkens and then when the lights go on again the ghosts of his forefathers are all on stage. They sing a good chorus "Painted emblems of our race" The ghosts in the frames step down. All are in very good costumes depicting the periods in which they had lived. Sir Roderic came in from the central frame telling Robin to "Beware! beware! beware!". He had a good strong voice with good projection but he did not look very frightening? He sang a good rendition of "When the night wind howls". All had great fun as they check up on Robin's crimes. Eventually they decide that for his next crime he must carry off a lady - he refuses - but they put the agonies on him and he gives in. They go back into their frames and Adam returns - Robin instructs him to carry off a lady and then tells him to "fly" which he does at snail's pace.
Despard and Margaret enter - they are now most respectable - Margaret has a black dress and bonnet. They sing the duet "I once was a very abandoned person" with some good dancing between the verses. We had the usual fun as Margaret kept reverting to her old ways until they hit on the idea of using the word "Basingstoke" to tell her that her behaviour is not acceptable. Then we had the most rapid patter-trio I have ever heard - usually the last verse is rapid but this was rapid all the way through as they sang " My eyes are fully open" - excellent!
Adam returns - dragging a rope which he proceeds to drag across the stage two and a half times until we see Dame Hannah at the end of it - a clever touch. However, Dame Hannah stands up to Robin and the usual fun with the tiny dagger and the huge sword makes Robin cry for help - Roderic comes down from his from - he stops the fight and then realises that it is Hannah his old love. They sing an excellent rendition of the duet "There grew a little flower"
Robin returns - he has sorted it out that to refuse to commit a crime each day will result in his death - and therefore it would be suicide to do so - but as suicide is also a crime then it is a crime not to commit a crime. All sing the finale "When a man has been a naughty baronet" - the movement here is amazing and it all results in a colourful end to the production.
I enjoyed this production - all the principals were well cast and the chorus performed well. The lighting was excellent as were the costumes and the props.
Romy & Gordon's cabaret started off the action in the club
