On Wednesday 15 May 2013 we welcomed Michael Hastilow (Regional NODA Councillor) to watch our anniversary performance of Calamity Jane.
This is what he had to say:
From the moment Alan Biddle raised his baton for the overture, the near capacity audience at Solihull Arts Theatre were humming along to the cornucopia of songs hidden therein so that when the curtain went up on this 20th anniversary production for the Society the audience were right on side.More info: http://www.solihull-theatre.co.uk/calamityjane
A well cast show where the characters looked, sounded and acted as if they were the person; it was hard to identify weaknesses in any of the company in this slickly run and well directed production.
Calamity has a heavy work load and Helen Gibbs carried it off well morphing from the tomboy’s tomboy to the delicately refined young lady. The light of her life, Lieut Danny Gilmartin (James Gough) in his second appearance with STC can look to a long amateur career and the ever present Wild Bill Hickock (Michael Greene) had a charisma about him that foretold the ultimate marriage to Calamity. Katie Brown (Adriana McDiarmid) was a very convincing dresser cum stage star and I too fell in love with her along with the rest of the male population of Deadwood.
The Golden Garter’s proprietor, Henry Miller’s (Chris Macrow) pessimism about the fate forever awaiting him from his customers and his niece Susan’s (Katy Halliday) attempts to placate him coupled with the inevitability of that doom personified in Francis Fryer (Steve Hayes) an Actor who ought to have been a glamorous actress added a lighter vein and romantic undercurrents to the show.
In all a worthy production to celebrate 20 years, a production which Terry Wheddon directed (his third Calamity, although his approach made this show as fresh as if it were his first), choreographed by Pauline Elliker and as already mentioned under the musical direction of Alan Biddle. All, including the company have much to be justly proud. Long may you continue.
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