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High Society
Presented by:
CLOC
Venue:
Alexander
Theatre
Reviewer:
Chris Hughes
Date Reviewed:
Friday, 2nd
October 2009
High Society
promised to be a very elegant affair with CLOC and Chris Bradtke
teaming up in a genre that sits very well with both parties, both
creatively and commercially. The CLOC patrons turned out in force
to farewell the Alexander Theatre after 38 years of occupancy and
attend yet another sell out season.
High Society is
based on the play “Philadelphia Story” which was later made into a
hit movie starting Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart
in 1940. High Society is interspersed with some classics from the
Cole Porter songbook including well known standards such as “Who
Wants To Be A Millionaire” & "True Love", just to name a few.
Unfortunately,
unlike the play and the original movie which are both brilliant, the
musical is a bit of a clunker. While the music is credible in it’s
own right, it does little to further the storyline or develop our
understanding of the characters. Like many musicals in the
Gershwin/Porter era, they feel displaced, perhaps a little
unnecessary, particularly when the book is quite strong and is
really the darling of the show.
Director, Chris
Bradtke is clearly playing in familiar territory. High brow dialogue
set against the beautiful backdrop of upper class America circa
1940’s sits perfectly within his expertise. The staging is
appropriate, scenes flow nicely and the actors move around the stage
with relative ease and logical progression. From a technical
perspective, Bradtke has once again ticked all the boxes, but
unfortunately, I felt that his casting was hit and miss.
Sets by Brenton
Staples were stylish. Beautifully constructed, simple white windows
and doors were flown in regularly, but unfortunately in a manner
unbefitting CLOC’s technical expertise (even for an opening night),
the changes were at times labored and distracting. During Act one,
some sets were not flown in until the actors were well into their
dialogue. One can only imagine Staples’ dismay when his pillars
swayed. Staples created an attractive backdrop, which from an
architectural point of view, was historically and geographically
accurate. His large marble floors and wide open spaces created a
sense of opulence. Special mention must be made of Stellios
Karagiannis’ efforts in successfully lighting a very, very white
set.
Tailem Tynan’s
choreographed movement was clever and well considered.
Unfortunately, the dance components were poorly executed by the
majority of the ensemble members. Classical arms were not
outstretched and held in unison, and there were many sickle feet
amongst turned out and pointed toes. That said, each servant
delivered humorous and believable character performances.
Trevor Jones and
Richard Perdriau gave respectable performances as CK Dexter Haven
and George Kittredge, respectively. Both demonstrated a strong
command of their instruments and both possess an attractive singing
tone. I would have liked Jones to have injected more charisma into
his character and greater energy into his performance as a whole,
however. Though a likeable performer, he appeared to lose focus
when he wasn’t speaking and I lost connection with him on several
occasions.
Kelly Windle was
absolutely fantastic as the show’s leading lady, Tracy Lord. Her
elegance, poise and comedic flair were apparent and she was
captivating from start to finish. It was evident that Kelly has
closely studied Grace Kelly’s interpretation of the character,
successfully reproducing a much admired portrayal.
Peter Smitheram’s
performance as Uncle Willy was also a highlight. Peter has a very
endearing quality about him that transcended the stage and the
audience connected with him instantly. His frequent comic moments
were well received and his entire performance, while well rehearsed,
still felt quite fresh and spontaneous.
Rachel Juhasz as
reporter Liz Imbrie also gave a stand out performance. Her comedic
ability was pleasantly balanced by her more tender moments. She was
convincing from the outset and her sense of purpose and character
was clear and on target. Rachel has a unique look for the stage,
which lends itself beautifully to character acting. Very expressive
and engaging.
As Mike Connor,
Peter Dennis also impressed. His sensitive performance of ‘You’re
sensational’ was a highlight. Performances by Anne Pagram as
Margaret Lord, Pip Smibert as Seth Lord and Madeleine Corbel as
Dinah Lord were also enjoyable.
High Society has
all the makings of a great show and to a large extent it delivered.
There were several stand out individual performances, which is well
worth your patronage - if you have been fortunate enough to secure a
ticket.
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