I was delighted to attend your recent production of "Little Mary Sunshine", firstly because I unfortunately missed "The All Night Strut!" due to work commitments and also due to the fact that I had heard so many positive reports about your society from my predecessor, Ken Howard. Following is my report:- Production Design/Director - Martin Elliff Martin's passion for on stage excellence was evident in the high standard of this production. It was interesting to observe how many younger members you have compared to other societies and I firmly believe this is the key to your versatility. The entire production had clearly been researched and well thought out - every single aspect was well rehearsed and polished and the comedy aspect was superbly integrated into the story. Excellent use was made of the small but highly versatile stage and each and every character appeared to be well briefed on their individual characterisations - resulting in a credible and highly watchable end product. From a production point of view, this show could not get any better - Congratulations! Musical Director - Ken Williams Ken led a tuneful and well balanced band who were sympathetic to the performer's needs when it came to volume. It was interesting to note how the band performed as a team and not just as musicians shipped in for a week to complete the crosswords! A measure of the respect they obviously have for Ken. Additional thanks to Rehearsal Pianists Lee Shiel and Ken Williams. Additional Choreography - Kirsty Smith, Linda Kinghorn, Linda Hayes, Rick Myrtle Choreography was excellent across the board - none of the old tired patterns and boring steps, this stuff was modern, up-to-the-minute and well thought out. The choreographers did well taking into account individuals abilities as it appeared that no one was struggling to keep up. I also found it interesting that you used the musical numbers to tell the story and not just as a break from the dialogue. Well done to all of you. Wardrobe - Jaqueline Wood, Barbara Myrtle, Pam Smith Yet another success story - every single costume that I saw was immaculate. I am not sure whether you hired any items but on appearance, they really looked like they were all brand new. Shoes were appropriate (a rare occurrence) as were hairstyles and accessories. Brilliant work ladies! Technical Manager- Paul Hayes Technically, everything appeared to run like clockwork although I am sure the reality was something quite different! But that's show business! Well done Paul. Scenic Artist - Rick Myrtle From the moment the curtain went back I was impressed with the standard of the set. It looked fresh and new, was versatile and careful consideration had been given to the colours used. One never tired of looking at it and it set the backdrop for the story well. Thanks also to Sam Thomas and Liz Yuille for the provision of authentic and appropriate props which brought the set to life. Stage Manager - Peter Campbell With no complicated scene changes to attend to, Peter ensured things ran smoothly on stage- so smoothly, in fact, that you wouldn't even have known he was there! Thanks also to stage crew Bernie Messenger and Gareth Bevan for their assistance. Lighting Director - Pete Balls Despite being a fairly difficult area to light, the stage and apron were well illuminated with no unintentional shadows. Publicity & Programme - Martin Wilcox The programme was well designed and contained everything the audience would expect. I was particular fond of the layout which was particularly innovative. The wit contained in the biographies added greatly to the finished product. Thanks also to FOH Manager Jill Pagett, Bar Manager Ruth Twyford, Logo Designer Rick Myrtle and Box Office Manager Martin Wilcox for their valuable contributions. Now on to individual performances:- Captain 'Big Jim' Warrington/Ken Kinghorn - Ken played the role of the Captain with a sense of vigour and credibility rarely seen on the amateur stage. His animation was timed to perfection as were his comedy moments and it was pleasing to note his ability to be funny without labouring the point. There were occasions when I felt he could have benefited from a little sound amplification but this did not detract from his excellent performance. Corporal Billy Jester/Nick King - Nick had clearly spent time developing his character which paid dividends when it came to his on stage performance. His vocals were clear and powerful and his presence was commanding. I noted that he appeared a little uncomfortable at the end of 'Me A Heap Big Injun ' although I was unsure why because he delivered this number superbly, much to the delight of the audience. General Oscar Fairfax/Dave Simpson - Dave played the part of the General confidently with excellent projection and pleasing vocals. A well thought out performance. Little Mary Sunshine/Karen Anstiss - Karen appeared to really enjoy her role as Little Mary Sunshine and gave an effortless performance throughout this production. Her facial expressions were a delight and she adopted these to obtain maximum effect from the subtext. Her vocals were pleasant and tuneful but once again, I did feel that amplification was called for. A compelling performance. Mme Ernestine Von Liebedich/Linda Kinghorn - Yet another well developed characterisation. Linda's performance was highly credible and well rehearsed. It was interesting to note how she maintained her character throughout the vocals and even when exiting the stage during a blackout. A polished performance. Nancy Twinkle/Linda Hayes - Linda's accomplished movement was a delight to observe as was her characterisation which was punchy and determined. She maintained a high standard of vocals throughout and interacted well with other cast members. Chief Brown Bear/Jonathan Wolff - Jonathon's performance was everything it should have been and more. He was commanding almost to the point of being intimidating and maintained a high proportion of credibility throughout. Fleet Foot/Ray La Pointe - Ray gave a highly entertaining performance in his role as Fleet Foot and I felt the audiences reaction to his performance was the best measure of his success....... Well done Ray. Yellow Feather/Rick Shaw - Rick's acrobatic experience added greatly to his performance and his impressive entrance was well executed. Leder Hosen Boy & Girl/Richard Field & Karen Benny - Richard and Karen performed well as a duo with excellent comedy timing. It was interesting to note how they kept the audiences focus without detracting from the vocals. Excellent comedy miming skills. United States Forest Rangers/David Smith, Sam Thomas, Dave Benny, Mark Evans, Hugo Green - The Rangers made an impressive and well choreographed entrance and maintained the high standard throughout the performance. Their movement was well drilled and I enjoyed the way they all kept a sense of individuality in addition to working well as a team. Their vocals were powerful and well delivered and the acapella section was highly commendable. Young Ladies of Eastchester Finishing School/Liz Yuille, Karen Steel, Jo Burton, Lara Falcon, Sheena Muir, Jaqueline Wood, Vicky Pyne - The ladies maintained a high standard of movement throughout this production and I was particularly impressed with their sense of conviction which is so often absent in ensemble work. There was a good mix of ages on stage which added greatly to their individual characterisations. Well done ladies! Additional Company Members - It was a delight to observe each and every member of the company pulling their weight in this production - there appeared to be no 'hangers-on' and everyone was well rehearsed and confident in their performance. Summary Despite having a severely numb rear end towards the end of the evening due to the uncomfortable chairs, I can honestly say I enjoyed this performance immensely. It is never an easy task to perform to an audience who are so near to the stage but the cast excelled themselves in every area of this hilarious show. Thank you for an excellent evening's entertainment. Paul Dean-Lewis NODA Rep London Region 2