What a nasty way to start my first review, still, that’s the way you are going to find CAL as I try each month to give an honest appraisal of amateur theatre around Adelaide. The S.A. Light Opera Society’s latest opus ‘WHITE HORSE INN’ just happens to be the lucky first.
My heading is my prime shot at this otherwise enjoyable night out. An analogy might be if we picture a past middle age Frederic and a just turned twenty Mabel in a production of the Pirates of Penzance. Just didn’t look right.
One has to highly commend ‘Leopold’ (Terry Grimmond) who, without any hesitation I would say provided all the pazazz this production needed. A very pleasent, strong voice and a good sense of comic presentation certainly went a long way towards carrying the whole show. It won’t be my policy to mention performers specifically by name except in special circumstances. So take a bow Terry.
Generally I enjoyed the show, as did the cast in presenting it and that’s what it’s all about. There were both strong and weak voices but I am sure the latter ones will improve with a little experience.
The dancing and choreography were quite good but I would like to have seen the singers given some choreographic help with their presentations, the show stopper, Goodbye, fell a little flat by not featuring some well designed movement to use the stirring msuic to the utmost.
The musical director did well with his limited resources. It is very difficult to provide perfection with an orchestra consiting mostly of one of each instrument. Any little mistake stands out and it is not fair to be too critical about any minor clangers. I just loved Steve McGregor on the drums though, I found out he is 14, he looks only about 12though, but a more laid back musician you won’t find anywhere, never missed a cue or a beat and if the audience had as much fun as Steve did then a great time was had by all.
Design was good though construction lacked some imagination. Lighting also quite well designed and executed and one must be complimentary about the costuming with the blatant exception of the Emperor’s, very drab.
Props. worked well, the cow was worth it’s weight in gold and the papier mache meats worked very well but, those real sausages in amongst them, yuk!
I don’t see why it was so difficult to get poor Sigismund a real walking stick instead of that broken golf club either.
I look forward to seeing the next S.A.L.O.S number which is to be Lehar’s ‘The Land of Smiles’.