And The Nomination Goes To…

I got a phone call this week from Helen, her having just taken delivery of a letter from the National Operatic Drama Association. It seems we have been nominated in this years NODA awards. The nominations are for our production of Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Miserables’ and we are up for the following:

• Best Supporting Actress (drama) for Andrea Culkin.
• Best Actress (drama) for Helen Haygarth.
• Best Actor (drama) for Cliff Gillies.
• Best Staging.
• Best Play.
• Best Actress (pantomime) For Sue Thomas.

It goes without saying that I am really, really pleased. You know, dear reader, that I had some difficulty getting this show on; particularly in terms of the staging so to be nominated in that category was most pleasing of the lot!

Added to this I have been nominated for ‘Best Mortal in A Pantomime’ for my role of ‘Buttons’ in last years All Souls production of Cinderella.

The awards evening is in the middle of August and I of course will let you know after the event whether we were lucky enough to win any of the categories. In the meantime I am to get prepared for two events..

Coming up quickly (too quickly) is our next production, Peter Gordon’s “Murdered To Death” in opening in June. I want to take a moment to let you know how funny this script really is… If you are a theatre company looking for a script then check this out (Peter’s Website). Whilst the play is really funny it’s taking a while to get together and we seem to be running out of time…. but don’t I always say this sort of thing every show??

The other event is at the end of April and is yet another awards evening. I will be heading to Blackpool along with many of the cast of Cinderella; for it too has received a nomination in the regional NODA awards for Best Pantomime.

It seems I will have to be ‘suited and booted’ a few times in the coming months!

 

Snow White Review

I’d thought I would share with you the local newspapers review of Snow White. To save space I have cut it down but you can link to the original here.

“The All Souls annual pantomime is like a big family reunion party… like a Ken Dodd show, don’t expect an early exit as the cast seemed to be having such a good time, they didn’t want to leave… Joanne Stafford shone as Snow White, her plaintive singing being well suited to numbers like Inside my heart and Someday my prince will come.She wins the heart of Prince Alexi, played by Jaen Pierre Meyer, though one feels she could have done better for herself with one of the more rugged villagers. This was Peter Roney’s seventh reprisal as the Dame, a part he has perfected over the years, although there was little suggestion of a woman inside his voluminous skirts. He’d make a much better stand-up comic than a drag artiste.Cliff Gillies obviously enjoyed every minute of his part as Muddles, getting the audience to clap and sing along, as if they needed any encouragement. His version of The Brook Brothers’ Ain’t Gonna Wash For A Week’ was one of the few songs that was instantly recognizable… busiest performer was Katie Watkinson as Ramsbottom, the Wicked Queen’s henchman, who darted maniacally about the stage plotting the victory of Snow White. She will surely have run the equivalent of the London Marathon by the final performance. Katie also led a sixties girl group interpretation of Connie Francis’s Robot Man, accompanied by The Wicked Queen (the suitably evil Stephanie Verite) and Prince Alexi… Sue Thomas could be dimly glimpsed through the Magic Mirror as the Spirit therein whilst June Weights was charming as Fairy Goodheart.Most popular of all were the dwarfs and the dancers, a veritable army of children, whose costumes, singing and dance routines were a delight… This was a traditional pantomime with, thankfully, little smut and few of the political references that small children rarely appreciate. Karen Edge, who directed and choreographed, must be congratulated for putting together a show well up to the standard of All Souls… Book your ticket now before they sell out.