Marie Clark Musical Theatre. The Goodwood Institute. 24 Oct 2015
Marie Clark Musical Theatre have backed up their award winning run with a damn good production, and I heartily suggest you see it. Fame is not a new musical - rather a tried and tested formula for a fun night of theatre – and director Chris Daniels has injected plenty of fun into this, his debut production.
On audition day at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts, a mixed group of students gather, praying they will “make P.A”. It is our first introduction to the cast, and one that sets each character up for the journey they are about to travel. In this opening, there are technical issues with lighting and sound. It doesn’t pick up for a couple of songs, but the sound levels are corrected. The odd missed lighting cue persists throughout the show, however.
The young hopefuls are all there with one thing on their mind – to make it big in the world of performance. Fame-obsessed Carmen Diaz is performed with self-assuredness by Jasmine Garcia. Diaz is arrogant and overconfident and, relying on no one, she pushes away burgeoning love with violin virtuoso Schlomo Metzenbaum, played with poignancy by Mark Stefanoff. Stefanoff is affecting as Metzenbaum and oh-so sharp in the dance numbers.
Conversely Serena Katz, played by Lucy Carey, is absolutely enamoured with her new found love Nick Piazza; Carey sings sweetly and really tackles Katz’ insecurities. Nick Piazza, embodied by Mitchell Smith, is focussed and driven to success in his chosen field. Smith has a wonderful voice and attacks the role with the perfect balance of strength and subtlety.
As if two couples were not enough, dancers Iris Kelly and Tyrone Jackson, played by Tayla Coad and Josh Angeles respectively, also find love in their first year at PA. Here are two young performers with very bright futures ahead of them. Coad is magnetic to watch and has a presence on stage such that one finds oneself looking at nothing but her. Similarly, when Angeles performs he is passionate and engaging; whether raging, lamenting or even singing in rap.
Mabel Washington is praying for a diet that works, and Georgia Broomhall brings just the right amount of schmaltz to the role. Fatefully the only male with sex on the brain is also the only uncoupled character amongst the leads. Joe Vegas (as in Las Vegas, baby!) is played with a kitschy, stereotypical, Mexican-cum-somewhere in the US accent, that is perfectly appealing. Aled Proeve’s Vegas is cocky yet vulnerable, awkward yet satisfying.
Anna Ruediger and Luke Mitchell round out the ensemble cast as Grace ‘Lambchops’ Lamb and Goodman ‘Goody’ King. Ruediger has some cut through moments in the big numbers that really show her singing chops (pun intended), and Goody gets the laughs when he tries it on with Metzenbaum as a lover’s joke.
The cast of characters is rounded out nicely by the teachers in Lisa Simonetti (Ms Sherman), Ashleigh Tarling (Miss Bell), Ben Todd (Mr Myers) and Brian Godfrey (Mr Scheinkopf). Simonetti stamps her authority all over Sherman, and eats up her solo These Are My Children.
The choreography by Ali Walsh and Vanessa Redmond is some of the best I’ve seen for a while. It is vibrant and energetic - as dancing should be - but also manages to really effectively communicate the emotions in each scene beyond the characters performances.
The set has been designed by director Chris Daniels and incorporates some very effective projections. I could take or leave those bricks though.
For first time director, Chris Daniels this is an impressive debut and one that he will no doubt take a few lessons from for the future. There is opportunity to grow in both the technical production and in the finer details in acting and continuity, but these are mere niggles.
Don’t miss this one.
Paul Rodda
When: 23 to 31 Oct
Where: The Goodwood Institute
Bookings: trybooking.com
