Theatre Review: Wallop The Musical, Wallington Operatic and Dramatic Society

By kaarcher

Wallop's winter show always seems to provide something of a social occasion as audiences gather at their tables to indulge themselves in the entertainment, the odd glass and a fish supper.

To a packed Thursday night, songs ranging from musicals to ballads to pop were woven into a loose plot about an amateur group, The Really Hopeful Theatre Troup, seeking a venue that will help them revive their failing finances and dwindling audiences. Devised by Rosemary Minchin, the scenes showed the troup's tenacity as they attended auditions, singing, dancing and acting rehearsals, all in the hope that they would be able to perform. One of the funniest of these was the drama section's skits on Shakespeare as one-line visual puns on actual quotes paraded across the stage culminating in Brush Up Your Shakespeare from Kiss Me Kate.

More comedy came from the wardrobe department scene where the men revelled in being the seamstresses - a reaction to the backstage set construction being in female hands (If I Had A Hammer).

Musical Director Rob Randall, who had his work really cut out to be on top of the many musical cues, led the singing rehearsal before Liz Hopkins came in with a Doh Ray Me tutorial. Do You Wanna Dance and Your Feet's Too Big featured in the dance scene and a plethora of money songs (If I Were A Rich Man, Money Makes the World Go Around, Pick a Pocket or Two, Abba's Money Money Money) helped the troup's committee wish for financial improvement.

Jacky Cook's excellent solo - Abba's I Have A Dream emphasised how things might be and Clare Allsop's Sing, Sing A Song was melodious enough to get her a singing lead in any show.

Wallop are fortunate to have a small team of agile young dancers, including Sophie Paice who co-choreographed with Tracey Paice. Joining Sophie in an exuberant high kicking routine, Katie Leitch and Sarah Kennedy danced their socks off, aided by Dan Kent to make up this quartet. This did not mean the rest of the troup were stationery - far from it, as tap and modern routines flowed through the show.

There was an 'in house' backing group of Clare Allsop, Celena Bain and Julie Foard and some tuneful numbers from Steve Leitch and Ian Lambert. Comedy actress Laure Bright gathered the scenes together with her tea trolley and tlc, always exiting on a joke.

Finding songs to suit the chosen themes was a considerable achievement and it was good to see Barbara Windsor back in the driving seat as director who, along with Janet Harris and Yvonne Mount costumed the show with what has become Wallop's trade mark - colour themes. Along with a good lighting plot, this always makes their shows so easy on the eye.

Theo Spring

4 stars