Graduate Showcase for
MADD college Nottingham students at The Criterion Theatre. May 11th
2015.
The Criterion Theatre
in London's West End is one of the most beautiful and characterful
theatres I have ever seen. Echoing with the energy of its current
production of The 39 Steps the empty stage is set for the twenty-five
young graduates of Nottingham's MADD (Midlands Academy of Dance and
Drama) to showcase their triple threat talents. Industry agents sit
in the circle eager to see what special talents await them. Music
pulses. The house lights go down and an hour long extravaganza
begins.
Directed by Emma
Clayton, the showcase is a musically bright mix of ensemble numbers,
solos and duets interspersed with short explosive hits of comedy and
drama all knitted together with cleverly thought through transitions.
The transitions give the showcase a fluid and unified feel and keep
the pace going throughout.
The main ensemble
numbers Thoroughly Modern Millie, and the finale
number 'Transylvania Mania' – Young Frankenstein (Mel Brooks)
demonstrate the students highly trained professional musical focus
and unselfish performances. The energy is strong in both pieces, the
vocal clarity pin sharp and the two sections are choreographically
tight. With only an hour to prove themselves both ends of the
showcase start and finish with colourful fun and pizazz.
Then, during the show,
we witness the shorter single sex ensembles both from South Pacific
by Rogers and Hammerstein. The seven guys singing 'There is Nothin'
Like A Dame' all deliver spot on performances vital in a piece where
just one performer with poorer diction can ruin the feel of it. Not
so with these guys and they really look like they are having
tremendous fun with the song and delivering it professionally.
Also from South Pacific
we have the other end of the sexual argument with the eleven female
performers oozing sweet femininity offset by gutsy determination with
their strong rendition of 'I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My
Hair' . Already we have performances from two musical theatre shows
from the past. In an age of theatrical entertainment, there are
demands for a varied style mix of shows in the West End and
throughout the UK. Where nostalgic classics can prove a real box
office draw and become critical hits it is crucial that today's
students are versatile enough to be able to audition and perform to
suit the period nature of the piece. These Midlands based students
have no fear here and can hold their best alongside the London based
schools. The standard is extremely high.
Built into the
programme there are short scenes from drama based works. Mostly,
these are of a comedic nature and actor Benjamin Hart proves that
comedy is often best done as a serious business to gain the laughs.
He demonstrates his straight faced comedy best alongside the
versatile Matthew Brock in Hit and Run created by David Dalton and
Chad Schnackel. Holly Wathall and Jessica Gilbert are both hilarious
in Sloppy Mouth and totally all out brave in the execution of the
physical comedy.
Certain comedy needs to
be shown as an heightened form of reality, non-more-so than in the
audition based piece 'You Laughing At Me'. In the showcase this is
pulled off well by actors Savanna Darnell, Sadie Renée
Malo and Frances Alicia. In a theatrical environment with an audience
of theatre folk this particular piece goes down a treat especially
because it is so well done, including the deliberately bad Laarndan
accent.
Benjamin Hart |
Out of all the comedy
pieces 'Over The Edge', (written by David Dalton and Chad Schnackel)
performed with wit and alacrity by Leanne Storey, Harriet Guard and
Francis Alicia is beautifully done. The focus on the invisible car
about to be 'helped' over the edge of a cliff is so well judged one
believes in the car and the comedy responses by the women when they
realise the man inside isn't dead are - to die for.
With the one serious
piece of drama namely Two by Jim Cartwright actors Joshua -Kyle
Cantrill and Kennedy Faith put a dangerous edge to this scary piece
about chauvinistic manipulation. At times it is so unbearably cruel
that one wants to leap up in protection of the woman. Of course
Cartwright's writing is darkly affecting but the bravery and
treatment of it by the actors and their director make it really
live. Kyle Cantrill and Faith perform this piece with extremely
mature and courageous performances.
Kennedy Faith |
Joshua Kyle-Cantrill |
The showcase is
littered with quality solo songs all sung to a very professional
standard. Amongst these are Sondheim's 'Broadway Baby' sung by Rebecca
Telling plus two numbers from Thoroughly Modern Millie – 'Gimmie
Gimmie' sung by Holly Wathall and the jazzy 'Only In New York' given a
great smoky vocal treatment by Summer Rozenbroek. The Calamity Jane
classic 'Secret Love' is a hit for student Jessica Gilbert and Lauren
Hart finds the camp humour in 'It's Hard To Tell' – Soho Cinders. She
is helped by the funny interpretations of the men completing the feel
of the piece.
The duets don't go by
unnoticed either particularly when done with such style. Kennedy
Faith with Thomas Adam Monk express well the musically challenging
style of Jason Robert Brown through his wry comic song 'A Summer In
Ohio'. Daniel Fuins and Matthew Brock find the total silliness in 'We
Can Do It' from Mel Brooks' The Producers.
Real charisma on stage
is that undefinable thing borne of natural talents encouraged and
honed, coupled with an innate gift for heartfelt interpretation. In a
cast of twenty-five clearly talented students destined to do the MADD
college proud in the theatrical arts sector two students for this
reviewer stood out. Sadie Marie – Ebbon and Savanna Darnell.
Both of them are
excellent in their comedy roles but more especially in their solo
songs. Sadie Marie-Ebbon pulls the heart-strings with her touching
and polished rendition of Marc Shaiman's 'Fly, Fly Away – Catch Me
If You Can'. In her interpretation she brings out much of the song's
tender feeling. At times, during her mesmerising presentation I am
reminded of a younger Frances Ruffelle. A very confident piece.
With another song by
Marc Shaiman – this time from the popular musical Hairspray -
Savanna Darnell brings all of her character's smoky soul filled
glamour to the stage with 'I Know Where I've Been'. Darnell is most
certainly one to watch and judging from the audience's whooping and
cheering reaction today they could have watched her and listened to
her sing all night.
Sadie Marie Ebbon |
Savanna Darnell |
Praise should also be
given to Principal Frances Clayton and all the supremely dedicated staff/tutors
at MADD for showing that there is great young talent to be nurtured
in the Midlands.
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