Love Midlands Theatre

Oklahoma! - Leamington & Warwick Musical Society

15/4/2018

 
Picture
75 years since first opening on Broadway, Leamington & Warwick Musical Theatre Society gloriously brought to life Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first musical triumph, Oklahoma! 

Unlike many musicals that open with grand ensemble numbers, Oklahoma! opens with just one actor, Curly, taking centre stage as he sings one of the most iconic numbers, Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’. Chris Gilbey-Smith made for a swaggeringly smooth Curly, with sublime acting and a super voice he really did take centre stage through the night. His pairing with Bex Walton’s Laurey worked incredibly well. Walton brought a great feistiness to Laurey and their duet of People Will Say We’re In Love was a particular highlight. 

Sally Jolliffe delighted as Aunt Eller, she was a warm and glowing presence on the stage throughout, with great comic moments sprinkled in her performance. An equal presence, but not for the same reasons, was Tom Vickery as Jud Fry. His brooding character was incredibly unnerving. There was a great supporting ensemble and I must say it was refreshing to see assured characterisations from these smaller, but no less important roles. In particular, Nelle Cross as Kate and the rest of Laurey’s girls. 

There were some diction issues, with the accent causing lines to be missed and some occasional imbalances in the sound meaning that some lyrics were missed, however, this is only a small criticism of what was an incredibly slick production. Director Stephen Duckham added some clever nuances in to hide the larger scene changes, but even these were executed expertly. Perhaps some of the most impressive changes I’ve seen in an amateur performance. 

However, the stand out element of this show lay in its stunning choreography, crafted by Hannah Hampson. The Farmer And The Cowman showcased this excellently in its vibrancy and celebratory atmosphere, however the pinnacle was the Dream Ballet, with Charlotte Cochrane in the role of Laurey in this beautiful sequence. It was utterly entrancing and a testament to Cochrane, Hampson and the talents of this company. 

Musical Director Matt Flint breathed wonderful life into Rodgers’s music and there was nothing more joyous than the entire ensemble taking to the stage for the title song, Oklahoma! Full of vim and verve, LWMS proved that age is no obstacle; 75 years on and there’s still a sparkle there.

Comments are closed.

    Love Midlands Theatre

    Sharing the latest theatre news and reviews around the Midlands.

    Archives

    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

    Categories

    All
    Amateur Theatre
    Birmingham
    Coventry
    Love Midlands Theatre
    Professional
    Review
    Solihull
    Stafford
    Tamworth
    Theatre
    Wolverhampton

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Contact